Example research essay topic: How The Characters Of Scarlet Letter Represent Sin - 756 words

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Lexico Publishing Dictionary at Dictionary. com defines sin as; 1. A transgression of a religious or moral law, especially when deliberate, and 2. Something regarded as being shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong. These who definitions cleary represent the sin in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, through the characters Hester Prynne, her daughter Pearl, Dimmesdale the father, and Chillingworth, Hester's husband.

Hester Prynne, the wearer of the famous scarlet letter that gave the novel it's name, is the story's source of the unforgivable sin that tears through the community of Boston in the 1600 's. Hester's future and reputation in her small home town were changed forever after she was sentenced to wear the beautiful embroidered scarlet letter "A" for the rest of her days in the village. This letter on her chest forces her to be a public outcast, and a symbol for everyone else around her to look at, as a sinner. As Hawthorne describes it, "It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself", it did just that. Hester soon realizes that she is in a world of her own now, and must deal with this punishment as she has brought it onto herself. Since the scarlet letter itself represents sin, it brings about her isolation from the world and shows her sin will affect her own livelihood.

Also, things such as guilt and loneliness are consequences of her sin, that she must learn to deal with. But probly the most important symbol of her sin is her daughter Pearl, as she is living evidence of the adultery between Hester and Dimmesdale. Pearl, the outcome of the relation between Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale, is the very embodiment of Hester. Pearl represents them same thing the scarlet letter represents in once sense, as both are bound to Hester forever and are both outcomes of her sin. Both Pearl and the letter A add to the anguish and pain that the scarlet letter offer from her mother's sin. Pearl is not just a reminder of the deed like the scarlet letter, but actually helps in the torturing of her mother without knowing it.

As it did to Hester, the scarlet letter became a big part in Pearls life. Pearls attraction to it drove her mother into even more suffering. For example, "she amused herself with gathering handfuls of wild-flowers, and flinging them, one by one, at her mother's bosom; dancing, up and down, like a little elf, whenever she hit the scarlet letter. " This shows that Pearl is a daily reminder of Hester's wrong doing, and also Pearl reminds her mother of the scarlet letter which brings more pain to Hester. Roger Chillingworth, out of these three, may be the worst sinner of all. Although at first the reader might sympathize with Chillingworth, and think he is the victim of sin, it is soon realized the opposite. For one, Roger Chillingworth is a sinner for marrying Hester Prynne at such an old age and to add to that, she was much too young.

He know's this and shows us here when he says, "We have wronged each other. Mine was the first wrong, when I betrayed thy budding youth into an unnatural relation with my decay. " Also, Chillingworth may be the worst sinner because of the fact that he lied and hid his identity upon entering the village, and when he found out the news about Hester, he used that fake identity to find the man that committed adultery with his wife. Once he knows Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl, the living reminder of his wife's sin, he uses this identity to bring anguish and dismay to Dimmesdale. He makes sure Dimmesdale pays with giving him a Hell on Earth experience, mentally, for the sin he committed. Although Chillingworth may have gotten what he wanted in the long run, and turned out to be in the least agony of all the characters, he still can be called the worst sinner of all.

In conclusion, because of Hester's one action, many people's lives changed forever, and more importantly brought about the pain and reminders of her sin that would haunt her for the rest of her life. Pearl, as innocent as she is, magnifies her mothers sin the best in this story. And Chillingworth, even though it may have seemed as though he was a victim of Hester's actions, he can be called the worst sinner of all.

Research essay sample on How The Characters Of Scarlet Letter Represent Sin