Public Shaming In The Scarlet Letter - 1630 Words

Novelist, Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his fictional novel, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, expresses a story about a young woman, Hester Prynne, back in the 1600s who was convicted of adultery and must now wear a big â€Å"A† on her chest to show those in the small Massachusetts Bay colony the sin she has committed. Hawthorne’s purpose is to illustrate the hardships Hester must go through for committing such act in the small colony where religion was put first. Hawthorne adopts a serious and pitiful tone throughout the novel to get the adult readers to sympathize with the main character, Hester Prynne. Though this book was written back in the 1800s and is based off a woman who’s shamed for adultery, this book can still relate to today’s world with some of†¦show more content†¦The article informs their audience with what was done as punishment for those who committed a sinful crime that offended their religion. The actual story starts out with Hester Prynne, along with other women standing in the town square for everyone to see and be told the sinful crimes one has committed, The age had not so much refinement, that any sense of impropriety restrained the wearers of petticoat and farthingale from stepping forth into public ways, and wedging their not unsubstantial persons, if occasion were, into the throng nearest to the scaffold at an execution... The woman who were now standing about the prison-door stood within less than half a century of the period when the manlike Elizabeth had been not together unsuitable representative of the sex. (Hawthorne 48). In the scene Hawthorne describes how these women standing there today did something morally wrong for the sex they are and since woman in those days had a certain role in the household whereas today in 2017 woman have more freedom to do whatever they please, still woman are shamed for the same reason they did back in the 1600s. In an article about public shaming, it tells how no w with social media shaming woman and well anyone is much easier to do as many people have it and not only can one small community see it but everyone all over the world can, Women are often shamed forShow MoreRelatedTheme Of Public Shaming In The Scarlet Letter955 Words   |  4 PagesThe Scarlet Letter happened in the 17th century in New England when punishment was very different and public shaming was conventional. In â€Å"Scarlet Letter†, the period of public shaming was an event that led up to colonial AmericaÅ› identity and it introduces the theme of punishment, if people break regulations there will be a penalty. In â€Å"The Crucible†, the theme that relates to colonial AmericaÅ› identity is making the decision of protecting their reputation or their integrity. In The Scarlet LetterRead MoreThe Problem With Public Shaming931 Words   |  4 PagesMost people believe that public humiliation is cruel and unusual punishment, yet it seems to be the only thing working. Doxxing is when you take someones personal info -info such as social security numbers or address- and post it for the world to see. Some people still see doxxing as ineffective and just flat out wrong as discussed Cole Stryker in â€Å"The Problem with Public Shaming† written in The Nation, Stryker notions that public shaming doesnt work and that people need to talk about its effectsRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1510 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough Hawthorne goes back two hundred years to create a romantic setting for his famous novel The Scarlet Letter, he also envisions a hopeful future for women in which â€Å"sacred love should make [them] happy† (166). However, our present setting tells us a different story. We are presented with the problem of â€Å"slut shaming†: a subtle, yet deadly transfiguration of a woman’s passion and â€Å"sacred love† into moral frailty and opprobrium. As a male, I do not have the same authority to speak on this topicRead MoreMany Symbols in the Scarlett Letter879 Words   |  3 Pagesyou have to ask what it symbolizes, it didnt.† There are many â€Å"symbols† in The Scarlet Letter. The most known one was the letter itself. The meaning of the letter appears clear at first but as the book progresses you see the letter’s meaning shift with Hester’s character. The magistrates intended the letter to represent the sin of adultery. And while of course, people did shun her at the very beginning, the â€Å"shaming† technique could not weather the test of time. The â€Å"A† soon began to lose its shamefulRead MoreSpeech On Public Shaming1008 Words   |  5 PagesPublic shaming is a punishment that does not necessarily require bodily harm or financial consequences, but causes enough damage to discourage criminals/sinners from wronging again. Dating back to biblical times, like when Jesus was forced to drag his own cross, public shaming creates emotional scars that do not heal easily. Shaming is still used today, whether it is on actual criminals or people who make mistakes on social media, and it is still just as effective. Public shame has serious effectsRead MoreHawthorne In Hawthornes The Shame Of Public Shaming759 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom hiding his face in shame. After reading the novel, The Scarlet Letter I can see that there is very thorough evidence for agreeing with Hawthorne. Therefore, it is definite that there is no crime worse than being forced to confront your shame in public. Individuals should have the right to face their wrongs alone and should not be forced to confront them publicly. The article â€Å"The Shame of Public Shaming† clarifies that public shaming has been used as punishment in almost all societies but overRead MoreDo Shame Punishments Have A Positive Effect?1355 Words   |  6 Pagesidea for hundreds of years, as shown in Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. As of recent studies, psychologists try to decide whether the punishment’s benefits outweigh its drawbacks, authoritative figures must ask themselves, â€Å"do shame punishments have a positive effect?† Numerous enforcers debate whether or not to use public shame as an alternate punishment to save tax payer’s money, and create extra space in jails. Public shaming can range from wearing a sign addressing your crime to writingRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1593 Words   |  7 PagesEinstein), but the society during the 1640’s prevents the people of New England to develop in a way that benefits their well being. In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, readers notice how the characters, Hester Prynne, Pearl Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale act throughout the story. When reading The Scarlet Letter, the way society runs in New England, during the 1640s, changes the way the main characters act, some in a positive ways that end up helping the characterRead MorePublic Shame Essay1167 Words   |  5 Pages(vocabulary.com). Public humiliation, or public shame, has impacted the lives of many people around the world in that n ovels and movies have been based around this harsh topic. The influence of public shame is harmful, because it can cause terrible consequences, but on the other hand, there are benefits. For instance, public humiliation can help people to learn from their mistakes, and it can teach valuable lessons to the people who have done something wrong. In the Scarlet Letter, written by NathanielRead MoreCrime And Effective Punishment Essay1332 Words   |  6 Pagesof the comments of their peers. Despite the large public spotlight that can be instantly brought glaringly down upon these actors, they still commit crimes and say things they shouldn’t, for even they cannot defeat the ineffable dark aspects of human nature. For media mongers, the worst punishment is not a stint in jail or wergild to pay, but rather it is being embarrassed in front of their peers. So although, many people believe public shaming to be a cruel and unusual punishment, it is actually