The Scarlet Letter By Henry David Thoreau And Toni...

The past can be overwhelming-either you can learn to accept the events that have occurred and potentially let it strengthen you, or it will tear you to pieces if you dwell on it and lack acceptance or an awareness of how it might change you for the good. What has been done in one’s life can shape or determine what is to come in the future. Without being patient and understanding of your past, you can’t make that past a brighter future if you never learn to overcome a bad memory. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, Henry David Thoreau’s, Walden and Toni Morrison’s, Beloved the authors dive into different aspects of the past, each character s past dynamically affects their present; the main characters in each novel struggle with the institutionalized wrongs of their societies and how to reach for a solution to these false doings. In Beloved, the â€Å"cherry oak tree† and Beloved herself, serve as a constant cue to Sethe of all her wr ongdoings and the unforgettable experience she went through. In The Scarlet Letter, Pearl serves as a continuous token to Hester of her sin, always by her side, never letting her forget what she had done. Both protagonists’, through different dehumanizing journeys, allow themselves to grow as individuals. Each character s history is symbolized on their person; a cherry oak tree on Sethe’s back and a scarlet letter on Hester’s chest. Yet neither of them seems to be bothered by their past, they learn to embrace what they have done and becomeShow MoreRelatedBrief Survey of American Literature3339 Words   |  14 Pagesbetween Native Americans (or American Indians) and European explorers and settlers who had both religious and territorial aspirations - Native American oral literature / oral tradition - European explorers’ letters, diaries, reports, etc., such as Christopher Columbus’s letters about his voyage to the â€Å"New world†. - Anglo (New England) settlers’ books, sermons, journals, narratives, and poetry Native American / American Indian oral literature / oral tradition creation storiesï ¼Ë†Ã¨ µ ·Ã¦ º Ã§ ¥Å¾Ã¨ ¯ Ã¯ ¼â€°