Character Analysis
Hester Prynne
In my opinion hester prynne is one of the strongest and most influencial characters. She is the center of all that happens that is good as well as all that is bad. For example her irresponsiblility has graced her with a child by the name of Pearl. She is also used as a reference when it comes to teaching the children of the time what you should do and how people should live as moral beings instead of huligans. As her punishment she must be wearing at all time a scarlet letter A representing adultery in the highest degree. I think this letter brings out many character traits in Hester such as strength and loyalty. Even though she must wear the A at all times and face humiliation where ever she goes she embraces it as if something of daily life that everyone must deal with. She shows stength when she sows the scarlet A onto her clothing making sure that it is sown with great needle work. I think this shows strength because if I were to have sawn a letter of adultery on my clothing I would be trembling and wishing to get it over with as soon as possible, but she takes her time and gives the thing that is supposed to be something of horror great beauty. She also demonstrates loyalty when the priest asked her who had done this act with her because she could not have created this child alone. She refused to tell who it was because she felt as if no one should feel the shame and sorrow she felt. The man who had done this act with her would have gotten and equal sentence and she wouldnt have had to go through the suffering alone and she knew this and still insisted on not telling. She is also character with great compassion because she was in belief that her daughter was posessed and was not going to became someone she would admire in the future yet she still insisted on keeping her. She had a chance to give her up when the governor was afraid that Hester was to incompetent to properly raise the child. Hester is the antagonist in the story because even though she is not the hero everything ends up pointing back to her. Hester is interested in gardening and sowing. I think the reason being is because those are very quiet and independent hobbies. She is independent because she is excluded from society. She values religion even though she is in a predicament where she is no longer accepted. I think a stong character trait that is shown in Hester the fact that she is strong willed an example of this is when she had to drop off some gloves for the governor and the door man had said "Yea his honorable worship is within. But he hath a godly minister or two with him and likewise a leech. Ye may not see his worship now." and she simply replied "Nevertheless I will enter." Showing that she isnt afraid to stick it to the man no matter what the consequences and I also think this was shown when she refused to tell who she the child with. I think this character has put up a mask affabitility because even though she is strong she still feels strong on the outside she feels as though she could burst out at any moment and felt deep sorrow.
