I’m Ryan Gellis and today The Scarlet Letter will be the focus of my presentation.

In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester tries to right her wrongs after her sinning, so why is it always necessary to take responsibility for your mistakes?

According to goodchoicesgoodlife.org, “Good choices generally bring about good lives, and poor choices bring about the opposite. Owning and accepting responsibility for your own actions will ultimately determine the type of person you turn out to be.” Taking responsibility for your actions can help you to become a better person and better towards others. However, blaming someone else for something you did, or keeping your wrong doing in when no one knows about it can erode your character.

There is also a relational side to this question. Following what goodchoicesgoodlife.org says, “The first reward for accepting responsibility is gaining self-respect. You’ll develop a good feeling about yourself as you, week in and week out, take care of all the things that you’re responsible for doing.” There are many rewards for taking responsibility for your actions, including thinking more highly of yourself. Being mature about what you have done and owning up to it can make you feel better without the guilt you previously had on your conscience.

Finally, owning up for your actions and making your wrongs right can affect your relationship with others. By being more honest with the people around you, you can gain more of their trust and show that you mean well, even if you make mistakes. It might take time for others to forgive you if you’ve wronged them, but making the effort and showing you are sorry and are taking responsibility can help.

Becoming a mature person who owns up for their actions and actively works to better themselves as a person will only find peace. If you choose to hide your mistake from others in order to avoid punishment, your punishment will only become greater as time goes on. Taking responsibility is needed in order to make yourself a better individual.