The Scarlet Letter
Chapter Two
After Hester Prynne steps out of the prison door, the staring crowd saw a woman trying to be strong, neither to seem intimitaded by the tension coming from the gossiping people, nor to seem desperate about the punishment. Hawthorne describes her egression of the jail as “an action marked with natural dignity” and “force of character” (ll 35).
But as the young woman stops in front of all the inhabitants of Boston, “it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceil a certain token, which was wrought or fastened into her dress” (ll 4-7). This is the moment, where the “A” is mentioned for the first time.
But in my opinion, her action is more important than the letter A.
Why does she rather hide the A on her chest (stands for “Adultery”, her sin and the reason, why she is accused) than her baby?
Shouldn’t the natural maternal instinct automatically make her try to save her child from this scary events?
What does this act reveal about Hester and her personality? Does it mean that she cares more about her own dignity than about the love to her daughter? Does it advert to Hester’s relationship to her child and hence to her relationship to the adultery?
Interesting questions. You're suggesting that Hester isn't going to be a good mother? This is something that could be debated but you'll need to keep proof.
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