Analysis of Huckleberry Finn and The Scarlet Letter

Abstract

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter not only both tell us about how people are constricted and controlled by the societies in which they live, but tell you that there is no escape from it. Through characters such as Hester, Dimmesdale, Huck, and Jim the authors of these two novels show us the pointlessness of trying to escape your place in society and the fates of those who try and fail.

Hester is one of the many doomed characters in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and, like every other character in the novel; and they are doomed because of the societal limitations that have been put on the village by its protestant founders and their descendants.

Hester, being convicted of committing adultery and mothering a bastard child, is shunned by the rest of the women of the village and the men as well. This fate would not be so for a man, however. He would be cast stares through cautious eyes as he walked down the streets but in no way would he suffer as Hester did. The hunt for the philanderer ended as soon as Hester said she would not tell the name of the father and no one cared to push the subject until Chillingworth showed up and personally saw to the investigation.