Scarlet Letter Theme Ecr

In the book The Scarlet Letter, one theme present is that everyone seeks to maintain and gain pride. Hester and Dimmesdale are the greatest example of this. The conflict and point of view also help to represent the theme. Pride played a big role in this book because the majority of the characters had issues with their pride in one way or another. Chillingworth did not seem to have any pride in himself because he stooped lower than any human being should while trying to get his revenge. However, excessive pride is not a good thing and can lead to destruction of yourself and others as represented in this book.

Despite all the challenges and problems Hester faces, she is able to maintain her pride and dignity. In the beginning of the book when she is leaving the prison to be taken to the scaffold, she "stepped out into the open air, as if by her own free will." This is the most important part of the story, obviously because it begins the public shame, and scorn that she is to face, but more importantly because it begins a series of events which lead to "the torture of her daily shame [which] would at length purge her soul and work out another purity than that which she had lost."

Dimmesdale's character also proves this point because as we begin to learn more and more about him, we come to find out he is the one that has committed adultery with Hester. The main conflict is that Dimmesdale is plagued with a decision; to tell, or not to tell? Dimmesdale encounters Hester in the woods and she asks if he has found peace. He replies, "None, nothing but despair!" He then goes on to talk about his congregation and how they are so eager to hear him preach despite the darkness that is within him. Dimmesdale's pride in himself is already very injured but if he reveals to everyone that he committed the sin with Hester, everyone will lose their respect for him causing his pride to lower even more so keeps it a secret and he tortures himself both physically and psychologically. As this conflict is resolved by the couple's plan to escape to Europe, Dimmesdale is face with another. He is overtaken with sin and almost utters out many wicked things. After giving his best and most truthful sermon, he then stands on the scaffold next to Pearl and Hester and declares his sin, then he dies.

The point of view in this book is omniscient. The narrator follows the activities of all the characters and reveals all their thoughts and actions, whether done in private, or public. The narrator reveals much about the characters they don't know about each other or even about themselves. He is also able to express his own opinions and thoughts as well. This helps support the theme because Hawthorne is able to show the reader what the characters most personal thoughts are as well as their actions.

The conflict ties everything

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