1. The meaning of the scarlet letter changes throughout the story. Hester tells Chillingworth that the scarlet letter has been her teacher. What lessons does she learn from it? Explain.
2. The narrator urges the reader to learn from Dimmesdale’s experience. Do you think “Be true!” is the most important theme in The Scarlet Letter? If you agree with the narrator explain why. If you disagree, explain which theme you think is most important.
2. The narrator urges the reader to learn from Dimmesdale’s experience. Do you think “Be true!” is the most important theme in The Scarlet Letter? If you agree with the narrator explain why. If you disagree, explain which theme you think is most important.
1. Hester ends up learning a lot from a mistake she made. She starts by not becoming the horrible person that everyone made her out to be. She always was there to help everyone out. She never blamed anyone for what she did. She always let the letter “A” show, and allowed people to say what they felt. She became a stronger person throughout this situation and was soon respected by the community. I believe Hester was a great person just made a mistake.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with what the author is trying to show the reader. If you “Be true” each and every day your life will be so much easier. A perfect example is Hester and Dimmesdale. They both committed a sin. Hester however admitted to it and accepted the punishment. Yet, Dimmesdale was so worried about what others would think he actually ruined his life over it. He made everything worse for himself because he committed a sine, tried to hide it by lying, which made it all worse. If he was just true to himself he would have only had to take the punishment for the one sin instead of both.
Well put, Hester helped others to prove that she wasn't just a sinner but human like everyone else, too. Also, it didn't really occur to me how Dimmesdale's keeping secret of his sin was actually committing another sin of lying and falsehood. I just thought it was the guilt of his past weighing on his heart, but he also was living with the knowledge of his current wrongdoings. Thank you for pointing that out, very nicely said.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your blog, it was well written. However, I would have to disagree the Dimmesdale committed two sins. He did confess to God and that is what is important. Yes, it is bad that he lied to the community but in the end he did confess. Overall, you did a wonderful job relaying your points.
Delete1. Hester's scarlet letter has developed its own personality throughout the story, originally preaching a story of adultery, to meaning "able", and finally a sign of respect. I believe the lesson Hester learned from her letter is to not let others define who you are, but it is you who define yourself. The actions she did throughout the Scarlet Letter were not controlled by her letter, but her making her own individual decisions. There is no way to say that she was a bad person before she received the letter because the story started off with her and her letter, she's just a person who made one bad decision that didn't allow it to define who she was.
ReplyDelete2. "Be true!" although is a simple narrative is extremely difficult for most people in our modern-day society to follow because the world has developed into an eat or be eaten society which has led to corruption and various other negative effects, but overall, I do not think this is the main meaning of the story. I believe subconsciously he was telling a tale to tell readers to not let other's opinions of you shape who you are. Following Hester's example would be very difficult for a modern-day teen with social media and trends influencing their every move removing their own individuality, but she opposed the views of her time and changed the narrative of other's.
I agree with you that Hester Prynne’s actions were not controlled by the letter. However, I definitely think it influenced her to choose certain decisions. I disagree with you on the point of being true as not being the most important theme to be taken away from the story. It may be difficult to follow, but I think that with everything in our modern world, a message such as being true to yourself is exactly what needs to be said.
Delete1. Throughout the book we see changes in the meaning of the Scarlet Letter A. At the beginning of the book, the letter A stands for adultery and represent her sin. As the story continues, the reader begins to know Hester’s character more and the letter A begins to show bravery and love for one self. By taking the punishment for her sin she became a stronger and better person. I believe Hester faced shame and distress while wearing the scarlet letter and those were her teachers. They most importantly taught her how to be a stronger person. Hester is a respected person who made a mistake.
ReplyDelete2. Although there were many topics that I learned from this story, I believe “be true” is the most important theme in the Scarlet Letter. Be true to yourself, be true to your friends and family, be true to the world, and be true to your mistakes and decisions. Don’t worry about what other people think about you, make your own choices about how you want to live. Hester owned up to her mistake and made it way further in life than Dimmesdale because he was afraid of what the people may think of him. Hester was true to herself and Dimmesdale ruined his life over not being true to himself.
I agree that Dimmesdale ruined his life over his sins. Hester was a smart woman for taking the blame upon herself.
DeleteI agree with your statements regarding the scarlet letter and how it grew its own characteristics. I think that "be true" to yourself is applicable, but always being truthful will be challenging especially when faced with pressure from forces outside of one's self. Anna regarding your comment on taking the blame upon herself, I do not believe this is true she should not have taken all the blame upon herself because she didn't procreate with herself, her and Dimmesdale should share the blame because they made the choice to have an affair.
DeleteThe scarlet letter that is embroidered onto Hester’s chest has been a teacher throughout the story. The letter teaches Hester how to be brave and take blame for her actions. She has become a humbled woman from how it effected her relationship with others. She learned that although her sin is always going to be seen, those sins of others are just as bad, but very well hidden. She knows God will forgive her as he will forgive others within the society.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe that the saying “Be true!” is a very important theme in this story. Hester Prynne has always owned up to her sins and problems. She was always true to herself and the others involved, including Pearl and Pearl’s father. Although, Pearl’s father could have taken more of a punishment for his actions also. He wasn’t very true in that sense and suffered many years due to his sins.
I agree with your statements and your outlook on the section. I especially agree with your view on the statement “Be true!” being the most important theme of the story.
DeleteI completely agree with your outlook on the story. Also, I like how you use Hester as an example as to why “Be true!” is a very important theme in the story.
DeleteThe “A” on Hester’s chest is made out to be the biggest teacher in the book. This one letter teaches her to be her true self and to not make herself out to be the way everyone else sees her. The letter taught her to be strong and to always be brave. Even though the letter was seen as a physical reminder on Hester, it also mentally helped her become a better person.
ReplyDeleteThe theme “Be true!” Is a very important theme in this book. It not only showed how important it was to the characters to be true to themselves, but also taught those reading how to live and love yourself as you grow. Being a fake person to those surrounding you will definitely not get you anywhere in life, once the real side of you comes out.
I agree with your thoughts and look forward to reading more from you.
DeleteI agree with your thoughts completely!
Delete1. Hester’s scarlet letter did not turn into the terrible life sentence she once thought it would be, instead she learned from it and became a better person because of it. The embroidered “A” on her chest eventually became a part of her and became the teacher of powerful lessons. Through the letter, she finally learned how respect herself and truly be the person she wanted to be. She learned how to be strong and courageous, letting all of the blame fall on her when she was not the only one involved. She eventually learned that there is more to who she is as person than one mistake that she foolishly made. She found herself as the person she wanted to be and did not let her mistake define her anymore.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, “Be true!” is definitely the most important theme throughout the story. Hester was always true to herself and did not let the scarlet letter stop her from being who she wanted to be. She did not let her mistake define her and she learned to love herself for who she was rather than what people thought of her. Dimmesdale was always too caught up in how everyone would think of him, that he essentially ruined his own life. He was never true to himself which ultimately led to his own downfall.
I think it is neat how you mentioned she became a better person through the scarlet letter. I also agree that she did not let the scarlet letter define who she truly was in life. Altogether, I think we have a similar point of view in a majority of our answers.
DeleteThere is undoubtedly a multitude of meanings that are represented by the scarlet letter worn by Hester Prynne, and there are many more lessons to be learned from it. When Hester first received the letter as a punishment, the eloquently created letter stood as a mark of shame. The shame that she carried with her through the letter taught her many invaluable lessons. She learned that the mark on her chest was not going to define who she was, even though it was what others defined her as. Hester, with the strongest mentality, persisted to help the lowly because she already knew their suffering. Through her work, the “A” on her chest began to be interpreted as “ability” rather than “adulterer.” Although she was an outcast, she learned that she still had a purpose, even if it was not found right away. This proved to be true. In her later years of life, Hester wore the letter as something more than a badge of shame. It was a symbol of love and interest that connected her with someone from another land. It taught her that hope is never lost.
ReplyDelete“Be true!” is probably the most fitting theme for The Scarlet Letter. Being true to oneself and others is important for a clear conscience and a clean heart. Not being true can only lead to downfall. This was true in both Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth’s lives. Dimmesdale was not true when he avoided the acknowledgement of his part in the crime he committed with Hester. His refusal to tell the truth caused him to wither away. Only at his death did Dimmesdale find peace when he finally told the truth. Like Dimmesdale, Chillingworth was eaten away by his lies. It is sad to see people who are destroyed through their refusal to tell the truth. I think the best theme in The Scarlet Letter is definitely “Be true!” because of its relationship with the events in the book.
I enjoyed reading you comment, especially the latter. I look forward to reading more of your posts this year.
DeleteYour reasoning for your answers were very detailed and accurate. It made the discussion easy to read and understand.
Delete1) The scarlet letter was not simply just a letter of red, it was a symbol of bad and sin, but it also acted as much more. It led Hester to change her life, to help charities, and do what she could for the community. She lived her life for others, she lived to raise Pearl, and she lived to protect those men, but she also lived to repent. She beared a lot of weight upon her shoulders. At first, the letter was just a symbol for adultery, overtime, it changed to a symbol of ability, and in the end, it lost the bad feeling that once was prominent within it, it became a remembrance of the legend that was The Scarlet Letter.
ReplyDelete2) Yes, all the heartache and negative effects in this book, were brought upon by the lies and barriers that people put up to hold their secrets. Dimmesdale was in declining health and felt much pain from the secret of his sin. Once he told the truth, he could die in peace. Who knows what would've happened if he had took upon the scaffold years earlier with Hester. But, in the end, he was true. He was finally able to rest.
This is very well written. I liked how you mentioned the ways that the scarlet letter changed from the beginning to the end.
Delete1.Throughout the book the scarlet letter teaches Hester many lessons. She becomes a much stronger person due to so many people avoiding her and calling her names. By the end of the book people grow to understanding her and not a cruel towards her. I believe this is due to her embracing the scarlet letter and not letting it take her down. The scarlet letter did more then just teaching her she did wrong. It taught her to be strong and stand by what you believe.
ReplyDelete2.I completely agree with the message of The Scarlet Letter, be true. It teaches the reader to be true about themselves and do not let other stand in the way. Dimmesdale, at the beginning, tried to hide his sin, but in the end it ended up being worse for him. If he would have been true from the beginning things might not have ended the way they did. Hester taught readers what it is like to be true from the beginning. She admitted to er sin and took the punishment of the scarlet letter. Hathorne does an excellent job of putting forth his message to be true through the characters of Dimmesdale and Hester.
1. The scarlet letter has been with Hester since the beginning of the story, it was also said to be beautifully and artistically created. This letter “A” did not define who Hester became however. Hester continued her hobbies and did the most for her community. Hester was a great mother to Pearl, whom she raised in the presence of the letter. Overall, the letter taugh Hester to learn from mistakes, and not let society define who you are.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with the theme of “being true” as the most important of the story. Hester was always true to herself and didn’t let anyone, or the scarlet letter, define her. This allowed her to raise her daughter alone. Dimmesdale was not true to himself throughout the story and he suffered internally as a result of this. The story overall conveys this message concretely throughout each chapter.
This was written very well. You had a great use of vocabulary, as always! I agree with your points of view as well.
DeleteHester Prynne learned from her experience with the scarlet letter. The scarlet letter started as a shameful symbol and a sign of her disgrace. Now people have grown more excepting of the scarlet letter. Hester Prynne was originally sentenced to living out the rest of her life with the letter “A” on her chest. Later she was permitted to take off the scarlet letter, but Hester chose to keep it with her. It was revealed that at the end of “The Scarlet Letter” Hester Prynne still had the letter with her. The letter taught Hester a lot. She has developed into a humble person who took ownership for her actions. She did not pressure the others involved with the sin to come clean because she knew it was a lot to bear. It had to happen on their own time. In the end, Hester has learned plenty from her time with the scarlet letter.
ReplyDeleteThe theme “Be True!” is crucial with in the writings of “The Scarlet Letter”. Hester Prynne showed the importance of this theme. She came clean about her affair and took the punishment for what she did. It was shown that it was better to come clean because Hester did not suffer from the stress of hiding. Reverend Dimmesdale did not say the he is Pearl’s father until the moment before he died. Dimmesdale died from the stress of the secret. Roger Chillingworth on the other hand, did not come clean about being Hester’s husband either. He tortured Reverend Dimmesdale and died for his sin. Hester was not just true to the world, but more importantly true to herself. It was made clear that the theme “Be True!” is key in “The Scarlet Letter”.
You did a great job on this piece and captured many different aspects into it. I loved how you said she was true to the rest of the world and to herself.
Delete1. I can most certainly agree that the scarlet letter holds many different identies throughout the story. The purpose of this piece of fabric can stretch anywhere from the window of embarrassment to an important life lesson. Hester, however, looks past all of the bad qualities of the scarlet “A” and fully embraces it as something to learn from. She understands that it is a part of her. The biggest lesson I think Hester can take away from this experience is, “Your mistakes do not define who you are, it is how you deal with them that shows your true colors.” The fact that she continued her life not worrying about others’ opinions is what stands as a solid foundation for this argument.
ReplyDelete2. By growing up in a Catholic community and going to a Catholic school my whole life, I know that lying is a sin that serves as a gateway to other, more vital sins such as adultery or rape. That being said, I think the theme “Be true!” fits “The Scarlet Letter” exquisitely for the simple fact that the book is based on a series of lies, such as the ones told by Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. Therefore, perhaps if everyone in the story was honest things might not have been so bad. By being true, the truth would have been told and I think that this is a crucial theme in “The Scarlet Letter.”
I like how you mentioned that one small sin can open to door to more major sins. If one stays true from the beginning, they may move on from their sin and do good, as Hester did. On the other hand, if one is not honest about their sin they make fall into a trap that leads to guilt and possibly more sinning. Being true from the beginning can alleviate more sinning.
Delete1. The scarlet letter is and always will be with Hester no matter if she likes it or not, so she has just accepted it and let it become part of who she was. The scarlet letter "A" could be a "teacher" because it has showed Hester that all actions have consequences and some you will have to live with forever. It showed her how to be strong and never let other people's opinions of her bring her down.
ReplyDelete2. Being true is defiantly the most important theme in the book. The whole course of the book would have changed if Dimmesdale was true about his actions and owned up to them. On the other hand, Hester was true about her actions and paid the given consequences. She was true to Dimmesdale because she knew he was scared to face the publicity and ridicule that would have come if he had fessed up to his sin. She kept it a secret for him and was true to his wishes.
I like how you said that the scarlet letter will forever be with Hester because it has because a part of herself. I also agree with you that Dimmesdale should have been true to himself in order to,avoid pain and suffering.
Delete1. The scarlet letter has changed its meaning twice, so Hester has learned two different things about her that will help her grow as a woman. The first meaning was “adulterer” because she cheated on her husband with an unnamed man, until recently his name was not known. This meaning of the scarlet letter taught Hester that what she did was wrong and she needs to be faithful to her husband. The second meaning of the scarlet letter is “able,” which was given to Hester by the citizens of Boston. This version of the Scarlet letter reinforces Heater’s idea that people can change for the better regardless of their past decisions. All in all, the Scarlett letter has taught Hester a higher level of maturity.
ReplyDelete2. “Being true” is the best advice the narrator could give the reader. If all characters were to stay true to themselves, half of the problems presented in the story would not have arose. The perfect example of being true to yourself versus escaping the truth is Hester and Dimmesdale. Hester admitted her faults, and as a result, wore a scarlet letter “A” on her chest. She stayed true to herself by admitting she was wrong and served the punishment. However, Dimmesdale only hid from the truth and did not admit his sin. This caused him to be physically and mentally tortured by Chillingworth. If there could have been anything for Dimmesdale to do to prevent being abused, it would have been “being true.”
1. The letter on her chest has developed as it's own character in a way, and has been a parallel with Hester. As first, the letter started out as symbol of sin and evil, as Hester was first portraited also, then, slowly and surely, they both became something better. Hester was shown to be a kind person that just made a mistake, giving into her feelings and urges. The letter, as said in the book, came to mean "able" throughout the book. Hester, then, came to find acceptance in the villagers, and in herself.
ReplyDelete2. Being true is very good advice given by the book. Everyone isn't true to others at times, even ourselves. Sometimes we don't want to accept the truth, but we will sooner or later. Sometimes you like to yourself to make you seem better, or worse. You also like to your friends and family, either to make yourself look cool or to get out of trouble. Everyone has done it, and everyone will do it again. The lesson learned should be "be true", as it shows, through Dimmesdale, what happens if you have something on your chest that you keep to yourself. That "thing" will eat away at you until you have to let go, or in Dimmesdale case, die. It is a lesson everyone can learn from, young or old.
The significance of the scarlet letter goes through a roller coaster of changes throughout the story. Originally, the letter stood as a message to the public that displayed Hester as one who had committed adultery. Then, as time goes on and Hester becomes more active in the community, the message of the letter changes to one that is able. She chose to make her own decisions along the way and change the portrayal of herself towards others. I personally believe that Hester learns to reflect her actions based on words—or a letter in this case.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the “Be true” theme was the most outstanding compared to others throughout the book. Right from the very start, Hester stayed true to herself and whatever crossed her path along the way. She never let anything stop her or bring her down. I believe this can be interpreted to not allow others to shape oneself, but rather grow from it and be true. Typically, no one has a full understanding of what someone may be dealing with, so that is why it is important to just stay true and be true. Dimmesdale could have avoided further consequences if he would have been true and owned up to his actions. The truth is always revealed in the end.
In the beginning, the scarlet letter was originally seen as a sign of Hester Prynne's faults and a branding of what she has done. However, as the story continues, it is seen as more of an act of penance and eventually a sign of hope for those who have lost their way on the path of life. People who are not familiar with why this mark was on her chest thought she was someone of great importance. The symbol was said to have the effect of the cross on the nun’s bosom. It would also keep her safe in times of trouble. Through the scarlet letter, Hester Prynne was eventually known as one who was kind to the poor, helpful to the sick, and comforting to the afflicted. With that, Hester Prynne learns lessons of humility and showing her true self. She learns about humility through silently accepting how people see her and judge her. Also, she has learned that being herself is important through using her abilities and talents to help others and to make a living for herself as well as for her daughter, Pearl.
ReplyDeleteI think that the narrator’s theme of being true is the most important message that can be taken away from this book. Throughout the book, everyone is hiding behind lies, especially Mr. Dimmesdale. His life eventually became consumed with this secret that he was keeping. Every day, what he did was eating away at him as he held his hand over his heart. Being true to who you are is a very important point when thinking about how to live out your life. When you look back on your life, you do not want to be someone who was fake or was not true to themselves or to who they are on the inside. Even Roger Chillingworth and Hester Prynne were not their true selves. Roger Chillingworth became a shell of a person in his quest for revenge, which changed everything about him. Hester Prynne did not tell Mr. Dimmesdale about Roger Chillingworth being her husband, which lead to much hurt and pain that may have possibly been avoided. All in all, everyone should be true to who they are on the inside and always be true.
I really like how you incorporated how Hester turned her life around into your response. This was very well written and I enjoyed seeing your point of view on this. Good job.
DeleteThe scarlet letter in the story is Hester’s teacher because it reminds her of the sin she had committed. In this way, it is a constant reminder of the mistake she made by having an affair. It was not just a symbol to her it was a symbol to others so they knew what she had done. She later learned that it is just a symbol and it didn’t define her life. After her sin she started to become more active in the community. This is when the letter “A” started to stand for able not adulterous. Through her work, she learned that she could change and others opinions of her could change as well. She learned to be strong and overcome the obstacle of the A. The letter also taught her empathy and compassion for others who also faced obstacle because she knew how they felt.
ReplyDeleteBeing True is by far the most important lesson in this book and in life in my personal opinion. Being true teaches you to not let others beat you down and to always hold your head high even if you may fail. In the book, Hester kept true to herself and did not let her mistake ruin her entire life. She moved on and tried to be the best person she could be. Like in the question above the lessons she learned throughout the book are that she is in control of her own life and that she should not let other say who she is or has to be. If we are not true to ourselves we will end up like Dimmesdale. Secrets and lies eat away at us subconsciously. Being true and admitting our mistakes lets us move on from them. It is like how you feel after confession. You are relieved and ready to move forward in a positive direction.
I really like what you wrote here. I especially like the how you connect the theme of being true to confession. I thought that was an interesting way to look at the theme. Nice work. This was well written and thoughtful.
DeleteThe scarlet letter has symbolized many things for Hester and the other characters in the story. It has brought sadness, motivation, loneliness, tension, curiosity, and many other feelings from each character. Hester learned many lessons from the scarlet letter that has represented her mortal sin of adultery. From wearing the letter, Hester learns to be humble and be true. Over time, Hester changes herself and starts helping the poor and doing good for her community. Many people even begin to say that the letter stands for “able.” Hester learned valuable lessons from the letter.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the theme “be true” given by Hawthorne is the most important theme. Being true would have kept the characters from suffering such guilt. If Hester would have been true to her husband, her sin would not have been committed. However, Hester continued to stay true to what she believed in and did good with her life. If Dimmesdale would have been honest about his sin from the beginning, he would not have suffered such guilt. His health failed extremely because he failed to be honest. Hawthorne showed us how Hester was effected by staying true to herself after confessing her sin, and how Dimmesdale was effected by not staying true. This clearly showed readers the importance of staying true.
Well written. I am glad you mentioned her charity work and the contrast of Hester's and Dimmesdale's honesty.
Delete1. The scarlet letter seems to force Hester to see her situation through new eyes. It shows her that no matter what she does, the people around her holding prejudices will always see her one way. Because of this, she learns how to make the best of her situation and to define herself. Aside from the fact that this is a critical life lesson for everybody, it also expresses the strength the "A" has given her, despite its purpose being to tear down the one who it is bestowed on.
ReplyDelete2. While "Be true!" is an important theme, I believe the theme of defining oneself is more important. The whole story is a recount of a woman learning to define herself because nobody else is going to get it right. That's why she was donned with the letter in the first place. The townspeople didn't sympathize with her situation, so they categorized her in such a fashion that it was okay for them to treat her as second class.
The scarlet letter essentially functions as its own character throughout the tale. The letter is first used as a punishment for Hester, to single her out in society and to shame and punish her. Hester reacts to the letter in a prideful and haughty manner, in embroidering her letter is a stylish way. Over time the letter because an important teacher to her, humbling her and helping her forget her pride. It reminds her of her sin and leads to do important charity work. Later on, for the townspeople the letter becomes to mean able, describing her capability in caring for the ill people in the town. This reminds me of a story about two brother who were big liars. The townspeople branded them with a “C” for charlatan. One brother ran away and hid his scar, and another devoted his life to good works. Later on, the “C” stood for “Christlike”.
ReplyDelete“Be true” is an important quote in life and in the “Scarlet Letter”. Being true to a person or idea leads to your life becoming easier because you do not have to worrying about covering up your lies. For example, Dimmesdale spent his life covering up his lie and it effectively killed him. Rodger Chillingworth hid his identity, and spent a great deal of time fanatically searching for the sin of Dimmesdale, causing him pain and anguish. “Be true” sums up the morals of “The Scarlet Letter”.
The scarlet letter that was branded on Hester Prynne has a great amount of significance and meaning. Initially having this scarlet letter was humiliating, as everyone became aware that she had committed adultery. But, as the story progresses it become evident that Hester learned so much from it. She became fearless in a respect that she was able to own up to what she did. The branding caused her a lot of pain but taught her so much on how to not let other people define you. Hester Prynne took this misfortune and made the best out of it to ultimately become a good person after the crucial mistake she made.
ReplyDeleteThe theme of “be true” which is found throughout the story is a very important one. Throughout the story everyone is faced with a situation where people do not agree with the behavior of another. That although, matters very little to the characters because by staying true to oneself you do not allow others trying to put you down cause damage. Being true is a valuable lesson that needs to be focused on constantly.
Throughout the story, the scarlet letter actually changes Hester. She revealed to Challingsworth that the scarlet letter has been her teacher and she learns many lessons from it. In the beginning of the book, the scarlet letter was a scandalous, humiliating mark. Throughout the book, it slowly turns into a respected mark as the townspeople come to respect Hester. In changing Hester, she learns the qualities of humility and that one mark can not define who she is. From being an outcast, Jester also quickly learns how flawed the Puritan society really is. Throughout the book, the letter changes Hester and the people of the town to make them better. They begin to see the world in all spectrums of color instead of just black and white.
ReplyDeleteOne central theme of The Scarlet letter is “be true.” I do agree that this is the most important theme of the book. The narrator strongly urges the reader to listen to this message because of the paths of the characters throughout the book. Take Dimmesdale, for example. Because he isn’t true in a sense that he lies, he becomes physically ill and spends the rest of his life miserable and wrapped in his own guilt. The theme “be true” could also be seen as being true to oneself. The people of the Puritan society are all confirmed to the ideas of the leaders. Dimmesdale and Hester discover throughout the book that it is far better to be true to yourself and your ideals rather than fitting society’s image of who you should be.
The scarlet letter on the chest of Hester turned out to teach her many great things. Its meaning has also changed through the story. In the beginning it was a mark of what she has done, the sins she has commited. However through the story the message of the letter changed from adultery to able. Hester changed from being a sinner, to a person who helped the sick and poor. The scarlet letter taught her to not let the sin define her, to rise above and change her future. I believe this can relate to us. We shouldn’t let our past dictate our future. Just because we once did bad things doesn’t make us bad, we have the choice to change and better ourselves, as Hester did.
ReplyDeleteI believe the messgae, “Be True” is the most important message in the story. I think one of the important things in life is that we are always true to ourselves and others. If you aren’t true to yourself than you really have nothing. If Hester was true to herself, and her spouse, nothing bad would have happened.
1.) Throughout the story we see that Hester has learned many lessons from the scarlet letter. Something that we notice is that she did not try to hide from it. That most likely helped teach her important lessons. One lesson would learning how to accept yourself and be okay with the life you are living. The letter showed her that she needed to let people know the true Hester, and because of that she showed society that there was more to her than the scarlet letter.
ReplyDelete2.) Personally, I do not think that “Be true!” is the most important theme in The Scarlet Letter. I think it was the most important theme to Dimmesdale but not the book as a whole. I think a more important theme would be learning to be comfortable with who you are. Learning that accepting yourself will lead to a greater sense of peace because you will not always be at war with yourself.
Although the meaning of the scarlet letter alters throughout the story, the general concept of the letter is similar throughout the book. Hester was a strong female lead even in the beginning of the story, but as all characters do, she was able to morally mature because of her interpretations of the letter. More specifically, she learned to value honesty and to accept responsibility, but most importantly Hester learned that although she is a sinner she is not evil. Since Hester is able to understand these concepts she ultimately discovers that the people around her shouldn’t get to decide who she is on a personal level based on the fact that she is a sinner, and therefore human.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that “Be true!” is the most important theme regarding Dimmesdale. However, I do believe there is a greater theme regarding the entire story. Personally, I believe that sin and responsibility are the main themes that should be understood by the end of the book. Every character in the book sins however, by taking responsibility for their unmoral actions, they are welcoming God into their lives. Hester is a perfect example of this. Hester is aware of her wrong doings, and by the end of the book she accepts and takes responsibility for them.
The meaning of the scarlet letter obtained by Hester Prynne as a result of her sins changed many time throughout the story. The letter started out as simply just a way to publicly embarrass Hester in order for her to feel the punishment of her sins. However, as the story went on Hester began to treat the scarlet letter as something to learn from as a teaching moment. She was able to learn a lot from her wrongdoings and handled the situation in a positive way,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that the term “Be true!” is a powerful theme that makes up the story. This term is so meaningful because it shows the audience that it is very important to not hide from your actions and be fake about the situation. Instead, it shows that the best way to handle the situation would be to go about it truthfully. It says that we are to live as ourselves instead of some type of untrue persona.