An Analysis of the Scarlett Letter

In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne a recurring theme is fate versus free will. Fate is the development of events beyond a person’s control, determined by a supernatural force. Free will is the ability to act at one’s own discretion. In the novel, Hester Prynne is sentenced to a lifetime of judgement by wearing an A on her chest, which symbolizes adultery, one of the biggest sins in a functioning Puritan Society. From the beginning of the novel we learn of Hester’s feisty personality, a woman who decides what happens in her life and who takes responsibility for those decisions.

“She repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air, as if by her own free will” (Hawthorne 45) . Even in the circumstances of her being released from her own jail she seals her fate with the choices she makes. In this quote you also see the words “as if’ saying that free will for somebody like Hester Prynne was thought to be ridiculous. The Puritan society believed heavily in fate because of their belief that God was in control. When Hester acted as such it was seen as she is rebelling against her own fate. Fate did not make the choice of how Hester would live in her later years, her strong stubborn decision to not conform is how she decided her own “fate”.

Hester is not the only example of free will. Arthur Dimmesdale, who is her partner in the commited crime, is all too sure that his fate will be sealed when Hester steps onto the scaffold to be questioned. He is a Reverend so he must believe in fate, however, when Hester refuses to speak we again see her remarkable strength exercising free will and he is taken aback. “He now drew back, with a long respiration.” “Wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart! She will not speak!” (Hawthorne 59). When Hester made the decision to not speak his name she altered his fate as well as her own. Fate is not something out of our control, determined by a higher power. Since Dimmesdale was a respected reverend within the community he is expected to let fate take control of his life, therefore he believes that everything is beyond his control. Hester took control of everything in her life; these two characters are complete contrasts of each other. This could be one of the reasons these two were attracted to each other, because of Hester’s freewill and Dimmesdale’s trust in fate.
When characters take control of the things in their lives it is safe to say that they are an active participant in what we would call freewill. However, characters who let their life unfold for them believe in fate. Roger Chillingworth is an example of both of these. ” Better to fast and pray upon it; and still better, it may be, to leave the mystery as we find it, unless providence reveal it of its own accord.” (Hawthorne 95 ) It appears here that he entrusts fate and is strongly committed to it. ” I shall seek this man, as I have sought truth in books; as I have sought gold in alchemy.” (Hawthorne 64). However here he takes the matter of finding Pearl’s father into his own hands. By doing this he is exercising free will. If you possess what we call free will then you have the ability to make decisions that are not determined by philosophical or religious purpose. Most characters have the ability to accomplish this. Although those that do not achieve this have a difficult time enjoying what they do or who they become, while the others who can determine what happens with their own life experience a sense of fulfillment.

Pearl is a significant example of a character who believes in free will. Pearl is Hester’s daughter born after her mother’s affair. Because of this Pearl grows up in great adversity. This does not stop Pearl from doing the things that she wants to do, like learning. She grows up smart which was unheard of for women in the Puritan society as they were not taught everything that the boys were taught. She speaks unlike any other seven year old and appears to be wise beyond her years. ” What a strange, sad man is he! Said the child, as if speaking partly to herself. In the dark night-time, he calls us to him, and holds thy hand and mine, as when we stood with him on the scaffold yonder! And in the deep forest, where only the old trees can hear, and the strip of the sky see it, he talks with thee, sitting on a heap of moss! And he kisses my forehead, too, so that the little brook would hardly wash it off! But, here, in the sunny day, and among all the people, he knows us not; nor must we know him! A strange, sad man is he, with his hand always over his heart!” (Hawthorne 188 ) In this scene Pearl seems to be one those characters who speaks their mind, much like her mother. Pearl’s free will, however, derives from her wanting to become something out of nothing, because even as a seven year old she knows her name has a certain connotation. ” The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of them all” (Mulan). This quote indicates that you are not born with a certain fate or a destiny to become a victim of your circumstances and become just like the people who raised you and live in the same place. It is your decisions that determine your outcome.

Although the choices are yours to make, your environment, meaning your homelife, churchlife, and family can sometimes make it difficult or complicated for you to exercise your free will. Such as within the Puritan Society their beliefs are that you must abide by all laws and practices of the doctrine guiding their mission. The Puritan society seems to be an early recorded form of hypocrisy simply because the things they persecuted for where the exact things that happened behind their closed doors. All of the Puritans were expected to believe in fate as strongly they rely on God and on one another. One prime example of Puritans not being very “pure” is that Governor Bellingham’s sister is classified as a witch. He kept that information hidden in order to satisfy the rules of order in which they live their lives. The Governor is a very standard man and is an example of “fate will handle all”. “He wore a dark feather in his hat, a border of embroidery on his cloak, and a black velvet tunic beneath”a gentleman advanced in years, with a hard experience written in his wrinkles. He was not ill-fitted to be the head and representative of a community which owed its origin and progress, and its present state of development, not to the impulses of youth, but to the stern and tempered energies of manhood and the sombre sagacity of age; accomplishing so much, precisely because it imagined and hoped so little.” (Hawthorne 55). The governor is one of those people who lets life take hold of him rather than the other way around, much like others living within the Puritan Society.

We decide everyday what that day will become. Whether it be what meal you eat that night or the homework assignment you do not do and the grade it results in that might lead you to tears. Small everyday things contribute to a much larger picture in life. Hester Prynne learned this first hand when she made the decision to sleep with Arthur Dimmesdale and he with her. Roger Chillingworth experienced this when he made the decision to search for Dimmesdale not even knowing who he was or what he might discover. Pearl made this decision to further her education, vocabulary and curiosity while repairing her reputation. Pearl’s choices gave her the power to escape the restrictions of the Puritan Society. The Puritan Society relied ultimately on their beliefs and their beliefs only. This is believed to the be the cause of their downfall. None of us are born with predestination that takes away the joy of the journey of life. Fate is altered at the hands of the choices we make everyday.

Works Cited

1. Hardy-Gould, Janet, et al. Mulan. Oxford University Press, 2010.
2. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlett Letter: a Romance. Vintage, 2016.
3. “The Scarlet Letter Quotes by Nathaniel Hawthorne.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/4925227-the-scarlet-letter.
4. Tanenbaum, Leora. Slut!: Growing up Female with a Bad Reputation. HarperCollins, 2000.

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