Every human being needs the opportunity to express what he or she truly feels, otherwise the emotion builds up until it becomes volatile. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, life centers around a rigid puritanical society that does not allow open self-expression, so the characters must seek other means in order to relieve their personal anxieties and desires. Fortunately, Hawthorne offers such sanctuary in the form of a mysterious forest. The forest is a sanctuary because it allows the freedom to love, the freedom to express one's emotions, the freedom to sympathize and the freedom to be oneself. In the deep, dark parts of the forest, many key characters bring forth hidden thoughts. and emotions. The forest track leads away from the settlement into the wilderness where all signs of civilization disappear. This secluded path is the path of escape from the strict mandates of law and religion to a refuge where men, as well as women, can open up and be themselves. It is here, in the forest, that Dimmesdale openly acknowledges Hester and his love for her. It is also here, in the forest, that Hester does the same for Dimmesdale. The forest is the place where they both talk, without the constraints imposed on them by Puritan society. The forest is the very embodiment of freedom. No one monitors the woods to report bad behavior, so this is where people can do whatever they want. To independent minds, like Hester Prynne's, the wilderness beckons: "Free yourself from the chains of law and religion." What are they for...... middle of paper...... the sentence "It is here [the forest] that Dimmesdale" could correctly be written "It is here, the forest, that Dimmesdale" or "In the forest is Dimmesdale Also on the fourth page, the phrase "They [the readers] see the real Hester" could correctly be written either "They, the readers, see the real Hester." or “Readers see the real Hester.”3. When quoting, exclamation points count as punctuation so instead of punctuating the quote twice: “Preach! (Hawthorne 188). The correct punctuation would be “Preach!” To write! Act” (Hawthorne 188)!4. Additionally, when quoting, […] is not necessary to begin or end the quote. So “…that” would be correctly written “that”.5. You make good use of your quotes, providing evidence for your arguments.