The Scarlet Letter
Chapter Thirteen
Entry Fifteen
The reason why the people almost admire Hester is that she is living in such a purity through her sinful life.
She worked hard and harder but never expected something from other people.
She never fought against the destiny the Puritans imposed her. All she wanted was having enough to survive with Pearl, her now 7 years old daughter.
So the meaning of the letter changes from "Adulterer" to "Able."
In m opinion, Hester is always other-directed or rather directed by the Puritan's. It almost seems like she should be thankful that the Boston's society altered the A's meaning.
Hester never gets to be the woman she wants to be and instead is always identified by a letter a foreign society marked her with. She gave herself up for a life directed by the A and has to subordinate her own will for the will of the Puritan society.
And now that her identity is "able" insted of "adultery" is again caused by the Puritans. Noone asked her if this is also her view of herself.
Maybe she doesn't agree? But even if she does, she is not able to rebel against the public's opinion of her because she feels responsible for Pearl and Dimmesdale's situation.
If asked, what do you think she would say about herself? If she had lived within this Puritan society, instead of outside it, how would she have changed.
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