Why Is Sin Important In The Scarlet Letter

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Sin is clearly a matter of great importance in the mid-17th century Puritan Community of The Scarlet Letter, as religious sin is associated with breaking the law. In this novel, we see a hierarchy of sins. Roger Chillingworth's Pursuit of revenge is deemed a "worse sin" than the passion that led Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale to commit adultery. No character in the book questions the idea that sin should be punished, and all recognize that sin will be punished, if not here on earth by man, than by God after death.Committing sin is regarded as willfully allowing the Black Man (Satan) to place his mark upon your soul. When a citizen breaks the colony’s law, he is also breaking God's Law. While it is only through confession to the public that a sinner, Dimmesdale, finds peace, this conflation of God’s …show more content…
Hypocrisy is seen not only as a sin in The Scarlet Letter, but as a sin that leads to great personal injury. Dimmesdale, a religious figure, comes to embody hypocrisy, resulting in so much guilt that he becomes ill. His guilty conscience produces the mysterious appearance of the scarlet letter on his skin over his heart and ultimately causes his death.Dimmesdale’s illegitimate daughter is especially hard on her father. Until he renounces his hypocrisy, she has little to do with him. When he finally reveals the truth about himself, she loves him for who he is.
The Scarlet Letter is a novel that deals with the never-ending theme of sin. The idea of sin and punishment is the main theme of the novel and how Hester Prynne, has been punished for her sin of adultery. As Nathaniel Hawthorne states in this novel, “In the view of Infinite Purity, we are sinners all alike.” This statement tests the true lives of the Puritans. If we all have

Scarlet Letter Forest Symbolism

In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses many symbols, for example the forest, sunshine and water. Symbols of things would be the scarlet letter itself and the symbols of places would be like the scaffold. Pearl is also one of the heavily symbolized characters in the book. One important part of the book is when Hester Prynne speaks to Dimmesdale about their predicament which takes place in the forest.Throughout the novel, it becomes very apparent that there is a difference between the forest and the…

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The Rose-Bush In The Scarlet Letter

intertwined with the unwelcoming entrance of the village prison: a heavily timbered oak door, studded with iron spikes. Why would an author associate something so harsh with something so beautiful? The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals the significance of many important symbols throughout the novel. The rose-bush by the prison door, Pearl, and Dimmesdale’s scarlet letter are three of the most concealed and essential symbols in the book. In the very beginning of the story, Hawthorne describes…

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Sympathy In The Scarlet Letter

Surname 5 Name Professor Subject Date The Scarlet Letter This essay will take a defensive position on the assertion that people are not actually “humanized” or capable of sympathy until grief deeply touches them. Evidence will point out that people reactions to sympathy for others have to be emotionally induced, mostly by pain or unusual happenings and acts. Pearl is the daughter of Hester, and the book uses her as a symbol. She becomes an important character in the book through her ability to provoke…

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Essay The Scarlet Letter

When I first read the name of the book, the scarlet letter, I thought it was like fictional story as Dan Brown’s novel. However, it turns out that it is a normal tragic novel about love, sin and knowledge. It instantly got my attention because I love romantic novel for those beautiful sentences in the book.The Scarlet Letter is written by Nathanial Hawthorne, the most influential romantic American novelist, writer and psychological analyst in the 19th century. The writer (1804~1864) said his work…

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Scarlet Letter Pearl Quotes

person or thing of great worth” (Pearl...) “The Role of Pearl” by Anne Marie McNamara explains why Pearl was such a crucial character in The Scarlet Letter. Pearl was one of the most important, if not the most important character because she is what makes Dimmesdale confess, she brings Hester and Dimmesdale together, and she is there to help Hester live with her sin. Pearl was an extremely important part of the forest scene between Dimmesdale, Hester, and herself because she is what really made…

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Essay on Untitled Document

John Mensah 5th January 2015 Mrs. Vargas Homework 13 I believe that, the story "The Scarlet Letter" is the story of Hester. Many other may agree and disagree to my opinion. Many people would say the story is meant for Chillingworth blouse files wiles others may also say the story was meant for Dimmesdale. I disagree to that, is I disagree to how some people would also say the story was meant for Pearl. I know that some people would say the story was meant for or what about Dinsdale…

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Scarlet Letter Essay

Puritan Beliefs in The Scarlet Letter The puritan society was very different than other religious groups. They were a more strict about their religious views and beliefs. The puritans believed that “human beings were depraved sinners incapable of earning merit in the eyes of God” (The Puritan Beliefs ). This drove them to believe that they can never become satisfied with themselves and should always strive to follow the will of God. Their strong beliefs are seen in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter …

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Symbolism Of The Forest In The Scarlet Letter

literary element and adds depth and meaning to a novel. In his book, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses various symbols with different meanings to engage his audience. For example, he uses the forest as a symbol throughout his writing. The forest is first introduced as a dark, unknown place, but later in the book, Hawthorne portrays the once foreign area as a place of freedom for Hester. In the beginning of The Scarlet Letter, the narrator talks about Hester’s house and it’s proximity to the…

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The Scarlet Letter Essay

walks away, Hester goes to find Pearl. She realizes that, although it is a sin to do so, she hates her husband. If she once thought she was happy with him, it was only self-delusion. Pearl has been playing in the tide pools down on the beach. Pretending to be a mermaid, she puts eelgrass on her chest in the shape of an “A,” one that is “freshly green, instead of scarlet.” Pearl hopes that her mother will ask her about the letter, and Hester does inquire whether Pearl understands the meaning of the symbol…

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Scarlet Letter Questions

treat Pearl. Why do you think the children act like this? The children start to throw dirt at her. Just like her mother, she is treated the same, because Pearl…

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