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The Scarlet Letter, Is Hester Prynne a good mother?

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The Scarlet Letter, Is Hester Prynne a good mother?
The Scarlet Letter

Hester Prynne, the main character of the book "The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, commits adultery, is considered a hussy, and has a child as the result of her sin. She cheats on her husband while he is absent from town and receives a harsh punishment for her behavior already. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her bosom for the rest of her life. It is now on debate on whether or not Pearl should be taken away from her mother’s guidance. This is due to the fact that she is a sinner and might not be a qualified mother for her child.It is true, that no matter what you did in the past, a child is a blessing and parents change due to the love they have for their children. Therefore, Hester Prynne is a good mother and she has been taking actions to prove so.

How can Hester Prynne form a good mother figure if she is a bad example herself? Indeed, she commits adultery, and therefore is a sinner in the eyes of the townspeople. However, that has nothing to do with the type of mother she is. During the three months she is in prison, there was not a single time in which Hester separates from her little Pearl. Hester always keeps her child by her side to protect her, and to not let the evil from prison life affect her. Even when she is sent to public humiliation, she does not leave her child behind, instead she holds Pearl beside her tightly as she walks into the stage to be pointed and looked at. When the physician wants to give a medication to both Hester and Pearl, she does not trust the physician, she is not sure about what he is going to give her baby. Therefore she does not want her little Pearl to take it. Hester does her best to protect her baby, even though she is forced to have her baby take the medication, her concern is what matters, it is what shows that Hester cares about her daughter.

Hester Prynne beliefs she has the absolute right to her child and is ready to defend that right and Pearl to death

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