Conformity In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
Society generally is ruled by many sets of cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs by which human actions are determined whether if they are right or wrong. The system of principles and judgements is called morality. It’s often generalized by a culture or group, and so it serves to regulate the behavior of its members. The word conformity means to act in a behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards. Conformity to such “codification” is needed because it gives balance to society. Generally speaking, people conform in ways that keep things running in a smooth manner and keep them from a harsh crash of scrutiny that nonconformists suffer, especially when their nonconformity causes them to question
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After learning her earlier punishments carried upon the prison she was held in, our attention focuses on what the society has to say about it. At the market-place there is several Puritan women waiting in the crowd for Hester’s appearance. Their reactions to Hester’s punishments were something along the lines of: harsher judgments, a hot branding iron on her forehead, pity, and death. “Ah, but,’ interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand, ‘let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart. “What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown or the flesh of her forehead?’ cried another female, the ugliest as well as the most pitiless of these self-constituted judges. ‘This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die; Is there not law for it? (Hawthorne 36). As women in the crowd were saying such things, Hester is walking into the sunshine after her three month imprisonment. She’s carrying her child and wearing a scarlet letter “A” attached to her bodice with gold embroidery. Her initial reaction was to run and hide; but she walked with grace and beauty to the scaffold and began her three hours of public humiliation. As Hester is standing there soaking in all that she can, she notices someone at the end of the crowd. Her husband, who was held hostage by the Indians. He recognizes his wife after a while but says …show more content…
After Chillingworth develops this superficial friendship with Dimmesdale, he comes to Dimmesdale who is asleep on a chair. He uncovers Dimmesdale’s chest and is greatly surprised and delighted at what he discovers. It has been told that a scarlet letter “A” has erupted over the minister’s heart that started as a rash. Certain that he has found Hester’s lover, Chillingworth is very emotional. His thoughts are back and forth about exposing Dimmesdale but he also doesn’t want to be shamed because Hester is his wife. Dimmesdale doesn’t think anything of Chillingworth’s actions because he is so tied up in his own sin. In chapter 12 Dimmesdale imagines a meteor to have taken shape of an immense letter “A”, another symbol for his guilt. The light of the meteor reveals another figure in the novel. Dimmesdale’s sermon the next day is the most powerful he has ever delivered. He spoke also of a meteor in the shape of the letter “A” observed last night and says that most have interpreted it as standing for “Angel” since the governor died that very
After learning her earlier punishments carried upon the prison she was held in, our attention focuses on what the society has to say about it. At the market-place there is several Puritan women waiting in the crowd for Hester’s appearance. Their reactions to Hester’s punishments were something along the lines of: harsher judgments, a hot branding iron on her forehead, pity, and death. “Ah, but,’ interposed, more softly, a young wife, holding a child by the hand, ‘let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart. “What do we talk of marks and brands, whether on the bodice of her gown or the flesh of her forehead?’ cried another female, the ugliest as well as the most pitiless of these self-constituted judges. ‘This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die; Is there not law for it? (Hawthorne 36). As women in the crowd were saying such things, Hester is walking into the sunshine after her three month imprisonment. She’s carrying her child and wearing a scarlet letter “A” attached to her bodice with gold embroidery. Her initial reaction was to run and hide; but she walked with grace and beauty to the scaffold and began her three hours of public humiliation. As Hester is standing there soaking in all that she can, she notices someone at the end of the crowd. Her husband, who was held hostage by the Indians. He recognizes his wife after a while but says …show more content…
After Chillingworth develops this superficial friendship with Dimmesdale, he comes to Dimmesdale who is asleep on a chair. He uncovers Dimmesdale’s chest and is greatly surprised and delighted at what he discovers. It has been told that a scarlet letter “A” has erupted over the minister’s heart that started as a rash. Certain that he has found Hester’s lover, Chillingworth is very emotional. His thoughts are back and forth about exposing Dimmesdale but he also doesn’t want to be shamed because Hester is his wife. Dimmesdale doesn’t think anything of Chillingworth’s actions because he is so tied up in his own sin. In chapter 12 Dimmesdale imagines a meteor to have taken shape of an immense letter “A”, another symbol for his guilt. The light of the meteor reveals another figure in the novel. Dimmesdale’s sermon the next day is the most powerful he has ever delivered. He spoke also of a meteor in the shape of the letter “A” observed last night and says that most have interpreted it as standing for “Angel” since the governor died that very