Scarlett Letter

Scarlett Letter

...is that almost anything in life can change. I believe that change can come in many forms. For instance, change can be a very easy and smooth transition that in the end is a positive thing. Then again there is change that can be tough, and quite difficult to deal with which often is labeled as a negative thing. However, the most significant type of change is one that makes an immediate impact on one¡¦s existence and, in the end, shapes the way things are done now and well into the future. In the case of Nathaniel Hawthorne¡¦s The Scarlet Letter, transformations can be seen in several parts of the novel. Specifically, Hawthorne changes the typical way Puritans are portrayed. The Puritan people and their beliefs were used in several texts throughout the history of American Literature. The changes that Hawthorne incorporated into his novel whether labeled as good or bad are the reason why I believe The Scarlet Letter fits into a renaissance period in American Literature.
Puritanism has its roots in the 16th and 17th century as a movement for reform in the Church of England. It had an insightful sway on the social, political, and ethical ideas in England and, subsequently, in America. The Puritan people had many beliefs that were depicted to the fullest in early American Literature. Puritans first believed in the concept of original sin in which all humans were born sinful. Puritans also adhered to the theory of unconditional election or predestination, which was the belief that God saves those he wishes and that few are selected for salvation. Another important aspect to Puritan beliefs was that everything was done as a united community. They stressed the importance of the group rather than the individual. This belief applied to everything from their possessions to their well beings. Puritans felt as long as they had God¡¦s love than that was all they ever...

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