Who Is Hester's Greed In The Scarlet Letter
As Hester tries to mend the community which she had damaged by committing the crime of adultery, she does charitable works for those around her. Most of her income from needlework goes to helping the poor and needy, and she also makes them simple clothing garments. This is ironic because her red badge on her chest was stitched with the same needle that is now doing good deeds for others. Hester continues doing her works of charity, and caring for the marginalized as though "her breast with its badge of shame was a softer pillow for the head that needed one" (111). Hester becomes a more generous person after her imprisonment and punishment because she tries to mend the damage she has done, one stitch of her needle at a time. Her generosity stems from her newfound motherly love as well as her understanding of exclusion from society.
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The same can be said of the sick, poor, and elderly people whom Hester helps because they are the unwanted members of society, just like her. However, their sins are not things that they did, but rather misfortunes that had happened to them, and therefore society will not assist them with their needs. Hester helps these people because she understands them and therefore has empathy for them. Even as she is giving them food, clothing, and financial aid, they mock her and spit on her, but she still helps them, like a true martyr. Soon, it becomes difficult for the townspeople to hate her because she does kind deeds and exemplifies the message of Christianity, but they still want to hate her because of the badge that she wears. For the Puritans, it is easier to find a scapegoat than to acknowledge your own sins, but Hester shows them through her actions that it is sometimes easier to love than to
The same can be said of the sick, poor, and elderly people whom Hester helps because they are the unwanted members of society, just like her. However, their sins are not things that they did, but rather misfortunes that had happened to them, and therefore society will not assist them with their needs. Hester helps these people because she understands them and therefore has empathy for them. Even as she is giving them food, clothing, and financial aid, they mock her and spit on her, but she still helps them, like a true martyr. Soon, it becomes difficult for the townspeople to hate her because she does kind deeds and exemplifies the message of Christianity, but they still want to hate her because of the badge that she wears. For the Puritans, it is easier to find a scapegoat than to acknowledge your own sins, but Hester shows them through her actions that it is sometimes easier to love than to