A Character Analysis Of Hester Prynee Writing Assignment

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Scarlet Letter Character Analysis Essay
The main character in the book titled Scarlet Letter is a lady called Hester Prynne. The book is set in the 1640s, over two hundred years before its publication. Nevertheless, it gained a lot of popularity and hence becoming the author’s best-selling work. The author of the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne, narrates the life and experiences of the young woman. The novel defines the experiences that she goes through after committing adultery. She is confined in prison in the Puritan community of Salem, Massachusetts, therefore, being forced to live with the consequences of her immoral actions. The author describes her physical appearance, her traits, and analyses her character vividly as a result of her experience in jail. Surprisingly, despite having gone through a tough time in prison, Hester comes out looking like a beautiful woman with a perfect figure who is not defeated (Pryor, N.P). Her personality of strength, honesty and is compassion towards her community ultimately proves that she is a survivor.
Hester’s strength is shown through her capacity to endure the prison treatment and come out looking for a person who is willing to live life afresh. As soon as she stepped out of prison, everyone was blown away by her appearance. She maintains her physical prowess and attractiveness despite the tortures of prison treatment. “Her beauty shone out and made a halo of the misfortune and ignominy in which she was enveloped” (Hawthorne, 155). That proves how strong she was to persevere the seven long year’s harsh treatment in prison. Also, she wears the ‘A’ sign which means that she committed the crime of adultery on her chest courageously. She is strong enough to wear it as part of her punishment of public humiliation to other community members. More so, she faces the charges head high and even refuses to reveal the man with whom she had sexual relations. That is to say that, if she were a weak person, she would not carry the shame of the sin of adultery by herself.
Hester is an honest individual because she is truthful about her affair. She openly admits that she had sexual relationships outside of her marriage even after she is released from prison. However, she is not entirely candid about the affair. Although her husband insists to be told her lover’s name, Hester refuses to turn her lover in. For that reason, Hester endures her punishment alone (Harcourt, N.P). In addition to her honesty ...