In the novel The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne lives in retirement with her daughter Pearl. She had been accused of adultery and excluded from Puritan society, forcing them to live in the forest. Despite her difficult past, Hester is still a confident and hopeful woman who never seems to let anyone bring her down. At the beginning of his essay, Self-Reliance, Ralph Waldo Emerson states: "To believe your own thoughts, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men, - that is genius" ( Emerson) I thought this quote represented Hester well, she believes what she wants to believe and she won't let anyone get in her way. . She ends up going against Puritan beliefs and becoming self-sufficient in a very conformist community, which couldn't be easy. In the strict Puritan society, Hester is forced to wear an "A" on her chest at all times to represent the sin she has committed. did. Instead of making it something people look down on, she turned the “A” into a beautiful, shiny gem. A quote from chapter two describes the scarlet letter as "so fantastically embroidered and illuminated on his breast." It had the effect of a spell, removing her from ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a separate sphere” (Hawthorne 50). ). This proves how she won't let anyone take control of her life and bring her down, she will make the best of everything. Hester is a great example of self-reliance. She is obviously the non-conformist of the community, which leads to her being excluded from society and being hated by her peers. Hester Prynne was presented as a self-contained character who indirectly proves her flaws and ignores...... middle of paper...... her life. This inner calm changing attitude of the community is manifested when they recognize that the A is for "Able", "so strong was Hester Prynne, with the strength of a woman". Above all, Hester is one of the most honest people in the book, she openly accepts her punishment without throwing anyone else under the bus. After the truth is revealed about Hester and Dimmesdale, she once again begins to gain the respect of the community who become known for their charitable acts. I think this is to show how her loneliness turned into helping the less fortunate around her, almost making her seem like a saint. Ultimately, Hester's strength, honesty, and mercy help her get through a life she probably has. I didn't expect it. After the deaths of Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, consumed by their own sins and hatred, Hester continues to live her secluded and quiet life raising her daughter, Pearl..