Novel about sin
The puritans were fascinated with the effect of sin upon the human heart. Nathaniel Hawthorne, who is a puritan writer, considers the effect of sin upon the human heart fascinating as well. The Scarlet Letter is not a novel about adultery but a study of the effects of sin on the hearts and minds of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. Sin is a double-edged sword in the life of Hester Prynne. The effects of sin on her character are not only defining and powerful, but they are also ambivalent. The most obvious effect of son on her is that it isolates her from her community. We see this from the very beginning of the story, when we first encounter her standing alone on the platform. This is not the last time we see her standing alone this situation recurs throughout the story. The fact that she is labeled as an adulteress is a large reason as to why she is separated from society. She reacts to this with a blush of shame and a look of defiance at the same time. Her reaction to the sin and societies opinion of that sin continues throughout the book, as well as her growing feeling of shame and repentance. After the scaffold scene, Hester seemingly conforms to the puritanical code of society. She does work
Hester returns to Boston many years later, takes up her former good works, and puts back on her scarlet letter. Chillingworth premeditated his revenge on Dimmesdale from the minute that he found out that Hester had an affair and a child now. Sin turns Chillingworth from a somewhat decent road scholar to an evil black-hearted old man. Sin changed the sinners; it darkened their vision and weakened the soul. She believes this so fervently that she actually convinces Dimmesdale to leave Boston and goto Europe with her and Pearl. " Hester continues her "repentance" for her sin, but in her mind still believes that what they did was not wrong. This shows the power and effect of sin on the human heart and that it is not something to be played with or you might end up like Chillingworth. This is shown when Dimmesdale dies and he soon dies after as well since he has no one to leach off of. The Scarlet letter is a study of the effects of sin on the hearts and minds of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. Sin had the worst effect of all on Chillingworth it turned him from a man to the devil. He is eventually driven so far by his inner sin and guilt that he must get up on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl in front of the whole town and confess his sins. s of penance and good will that appear as if she is trying to atone for her sins and faults. It is the effect of sin on his heart that leads to his final confession and overall salvation. This seemingly obvious admission of sin is nothing less than hypocritical.
Common topics in this essay:
Hester Prynne,
Pearl Dimmesdale,
Europe Hester,
Hester Pearl,
Dimmesdale Hester,
Hester Sin,
Dimmesdale Chillingworth,
Sin Chillingworth,
Nathaniel Hawthorne,
Scarlet Letter,
effect sin,
dimmesdale's heart,
effects sin,
heart soul,
scarlet letter,
human heart,
effect sin human,
sin human heart,
sin human,
study effects sin,
affect sin,
soul sin,
sin chillingworth,
hearts minds hester,
effects sin hearts,
|
Acceptance Essays
