Alienation in Scarlet Letter

A detailed Summary of Alienation in Scarlet Letter

There are many ways in which one can describe the idea of alienation and the relationship between an individual to a society. Whether or not people believe alienation to be beneficial to a person or group, the fact is that it has become a large part of what makes humanity so diverse. For this reason, alienation tends to be an underlying theme in a great number of novels. The uses and benefits of the alienation theme can vary from author to author, likewise, the portrayal and understanding of what it means to be an individual in a society differs greatly with each. Dependent upon an author, alienation can be considered a form of exclusion, a self-imposed act, or even the basis of a belief.

Within The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes the theme of alienation to characterize Hester Prynne. She is set aside from the strict Puritan society, which is increasingly captious to her every move. Once she is put on the scaffold, Hester loses her identity, and becomes no more than her sin and her letter. The use of the "A" is a tremendous symbol of alienation, which is not often seen rather than implied by an author. This usage of a "visual alienation" is affective in conveying the demean

Literature has always produced common themes, understandings, and moral issues, but the way in which each is portrayed varies according to the author. Each idea is based upon inner knowledge and life experiences. This understanding of variety within one theme is perfectly evident in the analyzing of alienation in The Scarlet Letter, Walden, and Cat's Cradle. The three authors portray alienation as what they feel it should be or currently is within society. Hawthorne takes a stand in saying what is common to most when describing an individual in a society. His basis is upon exclusion and harshness. Hawthorne's description is similar to that of Thoreau's, although in this case the alienation has become meaningless and petty. Thoreau believes that one may only understand society through alienation, which as a result produces the individual. In Vonnegut's radical view of individualism and alienation, he goes as far to saying that the qualities are to be idealized and worshiped. It is conveyed in his view that one can only reach their maximum potential and exceed others through alienation and severe individuality within a society. Each view, though extraordinarily different, conveys lessons that make alienation important to the structure of a society. Without alienation, the world would not function, for there would be no basis of what living means.

ing nature of alienation. Hawthorne describes the abrupt change

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Approximate Word count = 963
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English