The Scarlet Letter | Is Hester Prynn a Role Model?

In the following essay, J. Kersh explores whether or not Hester Prynn can be considered a role model. This essay contains numerous quotes and passages from the text, with explanations and citations.

Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is centered on the sin and punishment of Hester Prynn, but Hester is a far more complex character than these black and white terms. The women of Boston gossip in the opening chapters of the book about Hester’s crime, suggesting that she be branded or killed instead of having to wear a red A.

When we first see Hester, it’s obvious why the women are so angry and jealous, as she is a beautiful woman. She is also very strong under the scrutiny of the Puritans; she appears on the scaffold with Pearl clutched tightly against the A,...

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