Question

Which statement best describes the Gothic content of Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter? An unorthodox family struggles to be together in spite of a community's disapproval. Through faith, all sin can be washed away and individuals can start anew. A heartbroken husband cannot bear to part with his unfaithful wife and her offspring. Characters struggle with the ownership of sin, the shame of sin, and the vengeance of sin.

Answer 1

Answer:

The statement that best describes the Gothic content of Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" is:

D. Characters struggle with the ownership of sin, the shame of sin, and the vengeance of sin.

Explanation:

There are several themes explored in Gothic literature, and sin is among them. In Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter", set in Puritan Boston of the 1600's, sin is the definitely the main theme. Of course, since the book was published in 1850, the concept of sin had been greatly altered. While the characters in the story suffer terribly from the accusations of being sinners, or the fear of being accused to be so, the society that actually read the book saw them as human beings who make mistakes and deserve forgiveness.

The main character, Hester Prynne, is shamed for being an adulteress. She is punished and shunned by a vengeful society. The very man who had an affair with her, on the other hand, hides his sin, afraid of owning up to it and being punished as well. For that reason, we can choose letter D as the best option: Characters struggle with the ownership of sin, the shame of sin, and the vengeance of sin.