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Prompt: Who are considered outsiders in our society? Why are they in this position? How does society treat them? Should society be more tolerant of them? Discusses the position of the outsider in society as presented in //The Scarlet Letter//. Remember to focus on the historic forces (puritanism, ratiionalism, economics) that contributed to the shaping of our American society.


 * Bible Reference:** "He who has not sinned casts the first stone."

The weak will are preyed on and hunted down by those who seek to achieve greater success. If given a chance to redeem oneself from the things that one is looked down upon for, depending on that perosns upbringing and personal outlook on life, one will take that chance.
 * __Thesis:__**

All communities have their own outsiders, all communities need their own outsiders.
- Outsiders can't be linked to one specific labled stereotype, however it would be known that numerous outsiders do make their own label. -They simply consist of individuals that do not conform with every trend in society.

Society may openly treat the outcasts like they don't matter, but this doesn't make them matter any less. The truth is, we need outcasts in society, we need scapegoats; people that make us look better in life.
 * We cast these people out and use them as examples to prove to ourselves that we are doing something right in life, being accepted.
 * People focus on other's negative qualities in order to make themselves look good or not as bad.

The Puritan community consisted of strict religious descipline and demanded comformity from everybody within the society. In their community, puritan children are not closely watched or desciplined until the age of seven, from then for the entirety of their life they are striclty disciplined. Large religious sermons were held in these "perfect" communities in which during would ultimately put the "fear of God" into the Puritan soul. Family is the number one priority for them. In that society they are under the scrutiny of other families, almost as if they are waiting for eachother to mess up in some way.

If we look at how the Puritan lifestyle has evolved into our American society, we don't see much of any similarities. From working parents to rebellious teenagers. There is more freedom today, people have their own beliefs and outlooks on life. Hardly anyond agrees with anyone else about religion. People do however make choices and a large number of them make a decision based on what society will think of them should they make a mistake. Still singleing out the bad guys in the world.

Hester Prynne (the outsider) made the descion to step out of the circle and commited an act of "unspeakable sin". She may have devoted her life to making a mends for what she did but that does not take back the knowledge that she did it.The outsider in The Scarlet Letter carries a burden of no small amount and willingly if not deservingly. She is put under tremendous pressures by the society. So much as looking in the wrong direction at the wrong time can set what left of her life up for more failure.

When you are the outsider, you are the infirior one. Once you've stepped out of the circle of comformity it is "us" against "them". Watching everything happen as if you are watching a television, you know what's going on but you are not a part of it. Doing what is asked of you, knowing that it will never be enough but still hoping that mercy will be bestowed upon you. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> RArgueta, Per. 4 >> KHilva, Per. 4