Scarlet Letter Hester's Transformation

In the The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the transformation of the A stained onto Hester’s chest from a brand of shame to a mark of grace illustrates the ability to break and outgrow foolish hate through acceptance, kindness, and self-appointment.

The scarlet letter is first introduced as a mark of shame for Hester, a young married woman who commits adultery resulting with a child. In this time, during the 17th century, women are expected to stay loyal and obedient to their husbands. However, since Hester broke these standards, her puritan acquaintances see this as an immense and horrible crime. Along with a punishment of prison, she was forced to wear the brand of an A on her chest, representing adulteress. She is ostracized from

her community, for as to them the letter, “had such a potent and disastrous efficiently that no human sympathy would reach her, save it were sinful like herself”(pg.19). Hester saw this punishment as a mark of shame from her own past deed and decisions. The scarlet letter, made by Hester herself, is of a “fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread”(pg.8). Through creating the letter herself and making it of such quality, she embraces and accepts the letter instead of pretending that her actions never happened, as it would mean denying a part of herself.

As the story progresses, time begins to fly by in years. Hester is determined to transform the letter’s meaning through her actions and her own self-perception. She begins to engage herself in the community by sewing and making clothes for high-eleet people. So much so, her clothing became a trend for many. From Hester’s kind and thoughtful nature, society starts to try to reclaim the letter’s symbolism by deciding that the “A” now stands for “Able.” Her chest, marked with stain of A, “... was but the softer pillow of the head that needed one. The letter was a symbol of her calling, such helpfulness was found in her--so much power to do, and power to sympathise”(pg.31). Once seen as dark secrets, shame, and torture, the letter conveys her newly found and recognized dedication, hard work, and helpfulness. However, in her eyes, the A still stands for adultery; it is her past and can not be changed, only overcome through her own self-dignity and worthiness, not from the idea and acceptance of others. “...Were I worthy to be quit of it, it would fall way of its own nature, or be transformed into something that should into something that should speak a different purport”(pg.32).

Lastly, because of Hester, the scarlet letter transforms as a symbol of feminine repression and a self-appointed reminder of the evils society can commit.

The letter is an illustration of her journey and challenges as the woman who broke social standards and expectations. Instead having the reputation as the “woman with the scarlet letter” the community describes her with “no selfish need, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment, people brought all their sorrows and perplexities, and besought her counsel… Hester comforted and counseled them, as best she might”(pg.64). He once shameful badge of guilt and torture now reveals the ultimate meaningless of puritans community’s system of judgment and punishment. Her goodness and caring nature changes the town people’s attitude towards her and the letter, as now the story of the Scarlet letter is a “legend.” As to those who don’t know her, such as the Native Americans, they see the letter as if, “ the wearer of brilliantly embroidered badge must needs to be a personage of high dignity among her people”(pg.58). Even though, the vision of the A is seen as a new image in the eyes of her peers, to her, it still is a symbol of her past decisions. It is and will always be apart of self-identity and body, for when she comes back to town after many years of shame-free and independence, she puts the letter back

on.

Hester Prynne, a woman who commits adultery in a town of puritans, is punished with a mark of an A on the bosom of her chest, standing as a badge of her shame. However, as the story progresses and she lives on her live, it becomes part of her live and identity. Through her actions of goodness and selflessness, she transforms this brand into representation of her past struggles and new life.