![]() Hester’s creativity and her desire to change the meaning of the Letter manifest themselves through her sewing. ![]() Given that living away from society has allowed Hester to explore these new ‘regions,’ one can immediately conclude that Salem has restrained her moral exploration for the worse. Hawthorne calls the Letter “her passport into regions where other women dared not tread,” suggesting that it allows her to decide her own moral state rather than have society dictate it he describes her “mind of native courage and activity” and glorifies her state once again (130). Additionally, the Letter she wears acts as the primary motivation for her actions, due to her subconscious desire to rebel against the societal restraints imposed upon her. Despite immediately being introduced to the societal repercussions of Hester’s sin-the opening scene describes her emerging from her jail cell-Hawthorne quickly asserts his sympathy for her condition, thus establishing a precedent for further characterization. The author immediately provides us with a justification for Hester’s sin, and with the phrase ‘nor feigned any’ he also begins to establish Hester’s honesty and credibility. When Hester and Roger meet face-to-face for the first time after his return, she confesses to him what he already knew: “I felt no love, nor feigned any” (Hawthorne 53). Hester’s affair, spurred by her subconscious desire to celebrate her mark of shame rather than let it cast a shadow on her reputation, leads her to be banished to the fringes of society the heroic language used to describe her later reintegration suggests that Hawthorne admires Hester’s drive and passion and therefore the psychological element she represents, the id.
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