Attempt At Synthesis Essay

The othering of a group or individual by those in power causes the dehumanization of both parties; the oppressed are degraded through shame while the oppressors are dehumanized simply because they dehumanize others. Since oppression dehumanizes both sides, ending it is just as beneficial to the powerful as it is to the weak. The Puritans' marginalization of Hester Pryne by forcing her to wear the Scarlet Letter made her feel as if "she didn't belong to it [society]" (Source A). This letter dishonored her in the eyes of Puritan society but in turn also degraded the society because they no longer see fault in themselves. they are so busy shaming Hester that they fail to acknowledge that punishing her so severely for a sin is inhumane of them. Similarly, Jonathan Edwards oppresses his listeners by calling them "sinners" (Source B) and informing them that they face God's "wrath" (Source B). His audience is so dehumanized by this that they don't feel worthy of having a human life and thus kill themselves. What Jonathan Edwards fails to realize, however, is that by oppressing his audience to the extent of suicide, he has probably angered God more than his listeners did. The bases on which he dehumanized his audience, is the same basis on which he is dehumanized: sin.