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In the time period that The Scarlet Letter takes place, Puritans dominated the New World. Puritans practice very strict religion--they believe that God has chosen who will go to Heaven and Hell from before birth (predestination), and that the only way to ascend to Heaven is to be the best person you can be. Some even believe that smiling is a sin. Hester commits an act that for this time period was as serious as murder: adultery. She sins with a man she is not married to (although, to be fair, she thought her husband was dead) and so in her peers' eyes she must be punished greatly. The scarlet letter is a symbol of shame--it tells everyone who sees it that she is a sinner, an adulterer, a person to be ridiculed and scorned. Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter as a story of guilt and shame, and how they affect people. He intended the purpose of Hester Prynne's punishment to have three effects: one, to personify her guilt towards herself, two, to show how that guilt can be responded to when faced, and three, to express how often guilt can rip people apart from the inside.
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What book is Hester Prynne in?
Hester Prynne is the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter. She is portrayed as a woman condemned by her Puritan neighbors. The character has been called "among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature."
Who Is Hester Pyrnne?
Hester Prynne, the young protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, is a woman condemned by her Puritan neighbors. The character has been called "among the first and most important female protagonists in American literature."
Where has the stranger been What motion does he make to Hester?
He has been in an Indian prison and makes a "be quiet/shhh"motion by putting a finger to his lips.
Why has Hester Prynne been imprisoned?
Hester Prynne has been imprisoned for committing adultery and having a child out of wedlock in Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The Scarlet Letter." Her punishment includes being publicly shamed by having to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her clothing as a symbol of her sin.
What crime have both Hester Prynne of the scarlet letter and Mike Tyson committed?
Hester Prynne committed adultery whereas Mike Tyson committed rape. However Tyson's second wife Monica Turner claimed when she filed a divorce that Tyson did commit adultery during their 5 year marriage that "has neither been forgiven nor condoned." Regarding Turner's allegations there has never been any evidence brought forward to prove this.
What does the stranger learn from the townsman next to him in The Scarlet Letter?
The stranger tells him that Hester is the wife of a learned Englishman and had been living with him in Amsterdam when he decided to emigrate to America. The learned man sent Hester to America first and remained behind to settle his affairs, but he never joined Hester in Boston. Also the man revealed that Hester refuses to give the identity of the father of her child.
What did Hester tell Roger Chillingworth when they met on the peninsula?
When Hester meets Roger Chillingworth on the peninsula, she tells him that she is going to make Reverend Dimmesdale aware of Chillingworth's true identity (Roger Prynne - Hester's former husband.)Hester says to Roger Chillingworth "I must reveal the secret. He [Arthur Dimmesdale] must discern thy true character, to discuss this matter with him, told him to be there for that discussion.
Where does mr dimmesdale go at midnight why?
Mr. Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold in the marketplace at midnight to publicly confess his sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. This act is a way for him to seek redemption and relieve himself of the guilt he has been carrying.
Where did Mr Dimmesdale go at midnight?
Mr. Dimmesdale went to the scaffold on the town square at midnight, where Hester Prynne had previously been publicly shamed for her adultery. He went there to finally reveal his sin and guilt to the townspeople.
In The Scarlet Letter why does John Wilson question pearl?
In The Scarlet Letter, John Wilson questions Pearl to determine her spiritual wellbeing and upbringing. He is concerned about her because she is the daughter of Hester Prynne, a woman who has been publicly shamed for committing adultery, and he wants to ensure that Pearl is being raised in a proper Christian manner.
What causes Hester to decide to speak to Chillingworth after so many year's what does she hope to accomplish?
Hester Prynne is a mother who has been estranged from her husband, Chillingworth. Hester is an outcast and can't provide well enough for Pearl, her daughter. She knows Chillingworth has the ability to help them. She hopes to gain a better life for herself and Pearl by talking to Chillingworth.
Where have Hester and Pearl been before they arrive at the scaffold on their way home?
Hester and Pearl had been visiting Governor Bellingham's house, where they were discussing Pearl being taken away from Hester. On their way home, they stop at the scaffold where Hester was punished.
