The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story of Puritan society and the significant impact it had on people's lives. It is set in a New England town in the 17th century. The protagonist, Hester Prynne, commits adultery with the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. He has a daughter named Pearl. Hester is forced to endure the harsh punishment of wearing the scarlet letter “A” as a constant reminder of her adulterous act. Hester never reveals her father's name and is condemned to a life of shame and secrecy. The strict doctrine of the Puritans did not accept any violation of the laws. They believed that God had a unique agreement with them and that they should act according to the Scriptures. Deviations from the teachings were not acceptable and were treated harshly. It was a patriarchal society where men and women were not equal. Women were obedient guardians of the children and had little to no authority. Throughout the novel, the narrator presents Hester more as a rebel than a victim. Hester's behavior and thoughts are in direct contrast to the Puritan lifestyle of this period. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Hester's reaction to her punishment is one of the many ways she is portrayed as a rebel. As she leaves the prison and heads towards the gallows, Hester is not sad and fragile, as one would expect, but rather tenacious and confident. “And never had Hester Prynne appeared more ladylike, in the ancient interpretation of the term, than when she left prison. Those who had known her, and expected to see her overshadowed and obscured by a disastrous cloud, were amazed, and even astonished, to perceive how her beauty shone and formed a halo of the misfortune and ignominy in which she was shrouded." (Hawthorne 62). The townspeople mistakenly assumed that she would be a broken woman, however, Hester not only admitted her punishment, but became stronger because of it. Hester took her symbol of shame and instead of hiding it, displayed it with "elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread." Hester's rebellious reaction challenges the strict moral code she has broken. Throughout the novel, Hester displays an independence in her thinking, which goes against the traditions of Puritan society. Women were expected to be devoted to their husbands with or without love. Hester defies this tradition and falls in love with Dimmesdale while married to Chillingworth. Hester's independent thinking is also evident when she stands up to Governor Bellingham and defends her right to raise Pearl. “God gave me the baby! He gave it to you, in exchange for all the things you took from me. She is my happiness! - she's my torture anyway! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too! Don't you see, she is the scarlet letter, capable only of being loved, and therefore endowed with a million times the power of punishment for my sin? You won't take it! I'll die first!" Hester's independent thinking goes directly against the norms and would be considered rebellious in nature. Hester's desire to escape is one of the most rebellious thoughts a woman can have against Puritan society. “You are crushed under the weight of seven years of misery. But you will leave it all behind! …Leave this wreck and ruin here where it happened…start all over again! … the future is still full of trials and successes… exchange this false life of yours for a real life… preach, write, act. Do anything but lie down and die!” Leaving is against Purtian doctrine. Women and men should never go against what is written as their law. Hester exclaims “The world is.