Quote Response #5- The Scarlet Letter

    In chapter eighteen of, The Scarlet Letter, there is a quote which is rather important to the character, Hester Prynne. This quote can be found on page 158 and reads, “The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers,-stern and wild ones,-and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.” I believe that this quote is meant to show that Hester is a strong woman, even though her life is far from perfect. She chose to have an adulterous relationship and became pregnant out of wedlock. Obviously, this caused Hester to feel shameful of her decision, but instead of dwelling on what she cannot change she takes all of the townspeople’s judgments in stride. Instead of focusing on the negative judgments, Hester focuses most of her energy on being the best mother that she can be to her daughter, Pearl. Although the scarlet letter that Hester has been forced to wear has caused her to feel alone in the world, it has also caused her to realize she is strong enough to deal with this unfortunate situation alone.
    This quote, which relates largely to the character, Hester Prynne, can also be related to many people in the world today. Many people who have made huge mistakes often live with their guilt and shame for the rest of their lives. Although in today’s society people do not have to wear their sins on their shirts, they can still have stigmas attached to themselves because of what they have done. For instance, a person who is known for being promiscuous and (for lack of better words) slutty, will probably be remembered by many people for their mistakes. Even if they are a good person, the bad tends to outweigh the good and the person will have a hard time cleaning up their reputation.
    I believe that this quote is significant because it is timeless. It allows the reader to see that although mistakes do happen, confidence and strength comes to those who choose to move on. Hester chose to make the best out of a less than ideal situation and because of this, she grew to be an even stronger woman than she was previously. Although it may not always seem like it, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Hester saw the light and many other people in the world will surely someday see this light as well.