Part one of term paper
In seventeenth century New England, it was not exactly beneficial to be referred to as an "individualist." The Puritans of the colonies emphasized a collective existence and identity, preaching uniform obedience as one body, soul, and spirit. They believed in pre-destination, and accepted that one sinner fallen from grace could and would dep ...

Part two of term paper
... her own laws and beliefs. Hester Prynne is a person victimized by a Puritanical society that has resurfaced in Boston, New England. The novel begins in the marketplace, which serves as a meeting ground for the entire community. This is where Hester first feels the wrath of her milieu. The townspeople are angry and anxious, ready to punish her. "Those who had before known her, and had expected to behold her dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud, were astonished, and even startled, to perceive ...