The Good, The Bad, and The Puritan

 The Scarlet Letter is set in a specific time period, one that allows the problems presented in the story to be much more prevelant than they would have be if it were set in this day and time. It takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, a place inhabited by puritans.The puritans were a christian group who believed that while the reformation was good and helpful, the church still needed to punished those who decided to sin. Today, the word Puritan has a negative connotation. When mentioned, they are remembered for their strictness, strong principles, and harsh punishments for sin. The author's view of themis clear in his descrption of puritan children, who he calls "heartless" and makes them seem rather cruel. They often abuse Hester and play games about burning witches and being attacked by the natives in the area, often pretending to scalp each other. Through this, the author shows that puritans do not really care about the people involved just as long as those people are punished for their wrong doinigs. Seeing as how children look up to their parents, the children usually act just as bad as the adults. Knowing that this is true, several of the towns people probably feel content with punsishing Hester for her sins because it makes up for the sins that they themselves commit in private. 

Rachel W.