Where The Blame Falls Essay, Research Paper

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.