2nd half of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Charlie Spinale

AP Literature & Composition

7/16/14

2^nd half of The Scarlet Letter prompt: “Choose one of the three main characters and discuss his/her motivations throughout the novel. What is the final outcome for the character you are discussing, and what does this outcome suggest to the reader?”

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne’s act of adultery leads her to inevitable mortification and shun in Puritan America which does not take such sins lightly in a time of strong religious and moral beliefs. Throughout the novel Hester copes with her shame and guilt by isolating herself while cleansing her soul by performing good deeds. Hester is motivated by her daughter Pearl who provides Hester with all her happiness but at the same time is an unceasing reminder of her sin and her partner in crime Reverend Dimmesdale who conceals his sin forcing himself into a life of guilt which ultimately leads to his death.

            

        In the first half of The Scarlet Letter the reader sees Hester’s motives in her needlework which allowed her to provide for her and Pearl. Her needlework was popular among many Puritans and she even spent time doing charity work. Nonetheless, she acquired hatred from the people she was helping who still continued to sneer at her: “Dames of elevated rank, likewise, whose doors she entered in the way of her occupation, were accustomed to distil drops of bitterness into her heart; sometimes through that alchemy of quiet malice, by which women can concoct a subtile poison from ordinary trifles; and sometimes, also, by a coarser expression, that fell upon the sufferer’s defenceless breast like a rough blow upon an ulcerated wound” (64). This quote shows the reader that the rich women who purchased Hester clothes would shrewdly insult her and other times they would attack her with degrading words. The reader understands how even when Hester is helping people she still receives “bitterness”. Although Hester’s guilt and shame never go away in the second half of the book, the public begins to respect Hester’s kindhearted actions such as her aptitude to help the sick. Rather than recognizing the “A” as her sin of adultery, people begin to recognize it differently: “They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (114). This quote states that Hester’s “A” began meaning “able” to a lot of citizens who began to appreciate her rather than ostracize her. Although Hester receives praise for her good deeds she refuses to except this praise and be recognized for it. In public when she sees a citizen who she has helped she will not even make eye contact with them because she does not believe she is deserving of this praise and she realizes she must suffer for her sin not be rewarded for it: “Meeting them in the street, she never raised her head to receive their greeting. If they were resolute to accost her, she laid her finger on the scarlet letter, and passed on. This might be pride, but was so humility, that it produced all the softening influence of the latter quality on the public mind…society was inclined to show its former victim a more benign countenance than she cared to be favored with, or, perchance, than she deserved” (115). Hester’s inability to accept praise shows that she is not willing to forgive herself for her sin and she must continue to repent. This is shown when she points at her “A” and does not acknowledge praise from people she has helped. The quote depicts how the community saw that Hester acted this way out of humility so in return they were kinder to Hester than she wanted. Hester’s good deeds did not deserve praise in her mind, and if she accepted praise she would not be capable of forgiving herself for her sin and would not be able to become pure again.

Hester’s motives and ability to cope with her sin is shown through her love for Pearl. Although Pearl provides Hester with all her happiness she is also a portrayal of the scarlet letter because although she can be sweet she mocks Hester and reminds her of her sin. As Pearl gets older she questions the true meaning of her mother’s “A” always asking about it. Hester believes Pearl’s wonder of it was given to her for a divine reason: “Hester had often fancied that Providence had a design of justice and retribution, in endowing the child with this marked propensity; but never, until now, had she bethought herself to ask, whether, linked with that design, there might not likewise be a purpose of mercy and beneficence…might it not be her errand to soothe away the sorrow that lay cold in her mother’s heart…” (126). This quote is saying that Pearl's wonder about the “A” could have been given to her to make her represent “justice” and “retribution” or punishment. Hester also wonders if the purpose has “mercy” and “beneficence” or kindness. She wondered if Pearl was meant to take away the sorrow in her heart. Although Pearl’s actions can be mocking and at the same time sweet towards Hester, Hester still shows Pearl love and would sacrifice anything for her. When Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the forest and they decide they will leave their guilt behind and start a new life somewhere else, Hester abandons her “A” and takes of her cap which covers her hair. After she does this her femininity, youth, and beauty came back to her. This led to a complete change in Hester in terms of not only appearance but a burden of “shame” and “anguish” had left her. This is further explained when the narrator states: “She had not known the weight, until she felt the freedom” (142).  As the quote states, Hester have become essentially free and her guilt and shame has departed from her. Pearl, when called by Hester begins screaming and making a fuss because she does not recognize Hester without her “A” and her hair covered. Hester responds by putting back on her “A” and her cap to cover her hair. Hester than asks Pearl to come to her: “Dost thou know thy mother now child? Wilt thou come across the brook, and own thy mother, now that she has her shame upon her, -now that she is sad (147)? This quote shows that now that Hester has put back on her “A” and covered her hair Pearl is now willing to come across the brook to her. Pearl in response kisses her mother’s forehead and also kisses the “A” showing both affection and mockery. Hester’s love is demonstrated here because she was willing to put the shame she had taken away from her and put it back on for Pearl. This shows she would do anything for Pearl even if it means taking away her own happiness. It also goes to show that she cannot escape the “A” and when she tries to she is forced back into relentless shame.

Hester’s motives are exhibited through the risks she takes with Reverend Dimmesdale's secret. Rather than exposing the fact that her and Reverend Dimmesdale committed adultery together she chose to protect his reputation. However, her love for Reverend Dimmesdale was too strong and she knew her previous husband now known as Roger Chillingworth was causing Dimmesdale to become weaker and weaker every day: “There had been a period when Hester was less alive to this consideration; or, perhaps, in the misanthropy of her own trouble, she left the minister to bear what she might picture to herself as a more tolerable doom. But of late, since the night of his vigil, all her sympathies towards him had been both softened and invigorated. She now read his heart more accurately. She doubted not, that the continual presence of Roger Chillingworth,—the secret poison of his malignity, infecting all the air about him,—and his authorized interference, as a physician, with the minister’s physical and spiritual infirmities,—that these bad opportunities had been turned to a cruel purpose” (135). This quote shows that Hester use to think that Dimmesdale having to deal with Chillingworth was a better fate than the shame he would receive if she had not kept his secret. After she saw him on the platform where she was originally shunned she realized the feelings she had for him and also saw how damaged he was from Chillingworth’s idea of curing him, which really just made him go insane. The reader sees Hester’s motive of love when she first declares she will not divulge Dimmesdale’s secret and instead takes on all the shame alone. The reader sees her endearment for Dimmesdale at a greater depth when she risks the revenge her and Dimmesdale will face after she reveals Chillingworth’s true identity as her previous husband in order to save Dimmesdale from Chillingworth. Hester’s love for Dimmesdale is stated clearly: “…still so passionately loved” (136)! But, it is also shown when she tells Dimmesdale she is willing to leave the area and no longer be forced to live in shame and guilt: “Thou shalt not go alone” (139)! Hester having the ability to leave an area where her sin is attached shows how far she has come in terms of allowing herself to live with her life even though she is well aware the “A” will be with her until death. It also shows her love for Dimmesdale because should would risk having nothing and leaving an area where her sins were rooted.

In the end Hester did not allow her guilt and shame to kill her like it did to Dimmesdale who dies at the scaffold after he admits his sin of adultery with Hester and frees his guilt. However, her guilt and shame inevitably lived with her forever because she returns to her isolated cottage and lives there suffering through shame and guilt interminably. Although she would still face shame and guilt the scarlet letter was no longer looked at in regret but rather wonder and respect due to Hester’s kind and hard work throughout the rest of her life. Women began getting advice from Hester involving love and unhappiness and she responded by promising: “…a new truth would be revealed, in order to establish the whole relationship between man and woman on a surer ground of mutual happiness” (181). However, this new world Hester describes where men and woman will act for their mutual happiness cannot have Hester as the “prophetess” like she thought because she is sinful, shameful, and unhappy. The woman would have to be pure unlike Hester. Hester’s daughter Pearl transitions to a women and obtains an ability to see human sorrow once her father dies leading her to becoming happily married and willing to have Hester live with her. Hester, however, believes she must stay where she sinned, where her misery is, and where her self-punishment will be. Hester therefore loses Pearl and Dimmesdale and was unable to defeat the scarlet letter and turn pure again. It goes to show that some things are permanent and you can try to change them but in the end they will always endure; just like Hester’s shame, guilt, and the scarlet letter which will forever remain on her bosom.