Hester Prynne Role In Society

Over a period of time, the mind of humans have evolved, more so to situations of morals and how everyone should play a certain role in society. Each novel or piece of writing we read in the course chronological truly explains the transitioning of how many viewing the world. From conformity to stereotypical opinions on how women should behave in society.

It starts off with the novel Charlotte’s Letter, the main character was Hester Prynne, she represents women of today's generations. Hester truly showed that she did not to conform the society wanted her too. She wanted to display her own opinion and belief and she would be able to receive recognition by her actions. Reason being she was not necessarily exiled but was cast out of the Puritan society because she did not behave like a Puritan women should.

Puritans also believed that the being married meant that both spouses must stay faithful to one another. She had an affair and was publically punished for committing adultery, however that did not stop her she confidently took the loss of the situation and refused to let that define her.
Then there was a side and probably still viewed today the man will always have an upperhand. In the the story of “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs explains her struggle of a slave girl who was sexual abused by her slaved master. Left a with a voice that was unheard in the south, she thought she could be heard from the north. After all the “colored” and perhaps other race of women would feel the sympathy for this young lady because the atmosphere up north was different in a better way but not a perfect way of course. She talks about her life growing up living with her grandmother and the attitude and morals that that was instilled in her. Not to mention she was ambitious and eager to to escape the manipulation and lust of her master. Harriet audience was to really target women and wanted them to know that no men can ever define them, it is the women that must find herself and know her her worth. As a reader, it is possible to relate this back to hester and modern day thinking because women are able to speak about their pain and struggle and explain how she seeked triumph in it.
Although women are given the chance to defend their own others did not view it the same way. For a long period of time, women depended on the man for everything, for they were the bread winner of the family, and head of the household. Because the wife/ mother had no voice they were left having no control over what they wanted. Following story, Hills Like White Elephants, the woman is trying to figure out whether she should be operated on. From reading it it seems that she depends on her significant other of what she should do with her body. Seeing that she can’t even order her own drinks without relying on him to speak for her. The women begins to gain her strength and realizes that she must be her own person and the she cannot a man make decision for her. One good thing to mention she now thinks of things that will affect them both, but given that she always comes off as helpless and unable to decide on her own she remains herself.
You see for some women it takes time for the to realize their worth or sense of value in opinion. Kate Chopin, in the world she lived in, writing a novel about a woman who began to realize her own identity and values was not something people were particularly interested in. It could’ve given wives in that society ideas that they could venture off and start being more independent and not depending on their husbands. For centurie role of the women was to get married bear children and take care of the family. Chopin lived in a time period women were finding their own voice, or individuality. But this also but an uproar; conflict with their role as a wife and mother. This conflict was considered to be a cultural aspect versus tradition.
In the novel, The Awakening, the main character, Edna is a model on how society transformed its mindset on the role of a woman.

She played the role of a housewife of course; housewife who took care of the kids and always at the demand of her spouse. They sacrificed themselves to their family, a “stay at home” was almost like a 24/7 job. Edna is already different from the conformed women, spiritually and physically. She had the desire to fulfill her own wishes and and speaking up for her own thoughts and ideas. Speaking up was the only way for her to be true herself. Edna as like a confined in her household, but she was the only one at the time rebelling. Ambitious to finding her own own grounds, she pushes away her friends and spouse to achieve her goal. She want work on her self-reflection if she isolated herself from her loved ones, seems careless but that how it worked for her. Edna begins to act in accordance with her own desires rather than behaving with upper-class societal expectations, although behind doors marriage seemed have issues of its own. Edna grew a talent for art. Her paintings illustrated that she was searching for

herself.
So far all these stories seem to relate to the main story The Awakening. Harriet showed showed courage and strength and wanted her audience (women) to speak up. Hester Prynne displayed the act of ambition and did not care for the thoughts of others, she was able to make herself happy to the end. As for the women in the Hills Like White Elephants, she is able to redeem herself by understanding she does not need to confide in a man on how to make decisions for herself. In Chopin’s novel, The Awakening, the main character shown an idea where women can relate. Many condemned it due to Edna’s lack of remorse for her selfish behavior. These women truly demonstrated transformation within themselves after figuring out what the issues was that that were blocking them.