Essay Example on Guilt and its handmaiden shame can paralyze us or Catalyze

Guilt and its handmaiden shame can paralyze us or catalyze us into action Appropriate guilt can function as social glue spurring one to make reparations for wrongs Guilt This is a common modern analyzation of the effects of guilt but let us explore and see if this is how it affects our main catalyst Hester Prynne In the early chapters of the Scarlet Letter we observe being humiliated and mocked on the town scaffold This woman has sinned against her God and her husband Hester Prynne has committed adultery with an unidentified man A punishment more than public shaming was a scarlet letter A that Hester embroidered herself as that was her traid that she must wear on her bosom for life This letter A stood for adulterer marking her out as married and different and served as a forever reminder of the sin she had committed One thing also reminded her of her constant sin her dear illegitimate daughter Pearl In this paper I will explore how guilt seeks out Hester in both judicial and personal shame as sin continues to consume her until it is resolve First I would like to explore the all too familiar scarlet letter Hester is forced to wear as punishment which can be connected with judicial guilt How interesting it is the extent that a piece of fabric on the chest can tear one apart and torment you as it serves a constant reminder of the sin you wish you could just forget But you cannot and neither can Hester Prynne 

However we know this is not the end Sometimes pride keeps us from admitting our sin or keeps us from forgiving ourselves when we sin Life As the story unfolds we learn that the unidentified man is Mr Dimmesdale the town pastor and he seems to struggle with this very idea As Dimmesdale is consumed by his own hate sin and guilt he begins cutting his own scarlet letter into his chest Later Dimmesdale earns the respect and privilege to speak at a town parade which was a coveted position There at this parade Dimmesdale tells all briefly after which he passes away from common illness Hester now attains a freedom through both new outlook on her life by herself and by others After everyone snapped back to reality and realized what she had been through after Dimmesdale s confession they feel compassion for her The people even see a renewed outlook on Pearl no longer is she a witch child or imp but a sweet little girl like all the others Hester was even allowed to not wear her letter anymore even though she did Both modes of her guilt and shame were even taken away or given new meaning and identity In this paper I explored the ways the scarlet letter itself and Pearl awakened a guilt and shame within Hester which ultimately rooted from her consuming sin As interesting it is to explore a deep and complex relationship such as Hester and her guilt how joyous and praiseworthy is it to have a God who takes all our guilt and shame and hides it under the cloak of His righteousness How amazing it is to be able to say on judgment day that by none of our own accord we are free from sin and clothed in righteousness Is it not a joy that God's forgiveness includes a cleansed conscience Lesson As Christians we have the true knowledge that we may come to Christ with our guilt shame and consuming sins and have them washed white as snow because of His loving sacrifice Quoting the words of John Piper Turn away from all the intellectual physical and religious tactics the world uses to evade its guilt and rest in Jesus Piper