Where The Blame Falls We go threw our lives hoping to do the right thing for ourselves
and the right thing for others. Through our lives we take the blame for many things and
sometimes we get the blame pushed upon us. This is shown in the book, The Scarlet
Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester, Pearl, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale are two of
the main characters. Hester was made a scapegoat, and Dimmesdale was mortified.
Hester is charged with committing a very serious sin among the Puritan's, called
adultery. She does not wish to be punished for her one minor mistake. Hester pleads to
let her keep the child, and the Puritans let her. Towards the end of the book, She
removes the scarlet letter, and throws it on the river bank. Hester receives her
punishment for adultery. Hester must stand up on the platform for three hours while the
townspeople participate in her punishment. She must wear the scarlet letter for the rest
of her life, no matter what she does to redeem herself. Hester, and Pearl were not the
same as the rest of the townspeople. No one ever talks to her, and she was not allowed
to make any clothing for the other Puritans weddings. Pearl was picked upon by the other
children often. Hester was no longer accepted by the Puritans.
Dimmesdale has had as much punishment as Hester for their sin. Dimmesdale is putting
the blame upon himself. Dimmesdale is the minister, and he should know better than to
commit a sin. Dimmesdale is dying inside ever since he had committed the sin with
Hester, by the guilt and eventually collapses. Throughout the book, he is reminded of
his sins by Chillingworth, and the other Puritans. Dimmesdale is rotting up inside and
giving himself his own punishment. He is a roll model, and he feels that he has let the
other Puritans down by having such a horrible sin. Dimmesdale is freed from his
punishment for adultery. He stood up on the platform with Hester, and Pearl to tell all
of the townspeople. He died up on the platform, and he eventually gets to leave the
Puritans. Even though Hester's punishment is public, Dimmesdale's punishment is much
worse than Hester's.
Hester was made a scapegoat, and Dimmesdale was mortified. Hester was made to take the
punishment publicly for both people. Hester was never accepted by the Puritans.
Dimmesdale took his punishment inside. He gave himself guilt because of his strong
morals. Dimmesdale's guilt was grueling and eventually killed him, and Hester lived for
a few more years. We can never escape our punishment, whether we let our sin be known,
or give ourself guilt.
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