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Comparing the Scarlet Letter & the Crucible Essay Example

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Comparing the Scarlet Letter & the Crucible Essay Example
Throughout the history of American Literature, there have been several stories that have had their share of controversy. Although I'm fairly certain that most

people had to read both books that I'm going to be discussing in high school, there are few people who have had a chance to sit down and actually explore how they

share similar themes. Through careful analysis of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthrone and The Crucible by Arthur Miller; you can see the evidence that

supports the fact that both of these two works are somewhat related. These themes include sin, punishment of sin, the devil, and love/lust.

The most obvious theme contained in both works is sin. In The Scarlet Letter, the sin that has been committed is adultery and has produced an illegitimate

child. Hester Prynne, and the outspoken and praised minister of the Puritan community Arthur Dimmsdale were the adulters who committed the sin and produced

the child Pearl. Throughout the story Hester is dehumanized for her sin, while Dimmsdale is still thought to be the "almighty" minister. In similarity, from The

Crucible, sin is put on trial. The book directly addresses the themes and ideas from Salem Witch Trials. The young girls and their "leader" Abigail are the core of sin

and evil in the girls and the community. Throughout the story accusations are "thrown" at others from the community who are believed righteous. Ultimately in this

story the sin is "coming" directly from the black-man or the devil. The girls are believed to have formed a pact with the devil and are now attempting to lure others to

come with them. Overall, in both works, sin and how sin affects the lives of the people and their communities is the recurring theme.

The scaffold in The Scarlet Letter is extremely important. The most pivotal scenes in the book take place on it. The scaffold is a place of public humiliation

. The lawbreaker must stand

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