Beginning of Essay
Since the conception of humanity, man has been fascinated with that presence which illuminates, yet cannot be touched. Mankind has brought it into his religions, giving it a great deal of importance in his creed. Following in the footsteps of his ancestors, Nat ....

Middle of Essay
.... mansion. Light is reflected by almost every aspect of the extravagant dwelling. Through the narrator's words, we see the Governor's house as Hester sees it: "...though partly muffled by a curtain, it [the hallway] was more powerfully illuminated by one of those embowed hall windows..." (Hawthorne 101). One can envision the brilliant sunlight streaming though the immense window, slicing through the facade of the Governor's feigned sanctity. Is not simplicity one of the fundamental tenets of the Puritan faith? Yet Bellingham, the very person that passed judgment on Hester and her sin is laid bare to the reader's opened eye. Here, light ....