Puritanism in The Scarlet Letter

     The harsh and strict society of Puritan America that is the setting of The Scarlet Letter creates the basis for the ultimate plot and problems of the novel. I have been studying the Puritanism period of American Literature for the month of September give or take a week, in English class at Episcopal and all of the knowledge I have gained regarding social, cultural, and religious persona of Puritanism has come in handy when reading The Scarlet Letter. I have been able to recognize and understand points in the story, opinions of various characters, and the overall scandal and reasoning behind the main problem in the novel. 

      Nathaniel Hawthorne lived and wrote his stories in years following the Puritanism, but his birthplace of Salem, Massachusetts gave him the background information and overall curiosity and interest in Puritan ideals and society. Hawthorne presents readers of The Scarlet Letter with a character who embodies "sin" in a model Puritan society, Hester Prynne. Adultery is the scandal that creates the plot of the story and various details and characters develop the novel. This believed horrible act of adultery and the pride and uncaring manner in which Hester seems to react to her scandalous behavior enhances gossip and extremely opinionated Puritans to speak their beliefs and give readers the perspective and information of a true Puritan society. The Puritan town, in their attempt to disassociate themselves with Hester and her sinful behavior, are repressive and overwhelmingly rude and strict, almost contradicting the religion and culture which they were originally trying to protect. Hawthorne gives this almost backwards outlook of Puritan society and culture in order to entertain readers while keeping them informed. The storyline being seen through the eyes of a sinner creates a much more intriguing story that readers want to know more and more about, while still giving information through the surrounding characters and the actions they take. 

Role Models: Scarlet Letter vs. Model Christian Charity

Though both The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and A Model of Christian Charity by John Winthrop are works of literature relating to the Puritanism period of American Literature, they present extremely society and the idea of a perfect Puritan very differently. Aside from the basic fact that The Scarlet Letter is a novel written in a much later period of Renaissance literature that is about a Puritan society and A Model of Christian Charity is the recording of a speech actually given in the Puritanism time period, the two works differ in their approach to an explanation of Puritan society.

The Scarlet Letter  is a story revolving around a crime committed in a small Puritan settlement that shocks the town and creates ultimate chaos and confusion. Adultery is the sin committed by the main character of the story, Hester Prynne, and the story explains this offensive and sinful behavior by telling her story instead of the story of someone who did all the right things. Hawthorne decides to give an outlook of Puritan ideals through the opinions of townspeople and other characters of Hester and her actions. Instead of providing straightforward rules and beliefs of Puritanism, the book gives a fictional and much more entertaining approach to the description of society.

A Model of Christian Charity was a speech given by John Winthrop in the Puritanism era of American Literature that we read in English class and the beginning of this first quarter. The piece is much more straightforward and strict in the explanation of Puritan society. This vastly different perspective and approach is present due to the authors identity, a strong and powerful figure in Puritan society who followed the "laws" and beliefs of Puritanism. The entire point of Winthrop's speech is to inspire if not teach the audience to become better Christians and therefore role models for other members of society and the world. This is so different form Hawthorne's interpretation of the social order due to the role model concept. The Scarlet Letter provides readers with a somewhat role model of the wrong side. The book gives readers a character who goes against society, and that's why you end up rooting for her. A Model of Christian Charity on the other hand gives readers the basic and strict role model requirements that can be followed to be the correct member of Puritan society. Both outlooks give an overall explanation of the culture, religion, and ideas in Puritanism, but in extremely different ways.

Details: Scarlet Letter vs. Autobiography of Ben Franklin

The writing of Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter and Ben Franklin in his own autobiography are extremely detailed. Whether the authors are describing setting, character traits and actions, plot, or an idea or belief, the information is thorough and explained to the max. The "Custom-House Introductory" chapter to The Scarlet Letter and the first few chapters following all provide serious details regarding the setting of the story. The small Puritan town being introduced in the story is so completely explained to readers that it is almost impossible not to be able to map out the town in your head while reading the remainder of the story. Hawthorne begins the book this way to set up the basis of the entire story, where every part of the plot will occur and develop. Overall the details are used to illustrate a perfect portrait of the town in readers minds that will help them read the Scarlet Letter with greater understanding and a greater ability to draw conclusions and opinions.

The same attention to detail is used by Ben Franklin in his autobiography, a passage I read for English class recently. Though we read the autobiography in two parts, the first is essential to my connection between it and The Scarlet Letter due to its description of Franklin's travels between American cities and London throughout his life. Franklin describes his travels with persistent detail. Not a single name, time, food eaten and sleep taken is forgotten by the author and each event described brings greater knowledge to the reader and therefore context to the story. Some of the details regarding people Ben Franklin meets, places he has to stay, or actions he has to take in order to continue making a living foreshadow or explain character traits that he is now known for possessing or events that he is renowned for accomplishing. The detail put into every single thing that happened to him during his travels and life achievements add so much more to his autobiography and the amount that readers can gain from it.

Both pieces of literature use this almost excessive detail to enhance their works and provide readers with the best writing possible. This style of simple, yet extremely detailed writing is a part of American culture and society at the time which was simply to inform and get the greater message across to people by giving them all they needed to know, even if it was in the simplest terms that could manage to write.