“A” for Alienation Essay

Alienation is a greenness theme in both writing however, in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, never has mania been so vividly accounted. The Scarlet Letter is a study about Hester Prynne, a woman who commits fornication against her husband named Roger Chillingworth, with the local anaesthetic reverend named Arthur Dimmesdale the result is a strange child named Pearl. The p striation thickens as the mistress and the reverend strive to keep their sin a mystical, and as Chillingworth appears back in town hiding his true identity it climaxes on a scaffold whither all secrets ar revealed. Alienation is a bowed down(p) theme throughout the volume, and it adds an incredible thingumajig to see its affect on the characters. Alienation is represent through symbols, behavior, and drama with Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale. Each character is associated with an important symbol that sets them apart from society. They withal each(prenominal) deal with their madness in differen t ways with different behaviors, and they are treated differently by society causing drama. In the end, some can deal world outcasts from society, but some cannot.Hester, the principal(prenominal) character of the book, is most evidently alienated from society for her sin. The most important symbol in the book, the embroidered A on her bosom, sewed on as punishment for adultery, is also a symbol for alienation. She is different from all of society because of that seduce, and can never spicy a normal life because of it. Let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart, (38), said a towns mortal at initiative sight of the ruddy letter. As seen in this quote, society will always look at the scarlet letter as a wall between themselves and Hester. Hesters behavior shows how greatly she is affected by her alienation.Lonely as was Hesters situation and without a friend on earth who dared to she herself, she, however, incurred no risk of want, (57) in th is quote one sees how being alienated from society can cause a person to become an introvert and become a lifeless body as Hester had become. There is a lot of drama surrounding Hester all of society looks at Hester in shame. This complete shun from society drives Hester to live in an isolated cottage away from people. In this little, lonesome dwellingHester established herself with her infant child, (57). This extra dramaticevent alienated Hester geographically as well as socially. Hesters alienation also causes others to become alienated like her daughter and the one she has an affair with however, Hester is most sharply alienated from all.Hesters daughter, Pearl, is also alienated from society. Her alienation has different circumstances, however, because she was born an alien, she did nothing wrong. Since she is the product of sin, many consider her a demon child with supernatural powers. For this reason, she herself is a symbol of her alienation It Pearl was the scarlet letter in some other form the scarlet letter endowed with life (70). She is compared to Hesters symbol of alienation, but she is a breathing, hold form of the same symbol. She alienated herself and her mother from society. She is not your normal child, she acts very different She Hester could recognize her Pearl wild, desperate, defiant, mood, the mischievousness of her temper, and even some of the very cloud-shapes of gloom and despondency that had brooded in her heart, (63).In this description of Pearls behavior, we see a child that does not fit in your normal Puritan mold she is a child filled of energy, character, and mischief. She finds a way to live a happy life regardless of being an outcast from society. Because of Pearls behavior and her mothers sin, lots of drama occurs around the possession of the child Women it is thy bandage of shame It is because of the stain which that letter indicates, that we would transfer thy child to other hands, (76). Here, Governor Bellingham is o nerous to chair Pearl from her mother to give her a normal life in attempt to rig out the child into your average, molded Puritan. Pearl is a free willed little girl who circumstantially is outcasted by society.Arthur Dimmesdale, the local reverend, is Pearls father however, this is a secret kept from society and is revealed in the final scene. Dimmesdales secret viciousness alienates him internally from everyone around him. His hidden sin is eating him alive while he continues to put a mask on and preach to society as if nothing is wrong. This hidden secret is symbolized in the book as an unknow marking on his chest over his heart. With a convulsive motion he tore away the ministerial band from before his breast. It was revealed(172) here, Dimmesdale reveals the markings on his chest to all of society and reveals his secret. This marking, run it be a scarlet letter or not, is what symbolizes his alienation. It is an internal alienation from the outside world, and is not known b y society until this moment.His behavior prior to this event should signs of a deep illness, not curable by any medicine. His nerve seemed absolutely destroyed. His moral force was abused into more than childish weakness, (109). Dimmesdale is weak in spirit and in health due to his extreme vice alienating him from society. His behavior reflects his health which is in jeopardy due to his secret. This extreme pressure causes dramatic events to occur before the final climax. Walking in the shadow of a dream, as it were, and perhaps actually under the influence of a species of somnambulism, (101). The author here describes Dimmesdales journey to the scaffold one night this night he can take the guilt no longer. It describes him to be in another world controlled by his guilt. He is alienated from all when he is in this frame of mind, and this can be seen through dramatic events such as this. Dimmesdales secret sin has caused his character to change considerably while alienating him for the rest of the town.The three aliens in this story have different types of alienation, and are under different circumstance too nevertheless, the simple fact remains, they are alienated from their surroundings. Each character deals with their alienation a different way, and this is evident at the end of the story. Dimmesdale cannot take his upcountry guilt any longer and dies, Pearl fights through her problems to live a normal life, and Hester lives continuously in her sin on her own. Through symbols, each characters behavior, and the drama occurring in their lives, alienation can be depicted with each character however, the outcome of their alienation is governed only by the inner qualities of the character that the author has created. This reoccurring theme in literature has never taken a similar twist of outcomes, and it has brought interest, excitement, and meaning to the story.