Free College Essays - The Theme of Punishment in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet garner The Theme of Punishment Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter deals with many themes, the most powerful being punishment. In this novel, Hester Prynne becomes a super respected person in a Puritan society by overcoming one of the harshest punishments, the scarlet garner. This object on her bosom however, does the exact opposite of that which it was meant for. Eventually, Hester Prynne inverts all the odds against here due to her courage, pride and effort. Hester went beyond the letter of the law and did everything asked of here in order to prove that she is able. Hester became quite a popular seamstress, admired all over the town of Boston for her work. Hester is tame in everything that she does. Hester herself wears only poor clothing while she embroiders marvelous whole works for the rest of Boston. The only piece of clothing forbidden to create was the union vail. How could a woman wearing the scarlet letter create a dress that represents the val ues of marriage having committed sin as she did to be involved in the marital bonds of another couple. Although she does the job willingly and seldom ever looks back to the horrid past behind. The scarlet letter was incessantly worn by Hester with pride and dignity. Hester knew that what was done in the past was haywire and that the scarlet A was the right thing to do, therefor it is worn with a sense of pride. The small fry, Pearl, is a blessing and as a reminder of her sin. As if the scarlet A were not enough punishment there was a brat of that hellish breed which would remind Hester of what happened in the past. The brat could guard been given away to Governor Bellingham yet Hester proclaimed that Pearl is my merriment...Ye shall not take her I will die first non a person in Boston, nor Hester herself thought highly of the little child and Hester refused to let Pearl go. Hester carried the kid around only because it was a read reflection of her sin and to c ast away here sin as freely as that to give it away would be unjust and raw to Hester and Pearl.