Hawthorne

Hawthorne In the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne presents a number of themes but the most important and significant are guilt, alienation, and redemption. Through out Scarlet Letter we see transference of guilt, and with that comes redemption from sin. Another theme that plays a big role is alienation; in order to amend or do penance for your sin you must be shown away by society The transference of guilt commences with Hawthorn’s ancestors, and then it transfers to Hawthorne. Hawthorne then decides to write a story to justify the actions regarding his antecedents, who played a big part in Puritanism and in the Salem witch trials. Because of the wrong doings that his antecedents did he felt the need to repent for it. He then transfers his guilt to his story protagonist, Hester Prynne whom commits adultery - which was considered one of the biggest sins in the puritan days. Prynne is to wear a red scarlet letter, the letter A. Then it lingers around Chillingworth - who’s responsible for giving guilt. Chillingworth transfers it to Dimmesdale by tormenting him and making him remember his sin everyday for the rest of his life. letter, scarlet, hawthorne, guilt, prynne, sin, redemption, because, alienation, transfers, themes, symbolism, show, wear, transference, theme, story, sins, significant, rest, redeems, red, penance, out, order, number, making, life, important, dimmesdale, dies, chillingworth, big, antecedents, another