The Scarlet Letter And Holds True Today - 890 Words

With the entire world always watching a person’s every move, people find it harder and harder to forgive themselves of their transgressions. People often seek approval from others and when they make mistakes, they potentially receive ridicule from others creating shame for their actions. When faced with a shame such as that, a person has two options: to let the shame consume them or to confront their mistakes and move past them. The idea that people have the power to choose how their decisions will define them holds true in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 19th century novel The Scarlet Letter and holds true today. The novel follows the story of Hester Prynne who commits an act of adultery with the minister of the town. Hester has a child and†¦show more content†¦The scarlet letter once held the meaning of adultery, but now means something completely different. The scarlet letter now means able; it becomes the embodiment of the strength seen in Hester (Hawthorne 121). Thus giving birth the to idea that a person’s mistakes define them in the way that they choose. Hester chooses to face her iniquities which allow her to decide how this decision will define her. On the other hand, Dimmesdale’s (the father) secret remains untold. With this untold secret, the reader can experience the mental and physical deterioration of Dimmesdale. As time moves on, physically Dimmesdale becomes â€Å"haggard and feeble† (Hawthorne 141). Almost as if the sin committed weighs heavily on his shoulders. He has no energy and walks with a hunched posture, depending greatly on a staff for support. Mentally, Dimmesdale seems to loose it. His mind wanders. He begins to see and imagine things that do not exist. While Hester chose to live with her sin out in the open, Dimmesdale lived with his in secret. By the end of the novel, it becomes clear that Dimmesdale adorns his own scarlet letter; a scarlet letter â€Å"imprinted in the flesh† (Hawthorne 193). Dimmesdale carves the letter â€Å"A† into his chest as Hester wears her letter â€Å"A† upon her bosom. Dimmesdale, who chooses not to confront his sins and guilt, condemns himself. Unlike Hester who chooses to confront her transgressions, Dimmesdale chooses to ignore his transgressions