For anyone being judged by an entire society on a sin could be considered the hardest thing they would ever have to do. No matter how tough someone looks on the outside, on the inside it is agonizing, no matter who is being judged. Hester put a brave face on and accepted her sin. However, standing on that platform no matter how brave, could not protect Hester from being judged by society, and being ripped apart piece by piece. She knew she sinned, and she accepted it, now society could make her feel even worse. The townspeople have the power of banding together and being able to attack whatever they decide not to like, in this case it is Hester and her sin. Like in "The Crucible" the people are easily influenced to join together to go against others and to put them down for sinning. There seems to be no forgiveness in either society, only condemning.
"She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes!- these were her realities,- all else had vanished!"(56).
Hester's sin is a reality. Unlike John Proctor, her sin is out in the open for the rest of the world to see, this includes herself. She cannot hide her wrongdoing or try to protect herself from it. It is not a dream and she cannot go back to the past. Everyone knows she has sinned, and because of this she is forced to accept it, and deal with the consequences. Standing on that platform made her realize that everything is real. She really sinned and everyone is really against her for it. She accepted that it happened.
- Will Hester being forced to accept her sin, mean that she can forgive herself more quickly?
- Will Hester always be ashamed and hurt by standing on the platform?
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