Seclusion as a Driver of Self-reflection
in The Scarlet Letter and Lord of the Flies
Hsing Chun Lin
Languishing in the depths of prison, suffering the condemnation of the public, and bearing the mark of sin, Hester Prynne quickly accepts seclusion as a harsh reality, but her isolation improved her character. Even though Hester Prynne could have escaped social isolation by moving to another town, she did not for she felt that "the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity" (Hawthorne 74). As a result of bearing the scarlet letter, Hester Prynne was isolated and her isolation was a constant reminder of her transgressions. While this may seem as a negative situation, her seclusion led to her reflection of her demerits and her eventual reversal of her iniquity.
From her experience with the scarlet letter, Hester Prynne learned to
embrace not only the scorn associated with it, but also the humbling aspect of
it. Dealing with the disdain of the scarlet letter helped her empathize and
sympathize with those experiencing sorrow or guilt. Therefore, Hester
transformed the manner in which the public viewed the scarlet letter to the
point that they “looked upon [it] with awe, yet with reverence too” (Hawthorne 234). Since Hester Prynne could relate to those who suffered, “people brought all their sorrows and perplexities” to Hester Prynne to
seek her counsel, and she provided adequate guidance to them (234). Therefore, “the
scarlet letter ceased to be a stigma,” and the public revered her for her
sympathetic abilities (234).
The reign of terror begins as Jack leads Ralph and the others in an evil chant. Dark cast
skies erupt in rain and thunder, and children scream with piercing voices. A boy with a horrible
face and ungainly body staggers out of the forest screaming inaudible words as the congregation
encompasses him. Simon has come to reveal the truth; the truth that the beast is not a physical
beast, but the beast is the evil within the boys’ minds. The group strikes Simon malignantly and
fiercely as he protests against their violent beating. They beat until Simon stops struggling and
until nothing comes out of his mouth.
From this story, it is evident that Simon was different from the rest since he possessed the conscience and sensibility that the other boys on the island did not. Other boys called Simon "batty" (Golding 86) since he thought differently from the rest of the boys and he would wander off on his own at times. In his seclusion, Simon made a revelation that the boys were the beasts, rather than that the beast was an external monster. Most of the boys believed that the beast was a fierce and scary creature, but in his seclusion, Simon contemplated the subject in a profound manner and remarkably concluded that the boys were inherently beasts.
While wandering the forest alone, Simon has an internal dialogue with the beast also known as the evil within oneself. The Lord of the Flies says that "I'm part of you" (111) since Simon knows that even a boy like himself is full of evil. Even though the other boys believe that the beast is located in a specific area, Simon knows "perfectly well [that he'll] meet" (112) the beast no matter where he goes.
Both Hester Prynne and Simon experienced social isolation, but this seclusion was to their benefit. When Hester Prynne was enclosed "in a sphere by herself," (Hawthorne 51) she reflected upon her own sins, which led her to devote her life to helping those who were in darkness. Because Simon was often in solitude, he was always in his mind, so he frequently pondered the true meaning of the beast. Having an epiphany, Simon comes to figure out that the beast was not " something you could hunt and kill," (Golding 111) but rather a symbol of the inherent evil within him. As a result of Simon's self-reflection, he was more aware of his surroundings, which led him to figure out that the beast was a " corpulent figure, " (113) which had crashed onto the island.
Works Cited
Hawthorne,
Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New
York: Bantam Classics, 1986. Print.
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies.New York: Perigee, 1954. yoanaj. Web. 25 Sep. 2015. <www.yoanaj.co.il/>.
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