The mind is truly valuable, intrinsic, secure and powerful. No entity can take the mind away from a person, nor can anyone control the way it functions. Thus, a society that seeks total control over its people will never flourish and thrive. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" articulates this message by imposing upon the reader emotionally charged undertones of protagonist Hester Prynne and the antagonistic townspeople. These undertones, painted through figurative techniques that contrast light and dark colors, good and evil respectively, illustrate the shame associated with the Scarlet Letter; a symbol of sin initially designed to demoralize Prynne but instead evolves to facilitate her success as a contributing member of Puritan society, following the stages from shame, to acceptance to growth.
[...] The symbolic meaning of the Scarlet Letter as the epitome of sin is a recurring theme in the book, shown through abstract associations such as sunshine with sorrow and flashbacks with pain. Hester Prynne is humiliated by the letter as she is forced to flaunt her sin on a daily basis. Although sunshine is a genuine symbol for cheer and happiness, to Prynne the “sunshine seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if it meant no other purpose than to reveal the scarlet letter on her breast” (Hawthorne 72). [...]
[...] Just like Hester gave life to Pearl, Hester gave life to the scarlet letter and actual embroidered letter on Hester's chest began to take a life of its creating a sense of strength and confidence for Hester's inner soul (Tanguay). Like most traumatic experiences in life, the steps to recovery can be summarized to anger/sorrow/remorse, acceptance, and growth. A supplementary proverb would be “what does not kill us makes us stronger.” Hester learns to make acclimations for her situation starting with shame. [...]
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