The Evolution of the Scarlet Letter free essay sample

Throughout the story, the reader can clearly identify the contrast of Hester’s views of her scarlet letter from the beginning of the book to the end. The defiance and ignorance of Hester is clearly visible when Hester is being questioned on the pedestal by Reverend Mr. Wilson. â€Å"Speak out thy name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast. †¦Never! It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine! † (47). This dialogue between Reverend Mr. Wilson and Hester clearly defines Hester’s thoughts and feelings towards her sin at the beginning of the book. It exposes Hester’s lack of self-acceptance of her adultery crime when she refuses to give out the name of the father of the baby. Further into the book, it is established Hester is a different woman who slowly defines herself as a sinner but an acceptor of her sin. We will write a custom essay sample on The Evolution of the Scarlet Letter or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After several years have passed since her sin, Hester is separated from the community but becomes very important to it with her needle work. She slowly morphs into a kind, helping community member who helps the less fortunate. All in all, Hester is a more confident and accepting person of herself and her life through the beginning of the book to the end. As it did for herself, it takes the villagers of Puritan Boston time to accept Hester. It is clearly noted at an early stage in the book that the villagers are not accepting of Hester. Every time she gets an odd stare from a villager, she feels a torture from the villager. â€Å"Another peculiar torture was felt in the gaze of a new eye. When strangers looked curiously at the scarlet letter, and none ever failed to do so, the branded it afresh into Hester’s soul; so that, oftentimes, she could scarcely refrain, yet always did refrain, from covering the symbol with her hand (59). Time heals all wounds, and it takes people time to see who Hester Prynne really is. As the book progresses, they start to notice Hester is simply a woman who made a mistake, but is also helping around the community with her needle work, showing her true colors. At the end of the book, not only is Hester accepting of herself, but even some of the villagers begin to accept her. Hester’s daughter Pearl perhaps goes through the book with little understanding behind the scarlet letter. Early in the book, Pearl teases Hester for wearing the scarlet letter, often questioning and playing with it. She does not understand the full concept behind it, just that it is normal for her particular mother to wear. Towards the end of the book when she sees her mother not wearing it, she becomes confused. She is on the other side of the brook in the woods with Hester and Arthur Dimmesdale. It is at this point in time that Pearl cannot see Hester as being her mother without seeing the scarlet letter. Pearl still pointed with her forefinger; and a frown gathered on her brow; the more impressive from the childish, the almost baby-like aspect of the features that conveyed it† (143). Even though she often uses it to taunt Hester, Pearl is a constant reminder of Hester’s sin and is always making sure she has her scarlet letter. Although it is mentioned the narr ator in the custom house is not Nathaniel Hawthorne, they are both very similar. The narrator is carefully constructed as being similar to Hester in the sense that they are both isolated by people whom they have no connection to. The author feels this way working in the custom house surrounded by old men. â€Å"I am a citizen of somewhere else† (31). Hester, of course, is isolated from the rest of the community because of her sin. Even though the narrator feels he will be criticized for attempting to make a writing career, he makes a fictional account of Hester’s story anyways. Writing for him is similar to needle work for Hester, and it is a further comparison of two similar characters. The author evolves Hester into himself, and it is made clear that is his intention. In conclusion, the evolution of Hester, the villagers, Pearl, and the author of the scarlet letter that Hester wears is generally seen as acceptance of her and her sin. The author develops Hester into a woman who gradually becomes comfortable with the idea of herself and her sin. Although Pearl never clearly understands it, she recognizes that her mother will forever be a sinner, but is still her mother. The villagers at first heckle Hester of her scarlet letter, but begin to see her true colors. In short, The Scarlet Letter is a showcase of the evolution of the characters in the book.