The ScArlet Letter AnAlysis Questions

1. A character demonstrates heroic qualities by proving they are strong either mentally or physically. Heroes have to make important decisions, put others before themselves, understand good from evil, care for the welfare of others and be courageous. Hester shows heroic qualities when she chooses to keep the identity of the man she had an affair with. By doing this, Dimmesdale, is kept away from harm, that the society would bring upon him, due to the crime he committed.

2.Roger Chillingworth is the novel's antagonist. He chooses vengeance and spite toward Hester and Dimmesdale. He hopes to ruin the man who had the affair with his wife. His vengeance makes him find Dimmesdale, and pretends to be a doctor that can cure Dimmesdale's bad health. However, Chillingworth makes up medicine and is a fake. He soon is demeaned as being the Devil and using black magic.

3.There should be laws about reckless behavior that can hurt other people around you. Laws that prohibit fast driving, texting and driving, drinking and driving, can help save others and yourself. Politically, the government has made laws that protect the well being of other citizens. With these laws, if anyone breaks them, they will be punished through fines and imprisonment.However, when it comes to what someone wants to do to themselves, the government and society should not have a say, unless someone except that person is being harmed. 

4.Puritan New Englanders would consider anything that seemed odd to be the work of the devil and witchcraft. Today, if a person has an problem, most of the time, doctors are able to find what is wrong with them. We now, have an understanding that people sometimes do worship the devil and practice voodoo. That is legally okay to do, and does not have any restrictions. Current movies like the Harry Potter Series,  Wizards of Waverly Place, Hocus Pocus,  and the Wizard of Oz are popular, the idea no longer scares us when it is fictional. The idea of witchcraft has been viewed by people and does not bring a reaction that the causes violence. 

5. Today and many hundreds of years ago, in the Islamic religion, some women chose to wear a scarf around their head, known as the hijab. This shows self-preservation and internal pride, however, current day issues about the religion, have made many people look badly toward a person that wears hijab. Most of time, people signify the hijab as being a radical Muslim and bring to the conclusion that, that person wearing a hijab is associated with terrorist. Women who chose to wear a scarf want to send out a message that they do not care of what others think and wear it purely to follow their religion.

6.Pearl's character seems to unrealistic to be a young little girl. The way she speaks and thinks is to high for a young child to think. Pearl is most definitely not like the other girls in her society, this is due to the fact that she was never allowed to play with other children. Other parents in the society, that Pearl was a Demon child, and did not want their kids near her. In 2012, children today are highly immature, parents do not put any responsibility towards them. However, ten years ago, childrens' maturity rate was high. Personally, my older sister at the age of nine, was responsible in taking two younger siblings from school to home, and watching, cleaning and making food for them at home while our parents worked. Some children still do that, but it is truly different now, with young children getting cell phones and other gadgets. Pearl is an angry towards her mother, however, she has no reason to be. She does not know why the kids won't play with her, she does not know what her mother did. Hester provided love toward Pearl, and Pearl has hatred to her mother? This trait in a little girl seems unrealistic. A daughter at the age of three cannot be angry toward a mother who did absolutely nothing to harm her.

Punishment for Adultery?

   

        The novel centers around the crime of adultery. Due to the fact that the accused was a woman, Hester Prynne, the punishment was harsher on her and she was looked down upon. Hester's punishment was to be sentenced to life in prison and public humiliation. However, this was a light punishment compared to the death sentence she would have had, if she had not had a baby. Adultery should not be a crime to be jailed for. It is a private issue between man and wife, and if that does occur in a marriage then the issue should be taken care of it privately. Everyone, has their own private matters within their family and should be kept a secret. If this occurred in todays time, cheating on a spouse would be fixed by filling for a divorce or going to a marriage councilor. Adultery would not be a harsh punishment at all, but like always, it will be extremely looked down upon.