Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, has deep connections with his Puritan ancestors. He created a story that highlights both their strengths and weaknesses. The knowledge of their beliefs and his great respect/ appreciation for their strengths were balanced by his concerns for their demanding and restricting rules. The image and portrayal of characters, the plot, and themes of the story all show his attitude towards these Puritans of Boston and their beliefs. This type of setting allows readers to view a person, in this case Hester, under a lot of pressure given by the harsh Puritan society. Hawthorne also uses the main characters to reflect experiences, specifically directed towards American issues. The first chapter of the novel introduces the grim and also very strict feeling that the book would continue to have. The description also carried over into later passages. Human weakness, shame, self righteousness, and pride were all displayed. Great description is also used. It makes the reader feel like they could be right next to Hester on the scaffold or in the jail cell. The setting does indeed matter and plays a very important part in the novel.
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