A women who lives in a Puritan village commits one of the most frowned upon sins; adultery. Having been pitied, Hester's life was spared, instead, she was made to wear an embroidered A on her dress. To do so, she used scarlet threads and branded herself with a beautiful A which reflected the evening sun as she was first released from her prison cell.
I use the word branded intentionally, Hester will live her life with the townsfolk glaring at the medal of her sin. When she dies, her tombstone will be engraved with the letter she bore for nearly all of her life. It's spectacular, seeing the way that Hester is so quickly isolated from the community that she'd once been apart of. Though she sews clothing for those around her, they do not meet her eyes. It seems that they're only able to stare at the A on Hester's bosom. Walking to market, Hester's chest is singed with each disapproving glare. Her cheeks are made red by the way her customers freely make it known that they're disgusted by how unfaithful she'd been to her husband (who, by the way, hasn't been around Hester for years) she'd been.
Logically, Hester secludes herself in a desolate abandoned cottage, rarely leaving, rarely speaking, friendless but spared of the townsfolk's resentment towards her. Who would do differently? Of course though, there always be those who claim to 'thrive on social interactions' and 'will die if they've only themselves for company!'. And, of course, there are the folks who shun social isolation. Why? I do not know. Many claim that it is unhealthy, but to leave your cottage only to be shunned is better than mental peace?
Personally, I like to spend my entire weekends inside, ignoring emails, and with my cellphone's battery left uncharged. Being alone is nice. It's not as though that, if I were to leave my fort, I'd be bombarded with words of hate and disapproval, but why spend time with humans when I can daydream about more ideal things... more intriguing people, quieter places, massive, burnt forests, silk ballroom gowns, empty mansions overlooking a lonely plain, visited only by scorched, sacred trees? Where's that sort of appeal to be found in reality? Why waste time roaming congested city streets and waiting in line surrounded by filthy, obnoxious people (filthy and obnoxious in comparison to those that I can create myself)? Why go outside to only be welcomed by the same monotonous streets and people and cars? I truly do not see the point in all of it, I've already created a much more interesting world of my own.
I'm amazed by your summary of thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI think anyone can understand how horrible it feels to be lonely, although I do like being alone at times. When I go too deep into it, it makes me think, "why am I living? What's my existence for?"
HI Txai. So I read this post and found some things that you might want to do to make this post better. Well, here they are:
ReplyDelete1. You should talk about how the main character must feel, walking around with everyone knowing what she'd done.
2. Talk about how you would feel if you were put in her place. Would you feel ashamed, or what?
3. Is there possibly an upside of Heser's situation? If so, then what?
4. Do you see a downside of hiding in your house all day? Does it affect anything?
5. Dumb it down a little!! I feel like you go so deep into it that idiots like me don't understand what you're trying to say very well.
But anyway, overall you wrote a good post. I've never read this book before and you didn't reveal anything so now if I choose to read it nothing will be ruined.
- Sophia O.