موصوم من المجتمع: النزعة الاستهلاكية والوصم الاجتماعي في رواية الحرف القرمزي

Abstract

This study examines Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter through two interrelated perspectives: consumerism and social stigma, exploring how material culture and societal branding contribute to shaping identity. By viewing the scarlet letter worn by Hester Prynne not merely as a moral condemnation but also as a commodified symbol, the research argues that society’s judgment transforms into a form of cultural “branding” that leaves a lasting imprint on individual identity. Drawing on theories of consumerism and symbolic interactionism, the analysis reveals that the Puritan community’s preoccupation with outward appearances parallels modern mechanisms of social classification, wherein identity is packaged, marketed, and consumed. The study also investigates how public shaming operates as a social transaction in which the individual’s value is determined by collective perception. Ultimately, it demonstrates that Hawthorne’s narrative anticipates contemporary debates on how brands—whether commercial or moral—define, restrict, and sometimes empower those they mark.