Scarlet Letter, Chapters 1-6

Looking back on the first six chapters of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, the actual prison in the settlement, as well as the conceptual idea of prison, has played an important role, highlighting the pitfalls of justice systems in Puritan New England that prevail today. On page 71, when discussing Hester’s release from prison, Hawthorne writes, “She could no longer borrow from the future, to help her through the present grief. To-morrow would bring its own trial with it; so would the next day, and so would the next; each its own trial, and yet the very same that was now so unutterable grievous to be borne.” I believe Hawthorne is trying to say that in prison, she had become comfortable, especially in the idea that she could employ the simple tactic of being hopeful for a return to normalcy when she was released. She had made her cell a home, a place where she has become a mother and welcomed Pearl. This practice of normalizing prison was not uncommon for the Puritans, as in the novel and in the actual settlement, Puritan prisons were characteristically harsh and brutal, as they believed that they were committing themselves to justice. However, this practice in extremes can lead to the erosion of mercy in a justice system. In the second chapter, we learn through Pearl’s excessive winking that the baby was not only born in prison but also has never been outside, making this the baby’s first time seeing the sun through more than just a prison window. I feel that I can almost view this as a merciless incarceration, especially when considering that Pearl is only an infant. This blatant abuse of power, coupled with Hawthorne depicting Hester as having gotten comfortable with being imprisoned, adds to the satirical nature of the novel, juxtaposing the deep Christian priorities of Puritans with their merciless actions and comments regarding Hester.

What strikes me most about the prison symbolism so far are the connections to modern justice systems. By far, America incarcerates more people than any other country, disproportionately imprisoning minorities. I think that the Puritanical practice of enacting harsh justice is alive today, an example being that drug possession charges have the potential to turn into life sentences if you are not a connected, most likely white, man. While the infusion of church and state makes sins into state crimes in Puritan New England, as Hester is imprisoned for adultery, our country still has a notorious reputation for prosecuting nonviolent crimes in a way that contradicts the idea of “innocent until proven guilty.”