The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne - 797 Words

Settled in 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony housed one thousand refuge Puritans. The Puritans had sailed over to escape religious persecution from England. Born one hundred seventy four years later Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose ancestors arrived at the colony, would become a writer. He started writing at the age of twenty four, but would not peak until he hit his late forty’s. His most famous book written was The Scarlet Letter. The book was originally concepted upon the findings of a paper recalling the events and the scarlet letter. Hawthorne’s book would showcase the Puritans view on the sin of two people and the revenge of another. Portraying the lives of three different people, the strong willed Hester Prynne; the abused clergyman†¦show more content†¦Throughout the book the use Hester as a scapegoat for the sins they have committed. The townspeople are not ugly on the outside, but on the inside. Hester Prynne is the beautiful flower, both inside and out, blooming from the ugliness around her. Hester’s beauty can best be defined by her â€Å"fragrance and fragile beauty.†(46). Described thoroughly by Hawthorne, Hester is a woman of unimaginable beauty. When she had to place the bonnet and letter on her chest her beauty began to change. She was no longer recognised by the beauty of her face, but the beauty within like a rose it has many layers. Not only had her beauty changed but she â€Å"had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness.†(46). The Townspeople also did not make it easy for Hester to survive out on the scaffold and after. They wanted to whip her, take away pearl, and burn her. With all of the threats coming her way Hester thought about killing herself, yet she never could because of those she loved. She grew stronger through the harsh words and glances. As the chapters went on Hester began to change due to the letter on her chest. The emotions she feels due to the letter directly correlate with the shadows and sunlight. With the letter on her chest Hester’s moods lean on the darker side, Pearl once explained that, â€Å"the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself.† (165). The sunshine represents the good and the innocent, like Pearl. The light runs away from Hester