P5+JJohnston

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When first reading the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the actual symbolic meaning amongst the characters may deceive a reader. Upon reading this book one must realize the culture, politics, religion and such of the time period. America was a relatively new nation who was trying to separate herself from Europe particularly, England, like Hester was trying to get away or build a new life from Chillingworth. “Adultery is merely the subject of the book, moral rebellion is its theme.” (Pg. V.) There are many logical reasons as to why Hawthorne would hide these political and governmental ideas under two characters, he mostly did it for self-protection.

If a reader looks close enough they will realize that Hester has many traits in common with America, they both are young and rebellious. They bother are trying to make a new life for themselves away from what they are used to, Chillingworth is like England because he completely leaves Hester alone to defend herself. He neglects Hester, while she is in this lonely place and doesn’t know what to do. The book is about Hester trying to create a new life, and to do what’s best for her and her daughter Pearl. Chillingworth is England who doesn’t want anything to do with this new country, park would be the new government that arise and is trying to last and be successful. “Here woman! The child is yours,-she is none of mine, - neither will she recognize my voice or aspect as a father’s. Administer this draught therefore, with thine own hand.” (pg. 62) Chillingworth means he doesn’t want anything do with his new life, just like England did want anything to do with America.

The cycle of transgression, shame, repentance and acceptance fits right into the cycle of Hester and the United State had to go through. Hester first betrays her husband which is the transgression, then she has shame through wearing the scarlet letter and her repentance was suffering public humiliation, then she had a fairly stable life which was her acceptance. When Hawthorne wrote the book the United States was in the last stage of acceptance period. It first betrayed England by separating and trying separate the cultural and its terms and conditions. The shame would have been it’s unstable government even at the time when Hawthorne, wrote the books, the government was not strong. It’s repentance was by growing as a nation and coming together to accept the final terms with England which never really occurred until Hawthorne wrote the book. “And, as Hester Prynne had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure or her own profit and enjoyment, people brought her counsel, as one who had herself gone through a mighty trouble.” (pg. 227), this is where the United States was heading towards when Hawthorne wrote the book, countries were now working and trading with the United States. Many countries even asked for help and advice as the people did to Hester.

There are many reasonable explanations as to why Nathaniel Hawthorne masked his central ideas under two distinct characters. It’s evident he did this, “It may serve, let us hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or relive the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow”(pg. 42) This mean that the author is advising the audience to look deeper. He may have done this because he does admit America sinned or committed wrongdoing but that she also made up for it. It may have infuriated people to admit this, since the country was still new and recovering from a war so their were still a lot of mixed emotions amongst the people. He was mainly doing this so people wouldn’t feel offended and then take it out on him, he wasn’t sure how the American audience would respond.

In the book’s sense the reader can infer that the unstable United States was still trying to separate itself from Europe as Hester was trying to create this whole new way of living and be proud of it. America had to go through some hard times and had to overcome the dark shadow of England trying to take over or destroy it, in post-war times. Like Hester always-feared Chillingworth would spill her secrets. If one reads this book carefully its evident this book is not just a romantic love tragedy, it’s symbolic for how the nation, or the United States had to separate and create a new cultural different from that of England.