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The Crucible character analysis of John Proctor
Conclusions about symbolism for the scarlet letter
Conclusions about symbolism for the scarlet letter
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Recommended: The Crucible character analysis of John Proctor
The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible both provide similarities about the characters within the Puritan community. Both books reveal similarities between Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter and John Proctor in The Crucible. Hester Prynne and John Proctor are not physically similar, but they are alike in some ways because their beliefs and emotions towards the Puritan law affect their reputation and determine the outcome of their future. Hester Prynne and John Proctor are not physically similar but both characters feel guilty for committing adultery, show integrity, they are courageous, and their deaths have left behind a legacy.
Because the Puritans believed it was wrong to commit adultery, Hester feels guilty. It is the Puritan law that makes Hester Prynne a sinner. This is why she carries the letter “A” on her bosom.
“In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and with a burning flush, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbors. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 50).
Although Hester accepts the Puritan’s punishment like putting her in jail and standing on the scaffold, she does not allow her emotions to show on the outside. Instead she keeps the guilt she feels inside in the same way John Proctor hides his guilt from the Puritan community.
Because John Proctor cheats on his wife Elizabeth Proctor with Abigail Williams, he feels guilty just like Hester. When Hale asks John to recite the Ten Commandments, John says all except for thou shall not com...
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...t had taken a long time for the truth to be revealed in the Scarlet Letter, Hester leaves behind a legacy of bravery for being a mother to the product of a sin and loving with a symbol that represents her sin. Although John Proctor refuses for his name to be put up in the Puritan community for the townspeople to see the crime he has committed, his death is evidence that he did truly care about the injustice in the Puritan society between the wealthy who are guilty of witchery but were not charged and the poor average people who were innocent but accused and prosecuted. Both Arthur Miller and Nathaniel Hawthorne show readers through Hester Prynne and John Proctor that these characters have made mistakes and had integrity to own up to the punishment from the Puritan community. Therefore both characters are significant in many ways to show readers how similar they are.
Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne attempted to expose the varying ways in which different people deal with lingering guilt from sins they have perpetrated. The contrasting characters of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale ideally exemplified the differences in thought and behavior people have for guilt. Although they were both guilty of committing the same crime, these two individuals differed in that one punished themselves with physical and mental torture and the other chose to continue on with their life, devoting it to those less fortunate than they.
Prince Henry of Portugal, more commonly known as Henry the Navigator, and Zheng He, a successful Chinese admiral, were both extremely accomplished men throughout the 14th and 15th centuries. During this era, many accomplished explorers ventured out into the ocean and discovered new lands, two of the most important men being Henry the Navigator and Zheng He. Although both men came from different backgrounds, their contrasting societies and structures affected the way in which they regarded economic and political expansion and also their contact with other cultures. Societies like the Chinese and Portuguese had many cultural differences such as their different religions. The Chinese practiced neo-Confucianism whereas the Portuguese were Christians which was one of the many purposes of their exploration, to spread Christianity. There were also many cultural similarities between the two societies such as their long lasting histories and their explorer’s curiosity to seek out to new lands, which resulted the two societies in having different views on economic and political expansion and contact with other cultures. Both Confucian and Christian ideologies favored those who worked over the wealthy. Thus, to a larger extent, the structures and values of a society have an extensive impact on the way people view economic and political expansion and contact with other cultures.
Hester Prynne’s sin was adultery. This sin was regarded very seriously by the Puritans, and was often punished by death. Hester’s punishment was to endure a public shaming on a scaffold for three hours and wear a scarlet letter "A" on her chest for the rest of her life in the town. Although Hawthorne does not pardon Hester’s sin, he considers it less serious than those of Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. Hester’s sin was a sin of passion. This sin was openly acknowledged as she wore the "A" on her chest. Hester did not commit the greatest sin of the novel. She did not deliberately mean to commit her sin or mean to hurt others.
With sin there is personal growth, and as a symbol of her sin, Hester’s scarlet “A” evokes development of her human character. The Puritan town of Boston became suspicious when Hester Prynne became pregnant despite her husband being gone. Being a heavily religious village, the townspeople punished Hester for her sin of adultery with the burden of wearing a scarlet “A” on all that she wears. Initially the...
Hester Prynne has a fairly unconventional approach to her “sin.” She does not feel ashamed of her wrong and therefore does not feel guilt as others in The Scarlet Letter do. She is marked with a large “A” for her sin of adultery and embraces this by embroidering the letter. "And never had ...
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 Crucible 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.
In today’s society, people are more accepting of others differences compared to the Puritans. This often times means that people will silently judge a person, rather than being up front with them. In addition to this, the Puritans religion was much stricter and saw sins to be much more severe, compared to today’s society. They also believed in irresistible grace, which is when “Salvation is given only by God and cannot be earned even by the most pious believer, nor can it be spurned by the vilest sinner.” Based on this belief, Hester’s “A” was a sign of her afterlife destination, while mine was only a temporary vice. This lead the members of the Puritan society to look at Hester in disgrace and to react to her letter. Meanwhile, in today’s society people follow a variety of religions causing people to not judge others based on their own personal beliefs. So, in my experience of wearing the letter “A”, I was not verbally abused as Hester was, nor was my letter assumed to be tied to any religious
The letter "A," worn on Hester's bodice, is a symbol of her adultery against Roger Chillingworth. This letter is meant to be worn in shame, and to make Hester feel unwanted. "Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment . . ." Hester is ashamed of her sin, but she chooses not to show it. She committed this sin in the heat of passion, and fully admits it because, though she is ashamed, she also received her greatest treasure, Pearl, out of it. She is a very strong woman to be able to hold up so well, against what she must face. Many would have fled Boston, and sought a place where no one knew of her great sin. Hester chose to stay though, which showed a lot of strength and integrity. Any woman with enough nerve to hold up against a town which despised her very existence, and to stay in a place where her daughter is referred to as a "devil child” is a very tough woman.
Adultery, in almost any society is viewed in a negative manner that results in specific penalties in relation to the culture in which it is committed. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the punishments in accordance with adultery in a Puritan Society are portrayed in a less-accurate, fictional context. However, if the character of Hester Prynne, or any puritan woman, was placed in Iran, her consequences for the sin would differ. In both a 17th century Puritan society in Massachusetts and in Iran, the act of adultery has varied, yet firm consequences meant to penalize women who commit the offense.
In a world where you’re expected to fear God and live a life according to his commands, sin is never welcomed. In Hawthorne’s book, The Scarlet Letter Hester is found guilty of committing adultery and is not sentenced to death, rather is sent to prison where she sews an “A” to place on her bosom. Being fully aware of her sin, Hester
Despite having similar actions striving towards the same goal of saving innocent people from the witchcraft hysteria, John Proctor and Reverend Hale are more different than alike as their character traits are completely opposite from each other: while one is devoted to God and values their life more than integrity, the other is not as pious and values integrity more than reputation and their
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s well known novel, The Scarlet Letter, extensive diction and intense imagery are used to portray the overall tone of the characters. In particular, Hester Prynne, the wearer of the Scarlet Letter, receives plentiful positive characterization throughout the novel. Hester’s character most notably develops through the town’s peoples ever-changing views on the scarlet letter, the copious mentions of her bravery, and her ability to take care of herself, Pearl, and others, even when she reaches the point where most would give up and wallow in their suffering.
An analysis of Mycerinus and Kha-merer-nebty II and Augustus of Primaporta, reveals that there are many similarities, but also many differences between these two pieces of sculpture. These similarities and differences are found in the subject, style, and function of both works of art.
In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm, and, with a burning bluish, and yet a haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashed, looked around at her townspeople and neighbours. On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A.
The "human tenderness" Hester exerts shows how she did not care what the Puritans thought and acted. Her sin is also an example of her independence; Hester acted on her feelings and didn’t allow the Puritan’s views to interfere with her emotions.