The Scarlet Letter: Didactic

"...and she saw that, owing tot he peculiear effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter wasw represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance. In truth, she seemed absolutely hidden behind it." Pg. 80

     I would be remiss if I didn't include this literary term in a novel such as this. I mean, the main storyline and dominant theme throughout the book emphasizes the care with which one should act, because the public will find out what happens and it could open the individual up for ridicule. Hester Prynne demonstrates that theme better than anyone else because she must indure the public shame brought on by wearing her scarlet letter. However, I am choosing to take a slightly different approach as to what the novel is trying to convey morality-wise to the reader. During the introduction, the narrator tells the reader that the time period in which the main story takes place is one of strict beliefs. During this time, morality and religion are sewn extremely tightly together. Every action must comply with the Puritanical way of living, and if it doesn't, as in Hester's case, then the punishments can be severe. Moral standards have loosened since then, but the unrelenting ridicule she must endure leaves me wondering whether Hawthorne used the story to caution the public against acting too sanctimonious and pious. He probably did not want to see the sanity of a woman like Hester's to be polluted by the public's overly condescending tendencies again.