I created my essential question by connecting it to the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. My essential question is “How can suffering lead to be becoming a better person?” in the story, Hester Prynne faces, public, humiliation and deep emotional pain because of her sin. However, through her suffering, she becomes a stronger kinder and more understanding person.

My research source is an article called “Suffering To Grow” written by Robert W. Ihloff. This article talks about how people become stronger and more self-aware when they face pain instead of avoiding it. He combines different ideas, like Gestalt therapy and Christianity to show emotional growth and spiritual growth. He explains that when people learn to accept pain, they discover a deeper understanding of themselves and of life.

The main idea of this article and why I chose it is because it explains how suffering is not something to be avoiding, but suffering is something to face and to learn from. Ihloff explains that pain is a normal part of life and that facing it helps people become more mature, caring and aware, he says that in both therapy and faith, we find strength in our struggles. The article also explains that if we tend to run away from pain, we are missing the chance to grow mentally and spiritually. He says true healing and maturity come from accepting our emotions even the hard ones like fear, guilt, or even sadness. Ihloff believes that suffering can lead to wisdom and the closer connection with others and with God.

A quote that I really liked from this article and that connects to my essential question is “Suffering is not a sure road to growth, but growth does not take place without it.” (Ihloff 176). What this quote is saying is that pain alone doesn’t make somebody stronger but it’s the way we deal with pain that determines our growth. When people face challenges with courage, they come out more in intelligent and more compassionate. Hester story fits this idea perfectly because her suffering doesn’t destroy her instead it teaches her to be understanding and to live with dignity. Both Ihloff’s article and Hawthorn‘s novel so far show that suffering can guide people toward becoming more and better human beings.