Sin is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as, "any offense, fault, or the willful breaking of religious or moral law." Mankind is prone to some degree of sin: it is a barrier that can not be avoided. But it is a question as to what mankind can do in order to achieve redemption ...

Throughout the novel, Pearl remains the reminder of the sin that Hester committed, this is her symbolic importance. Many of the characters in this novel suffer the consequences of their sins, however, none seem to suffer as much as Pearl. Despite the fact that she has committed no crime to society, ...

The Scarlet Letter - Individuality within a Puritan Society Often in society people are criticized, punished and despised for their individual choices and flaws. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author attempts to show the way society casts out individuals simply beca...

Symbolism and The Scarlet Letter Symbolism is traditionally a sign or token of something. In the matter of literature, the definition of the literary device, symbolism, is more complicated. Symbols of literature are usually metaphysical. The main symbol of The Scarlet Letter is the red "A" that ...

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is considered to be one of the greatest examples of true American literature. Its excellency of topic, characterization, and description has made it a permanent part of our history. Set in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s, it describes the life of...

There were many differences between the novels The Scarlet Letter and Billy Bud. The Scarlet Letter was about how two people dealt with their sin in different ways, while Billy Bud was about an innocent man, who was punished for an unintentional "sin". Although the stories and themes were differen...

In the world of literature, there are many ways to indirectly convey or foreshadow events, settings, and situations. Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter uses a great deal of literary devices and techniques in order to effectively lead the reader towards his viewpoint and, finally, towards his p...

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is considered to be one of the greatest examples of trueAmerican literature. Its excellency of topic, characterization, and description has made it a permanent partof our history. Set in Salem, Massachusetts in the 1600s, it describes the life of H...

Literary Analysis of The Scarlet Letter An author uses symbolism to inform his or her readers about his or her viewpoints. A symbol gives deeper meaning and sometimes hidden insight to the situation that it is being described. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, a novel that informs the reader a...

Jane ManwelyanBewilderment at the Hands of Sin"No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally becoming bewildered as to which may be true. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, this quote applies to the two main characters of th...

The heroine in the Scarlet Letter is Hester Prynne. Even though Hester sins against God, she is a woman who survives the horrendous trials of a "Puritan" society-the society that wants to be a Utopia among imperfect people. From her horrendous trials, Hester gains strength, courage, and her l...

Arthur Dimmesdale Dimmesdale is a scared man because he is Hester's lover but does not want to admit it. He watches Hester suffer and face her sin while he hides his inside like a coward. However he suffers a great deal as well. "What can thy silence do for him, except it tempt him-ye...

In Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne seems to intimate that what Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmsdale shared wasn't quite as sinful as is supposed. The real sin seems to lie in the marriage of Hester with Chillingworth. Similarly, "A Pair of Eyes; or Modern Magic" by Louisa May Alcott also por...

The Branded Mother and her Throwaway Child The Scarlet Letter is a story of hypocrisy and punishment. The strict Puritan laws made adultery a sin punishable by death or a life of misery. Although being an unwed mother or an illegitimate child is no longer a crime leading to capi...

Sin is a powerful force that has the ability to destroy anything that comes in its path. In life, sin is able to control people and manipulate them into different individuals. Nowhere is this capability more evident than in Hawthorne's writing. Hawthorne uses powerful stories to display the pain and...

characterization of the townspeople as unforgiving and bloodthirsty individuals serves to heighten the guilt felt by the novel's sinners. Roger Chillingworth is an erudite, scholarly physician, and Hester's husband. His and Hester's marriage was arranged by Hester's parents, despite the large differ...

Threads are rather insignificant by themselves. It is when a weaver connects them together that they form a beautiful tapestry. Each thread now contributes to the quality of the tapestry and are bound together by the common picture that form. In a work of literature, each thread is an idea and the c...

When a book is published today that includes the story of an affair betweena married man and/or woman, hardly anyone raises an eyebrow in protest.After all, this is 2003, and extramarital affairs occur regularly in reallife and even more so in literature and films. However, the situation wasquite di...