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What Is The Difference Between The Scarlet Letter And The Crucible

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Try to imagine being charged with a crime, being placed under arrest and given a fair trial by a jury of your peers. Also imagine that you’re in the 17th century. This drastic time change makes all the difference because of the different ideologies and beliefs of the time period. The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible both take place at a time in our nation’s history that is much studied for its significance. These were times when America was just beginning to become colonized. The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible teach the readers vital information about the time period in which these texts take place. To begin with, The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible relay vital information to the reader about how rule-breakers were considered outcasts in …show more content…

We also see Dimmesdale protecting his reputation when he goes and meets with Hester in secret. He never really wanted anybody to see them together for fear that somebody would make the connection. Another example is seen in The Crucible, in which John Proctor wanted to keep his reputation in check. He had also committed adultery by having an affair with a younger girl. Much like Dimmesdale, Proctor was able to keep it a secret for most of his life. We also see how important John’s reputation was to him when his life was on the line. John Proctor had a decision to make late in the story. He had to choose between his reputation and his life. John chose to be hanged rather than have his confession posted on the church door for all to see (Miller 143). These examples show how much reputations meant to the people of the time period in which these texts take place. Additionally, these texts allow for readers to gain knowledge about how punishments were done publically in order to bring shame upon the guilty party. For example, in The Scarlet Letter, Hester had to wear a scarlet letter “A” in order to make others aware of her crime (Hawthorne 51). Her scarlet letter “A” displayed her crime of committing adultery. Others put her down because the letter made them aware of her action and caused them to take action avoiding her. There were times, however, that Hester would try to escape the shame caused by her letter. During

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