The Scarlet Letter Wilderness Vs. Society - 1259 Words

Wilderness vs. society In the novel Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne presenting the idea for humans to endure the laws of nature and conscience, rather than following the laws of man, to fulfill happiness. The novel consists of a young woman named Hester Prynne carrying her infant daughter named Pearl. The golden letter A embroidered on Hester’s bosom symbolizes adultery, a vile sin which is looked down upon in her community. She encounters Dimmesdale, an influential Puritan priest who commits adultery with Hester. Their main priority is to escape their society and live a new life. There are many symbols displayed in the Scarlet Letter, in particular, wilderness vs. civilization. The wilderness represents opposing behaviors while civilization represents bounded to rules. The novel takes place in early America during the early Colonial period in Massachusetts. This era was undoubtedly strict. If one committed any crime in their society, there would be severe consequences for the individ ual. For instance, the Scarlet Letter scene during the introduction of the novel where Hester Prynne is humiliated by the people in her town while standing on a platform. Furious screeches by fellow puritans rang out through Hester s ears. The first scene resembles how the Puritans followed strict moral codes. The novel is displayed as gloomy and dark. The reason for this is that Hawthorne uses excellent imagery, the use ofShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter719 Words   |  3 Pages In The Scarlet Letter, the story is mostly about humans committing a sin and the consequences that follow. The themes public guilt vs. private guilt and nature vs. society expresses the story’s main idea. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses character development, setting development, and sequence of events to support the themes. He conveys the themes by using tone, symbolism and word choice. The main characters that are the epitome of these themes, are Hester Prynne, Pearl, and Arthur Dimme sdale. The themeRead MoreNature Vs. Society : A Timeless Discrepancy1626 Words   |  7 PagesNature vs. Society: a Timeless Discrepancy Research has proven that different environments can impact our bodies in different ways. What one sees, hears, and experiences can significantly alter their mood. In an unpleasant environment, one will feel stressed, sad and tired. A positive environment, such as nature, can completely reverse those emotions. Regardless of one s background, culture or age, humans find nature to be pleasing. 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Herman Melville1259 Words   |  6 Pages(1255 words) Margaret Fuller vs. Herman Melville Kendall Kinney ENGL267 In her 1945 article, Woman in the Nineteenth Century, Margaret Fuller illustrates a world in which â€Å"there exists in the minds of men a tone of feeling toward women as toward slaves†, and where men hold â€Å"the belief that Woman was made for Man†. Two books, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and Woman in the Nineteenth Century, provide male and female perspective in the 19th century. 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