Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Scarlet Letter Reflection
Although in some aspects The Scarlet Letter was a dense and slow read, the story has an uplifting message of perseverance and dedication, but maybe just a little too uplifting. I think that Hawthorne is overly optimistic about Hester's reintegration into society. After her stay in prison, she was viewed as an outcast, yet slowly over a period of seven years, the community is starting to welcome her back. They even go as far as to propose removing her scarlet letter. It seems that the reason the scarlet letter was given to Hester in the first place was to remind both herself, as well as the townspeople, of her sin. Puritan culture is very critical of sinners and it would be hard to believe that they would shrug off Hester's wrongdoings so quickly. Despite Hawthorne's optimistic plot, he still composes a stirring novel based on Hester's tolerance and acceptance of her position in society and her stuggles as an adulteress. I think itis for that reason that this book should be required reading for high school students. Hester is the perfect example of how tolerance, acceptance and perseverance can pay off. This is an excellent message to high schoolers as they struggle with grades, peer pressure and social interactions.
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Forrest, I agree with you that the story of Hester's struggles is one of the novel's best qualities. I also agree that the messages portrayed in the novel, in terms of individual relationships to society, are still relevant today, and especially at the high school level where "fitting in" can be an especially stressful part of teen life. However, I would disagree with your claim that the novel is too uplifting. In some ways, I actually found it to be depressing in the end. Though Hester regains the respect of society, in the end she dies sad, alone, and unable to make a real difference in an unjust world. In terms of her position in society, the novel is uplifting, but I think that there is an underlying tragic tone to the end of the novel.
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