The distancing of a group or individual from society by the members empowered through majority not only results in the degradation of the outcast(s) through the shunning, it also defiles the psyche those in power through their act. This remains valid so long as the distancing is complete and of relative permanence. The claim may be wordy but it is necessary to convey the entire situation. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester is shunned by the Puritans through a scarlet "A" on her chest. She loses passion and her identity over seven years; however, when she meets with her love for the first time since she is shunned: "There played around her mouth and beamed out of her eyes a radiant and tender smile" (Hawthorne 199). She is rejuvenated through a gap in her rejection. The Puritans lose self-awareness of their own faults. Also, Harriet Edwards notes in "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Dr. Flint lacks capability of love through the his mindset on slaves and the existence of slavery," For example, he plans on using Harriet's children to break her spirit. Instead, he has to substitute with lust for Harriet. Harriet while a slave is disheartened and must make sacrifices defying her happiness with no good reason, but when she escapes, she gains determination and perseverance. Longstanding and complete oppression is an activity with no winners.
Leo you have great synthesis in your post!! I really liked how you were able to relate it back to the Scarlet Letter (it seems as if everyone else has ran out of ways to incorporate it in their blogs so kudos to you). The connection with Harriet is really interesting and I love the comic!
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