How The Scarlet Letter Effects

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The "A" she must wear on her bosom completely humiliates her in front of everyone she meets, she begins to even hide behind it, trying to conceal her identity. Hawthorne is referring to Hester in the quote, "The unhappy culprit sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes, all fastened upon her and concentred on her bosom" (55). Hester is doing everything possible from going completely crazy. So many people are staring at her as if she's the most unfaithful, awful person in the world. She knows that she will never regain the respect she had before this incident. The scarlet letter she wears will constantly remind her and the townspeople that she is a sinner. While at Governor Bellingham's mansion, Hester can't help but notice while looking into the shining armor how much the "A" stands out. The "A" is seen "in exaggeration and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance. ...

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it. After Hester's sin became public, the Reverend Dimmesdale would always hold one hand upon his bosom. Chillingworth became suspicious one day and thrust aside Dimmesdale's vestment. Chillingworth then found out Dimmesdale also wears an "A" on his bosom. Dimmesdale was "conscious that the poison of one morbid spot was infecting his heart's entire substance, attributing to all his presentiments to no other cause" (137). The "A" is described as the poison, which effects the morbid spot it is on, his heart. The "A" Dimmesdale and Hester wear constantly reminds them of the sin. He is a Reverend and that is against his morals, it makes him weak to even think he went against God. ...

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