1-19-97
								period 3

                                        		              Scarlet Letter

 	Who should punish a sinner?  Should it be religion, society, or the individual?  In 

Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter all three affect the main character Hester Prynne.  Religion 

punishes her with the Scarlet Letter, society ostracizes her as punishment, and individually 

she was able to move on in life but still returned to her haunting past where she died.

	
	Religion plays a big part in the Scarlet Letter.  Hester Prynne wore the Scarlet 

Letter to remind her of the mistake ahe made.  Instaed of taking Pearl away the people 

wanted her to wear the "A" for adultry.  Hester brought up her child forcing the

the thought of the heavenily father.  Hester's whole lifestyle was altered.  She obeyed 

everyone and for seven years was cursed by standing on the scaffold.  The people's beliefs 

strongly enforced the idea that Hester would wear the Scarlet Letter, so she did.  It 

constantly forced the tought of the sin she had commited and would haunt her for good.  

"I have thought have death," said she, - "have wished for it, - would even have prayed for 

it, were it fit that such as I should pray for anything."

	
	Society was an influence on the scarlet letter.  People of the town believed that 

Hester was a witch as well as sinner.  Society ostracized her because no one in the town 

had ever delt with any kind of sin as adultry so they looked at her as a witch.  The people 

in a way wanted to ruin her life because people actually thought she was bad.  One of the 

real canadites that wanted to ruin Hester was Mistress Hibbins.



 
 Through out the whole story Mistress Hibbins constantly gives Hester her piece of mind.  

"Thou thyself wilt see it, one time or another.  They say, child, thou art of the lineage of 

the Prince of the Air!  Wilt thou ride with me, some fine night, to see thy father."

	
	Individually she was ostracized and critizied no matter where she went.  As time 

went on she helped  the people proving there was a true side to Hester Prynne.  That led 

to the "A" no longer standing for adultry but for able.  When all had been coming together 

for Hester it proved that her punnishment from the people had turned to a compliament.  

This shows that individually she was able to handle the heat of the people.  When she 

became real strong she was able to move on with life but she faced the fact that her life 

would never be the same if she didn't move back to her haunted town full of dreadful 

memories.  So she did, and that's were she died.  "I know not!  I know not!" she hurridly 

repeated.  "Better? Yea; so we may both die, and little pearl die with us!"  As we know 

the conclusion Hester did indeed die and lay next to the one she loved, the minister.

	Who should punish a sinner?  Should it be religion, society, or the individual?  In 

Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter all three affect the main character Hester Prynne.  Religion 

punishes her with the scarlet letter, society ostracizes her as punishment, and individually 

she was able to move on in life but still returned to her haunting past where she died.  It 

proves that individually a person hurts themself more then anything.  Hester could live on 

anywhere else, her life wouldn't be the same.