Scarlet Letter Comparison Essay

As known by almost everyone, movies often deviate from the books. The Scarlet Letter is no different. The story follows Hester Prynne, and her life after she committed adultery. Her and her daughter Pearl are being shunned by society as she wears the scarlet letter upon her chest. In the meantime Hester's real husband Chillingworth, who was thought to be dead, secretly enacts his revenge to both Hester and Dimmesdale, the father of Pearl. The differences between the book and movies are easily found like all of the extra characters, and the narration being told by Pearl in the movie. There are many similarities as well. However they are quite rare. Theses including the major theme of religion, and Hester's meeting with dimsdale in the woods.

In the book we only get the main characters and their story. The book in this way expands on those few people and is able to give a deep view into them. Unlike the book, the movie has many additional characters and their stories including Samson, who is trying to court a young woman. The Indians only added to plot change in the movie. In the movie we end up getting a backstory to characters that weren’t needed. Not only that but they changed the entire ending to the story. Now instead of dimmsdale dying at the end, he rides off on a hose to live happily ever after with Hester. These characters take from the main story’s plot of Hester and her life with the scarlet letter on her chest.
The narration of the book and movie are different. In the book the narration is done from a third person point of view. In the movie Pearl is narrating the story. Many of the parts of the story seem better due to this change. Pearl gives a new perspective to the story that had been previously hidden while reading the book. Pearl is able to make it seem that, even though the entire town shuns her, she did nothing wrong. So really, Pearl becoming the narrator, although a huge difference, reveals a new side of the story not seen before.
Despite these differences, the religious aspects of the story are just as relevant in the movie as the book.

In both Dimmsdale, their priest, is highly thought of by everyone. It was not until he revealed himself to be the husband, and fellow sinner, of Hester that he was looked down upon. Before that he was friends with many other highly regarded people in the town, and was present at every important gathering. In other words, religion plays a substantial role in both the book and movie.
Another key event that happened within the story was Hester and Dimmesdale's meeting in the woods. The movie scene was shorter than the book but still encompassed everything, Including their conversation about running away together. Which is probably where they went after they rode off to at the end of the movie. The only slight difference is in the book the meeting happened in the middle of night, while it seemed to only be dusk in the movie. Overall the family’s meeting in the movie was really similar to what happened in the book.
After reading the book and watching the movie, it is evident that the movie made a lot of changes, as do many movies. Some were for the better like Pearls narration, some. like the new characters, not so much. However, there are many similarities as well. Religion is just as important in the movie as it is in the book, and Hester's secret meeting in the woods is almost spot

on.