Research Analysis on The Scarlet Letter and Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God

Imagine walking down the street, on a seemingly perfect day. The sky is blue, the birds are chirping, people are smiling and laughing. Then, all of a sudden, people begin rising into the air. They become microscopic as they ascend into the clouds. These people are believers of God, the Bible says, “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (The Everyday Life Bible). The dead in Christ are believers of God that have repented for their sins and have accepted Jesus for who He is; the savior who died on the cross for all sins. Then there are others who will remain to face The Great Tribulation. A wife who has cheated on her husband, a serial killer, even those who are excessively prideful will remain to receive their verdict; whether God will finally drop them out of his hand, or not: these are the sinners, the non believers. The Great Tribulation is a timespan where everyone will experience calamity, disasters, poverty, war, pain, and suffering, which will wipe out the majority of life on the earth before the Second Coming takes place. The Second Coming is when Jesus will return to the Earth. This event is the Rapture, the end of the world, the most divine event in nature, the moment all will meet Jesus. In Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards describes how sinners are viewed in the eyes of God. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne describes the punishment for adultery. In both Edwards’ and Hawthorne’s works, they share literary devices, convey similar cultural beliefs, have symbols, and create a condemning mood throughout the text.

Initially, in both works, they begin with a sense of imagery. “We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by; thus easy is it for God when he pleases to cast his enemies down to hell” (Edwards 124). This statement captures the audience in a way that they can feel connected to what is being said, whilst making the theme of the work known. “A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes” (Hawthorne 72). This aspect of imagery allows the reader to see the setting as if they were there. Edwards shows that imagery can be used to create premonition when he writes, “The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them” (Edwards 126). This quote is there to show that all people, sinners or believers, are at the mercy of God and that mercy can be taken away at any given moment.

In addition to imagery, both works exude a similar diction. The both use speech that, in modern times, would normally be seen as incorrect: inverted syntax. For example, Edwards uses “God is not altogether such an one as themselves, though they may imagine him to be so”. This modernly means, “God is not as put together as one might believe.” Writers choosing to invert their sentences can help the reader perceive the setting or culture of a literary work, given there may not be an image given to represent the era intended.

Writers use symbolism to create an emotion or give an object an extended meaning than the social view of said item. For example, the letter “A” that has been placed on Hester is obviously meant for adultery or affair. However, what if there was more to it than just stepping out on one’s significant other? What if the “A” was only one aspect of the markings? If this was a Puritan era, there were many more sins that were frowned upon. Even though the Puritans disapprove of lustful intention the most, what if there was a letter place on one’s chest for a different sin? Maybe two young people decided to participate in a sexual act together but they were not married. Would they have to bear the letter “F” for fornication. Or a woman who idolizes herself more than she does God. Would she have the burden of a “V” for vanity. “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked:” (Edwards 126). This spider symbolizes something that people normally find insignificant. Similar to how easy it is to push off, squish, or squat one of God’s creations, it is just as easy for Him to punish sinners for their actions. A symbol makes you think about other possibilities or other meanings of an obvious symbol.

Throughout both works, there is a universal theme; Puritanism or at least some form of it. Hawthorne, being influenced by Puritanism in his life and Edwards being a Puritan author himself, makes it understandable that both works are about sin, and the punishment thereof. In the second chapter of Hawthorne’s novel, an example of the type of culture is immediately given when a woman, gossiping about Hester’s affair, questions if there is a law to end the life of those who have committed adultery. This is a big statement that might have gone over many heads. This is indeed how Puritanism was. They felt as though the punishment for sin was public death. When reading both stories, it is easy to determine that the main character, Hester Prynne, and her partner in adultery, Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter would in fact be banished to hell, based on the writings of Jonathan Edwards. According to Edwards, both Hester and Arthur should be glad that, not only the fact that God chose to save his immediate wrath for their sins, but they should be grateful that He has gifted a healthy child unto them, considering her being born outside of wedlock; the state of being married.

Both authors have a condemning mood throughout the text. To condemn means to express complete disapproval of, typically in public. In The Scarlet Letter, there was a part where a practitioner was called to examine Hester, because she was on watch in case she would try to harm herself or her child. The practitioner said that Hester will be obedient from now on, after he requested privacy with his patient. “Nay, if your worship can accomplish that,” answered Master Brackett, “I shall own you for a man of skill indeed! Verily, the woman hath been like a possessed one; and there lacks little, that I should take in hand to drive Satan out of her with stripes” (Hawthorne 110). In Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards describes how a sinner should feel, considering they are still alive and have not been dropped into hell. This could make some readers feel convicted, or as if it pertains to themselves.

Thus, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God and The Scarlet Letter share similar devices, beliefs, and condemning words. However, they are used in different ways to create different reactions and emotions among the readers. Edwards’ text is more directed towards a church setting, whereas Hawthorne’s text was more so to show the sanctimonious actions of Puritanism. After reading both in modern times, could it be believed that the punishments for sin were far too cruel, based off of Christsianty, or not enough?