“Shunning is supposed to keep bad things from happening in a community. But it doesn’t correct the life gone wrong. It can only expose the transgression to a very raw light, use it as a measure, a warn to others…” (xi-xii).
I feel like I do understand what Hall is trying to say in this quote, they are shunning her to prove a point to other people in the community. Things travel around fast when you live in a small town, people were going to find out what Meredith has done. The people take it as a prime opportunity to use this as a lesson for the other children in the town. I keep on thinking of the Scarlet Letter when I read this quote, Hester and Meredith are in the same situation. But, Meredith is younger and she has to abandon her child due to the pressure of her family and the town that she lives in.
I agree with you that by shunning Meredith, the people of her town taught their children a lesson. But shouldn't another lesson learned be one of acceptance? Although they chose to see the worst in Meredith, they could have forgiven her and helped her in her difficult time. This makes me a little mad, how small minded people can be :/ Good response though, I agree with you :)
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you that shunning probably was the best idea to keep the whole town spreading the pregnancy like wild fire, but at the end of the day she is a just a 16 year old girl who made a mistake. Her family should of been more expecting and found ways to make her scandalous pregnancy into something special and a learning experience for others her age. Nice connection to the Scarlett Letter (insert girl with bent arm emoji here)
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I also thought about Hester in Scarlet Letter when I read the prologue. As Mari said, people should have thought of the bright side of this matter but no they didn't. Even today in our society when anything happens people always talk about the bad aspects of it and not the good side of it. It makes me SO MAD.:(
ReplyDeleteNatalie, I think the big question is: what has the shunning done for Meredith? For a young girl dealing with this giant life change, the people she loved and needed the most were not willing to help her. How does removing their friendship and guidance do anything to help her navigate this life she has before her now? It is a selfish way to deal with a crisis--to close the door and say, we don't want any of that infecting us. Think of Rachel's family in Moloka'i. "Dirty" people live there--stay away!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Natalie. I highly disagree with you. I believe that shunning her is completely unnecessary. Shunning her isn't going to show the other children anything. All that is going to do is make her feel even more guilty than she already does. How would that even make the other people believe that they shouldn't do what she did? If that was happening today, I wouldn't see it as it teaching me not to do that. I personally would view it as I feel sorry for that girl. It would make me want to help her.
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