Asma, Hawthorne, rowlandson

Anne Hutchinson was a spiritual leader in Puritan Massachusetts in a time when women were expected to followers. Hutchinson not only provided spiritual guidance for women but for men as well. This bothered Governor John Winthrop so he explained away Anne's independent spirit by claiming "mental illness brought on by excessive study". (Slavicek 30) This is the same type of ideology that led to the punishment of Hester in the Scarlet Letter. Hester was wild with desires and unable to control her feminine self. So the question asked in class was "Are we really powerless against our own internal desires?" Stephen Asma discusses this monster within us and if we have the power to control our desires. He describes a monstrous being that has many-heads, claws, lion features, as well as man features. This monster is the "human psyche" (52). Asma states that according to Socrates man has three aspects of the soul..."reason, emotion, and appetite"(52). Asma relates that when the human psyche is unbalanced, undernourished, or diseased, then one of these aspects takes over. Following this ideology we would assume that Hester was not able to control her appetite and perhaps Anne was unable to control her reason. Not matter what the cause...in Puritan America, women were to remain in their "God-Given" role and not step out or be scrutinized publicly. Now I understand that I am using 21st century morals to study the 16th century. Slavicek explains that Puritan society sees any crime as a crime of the community. In this respect the entire community must participate in the punishment (19). This is the reason for Hester's "A". Now when I consider what this must have been like for her I try to think of what would be an equal punishment now. The movie Easy A tried to portray this. The young lady wore her A with pride...but she never really committed the crime. What about the women who are still scrutinized in 2011? What does their scarlet letter look like? Is it the woman who has children out of wedlock? Is it the woman who has biracial children? Is it the woman who is trying to climb the corporate ladder? I am a single mother with two children who are black. I have been scrutinized for all of the above...I was purposely looked over for a promotion in position that I had been in for 9 years at the City of Columbus. I worked for Family Video momentarily and was told by the District Manager that the people who make it in management in that company were men who were married...of course my reply..."find me a wife". And to top it off... In the education program here at Otterbein I was informed my life was just too big to be a teacher...what exactly does that mean? Is it because I also do not follow social norms...I have a spirited nature...I refuse to give in or up on my beliefs...I too will wear my "A" with pride, just as Hester did. Hester is described to put her baby on her arm and walk through the crowd with a "haughty smile, and glance that would not be abashed"(Hawthorne 1361). With pride Hester wore her punishment for a crime that was out of love and was punishable by people outside of her control. She took back her control, her destiny, by not giving them the shame they were looking for. We discuss virtue and I believe this is virtue. On the other hand of this Puritan belief is Mary Rowlandson. Rowlandson was kidnapped by Native Americans during King Phillip's War. She was seen a woman who kept the highest level of regard for her faith, her community, and her sex. She tells in her autobiographical tale of capture of how she kept her bible in hand, " I had my Bible with me, I pulled it out , and asked her whether she would read." (315). Rowlandson did break barriers by writing a narrative of her captivity and it was well received because she embodies the ideal Puritan woman. In doing this, Rowlandson also embodies and represents the superiority of the settlers of America. Slavicek, Louise Chipley. Life Among the Puritans. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2001.