Reader Workshop 1 On Catch 22

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or someone to be told their ways are hypocritical or wrong. The Puritans were hard-headed people whose society had lasted only a mere 250 years. Many factors brought down Puritanism, especially their child-rearing procedures. Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter criticizes Puritanism. The Puritans thought their child-rearing ways were productive, yet Pearl is a clear example that Puritanism is not the way, and may even be detrimental.

The foundation of Puritanism is very short and simple. Based on a religious happening, the Puritans believe that all people are born sinful because of their "hereditary corruption" (Campbell 2). The child-rearing process was one that was based solely on the beliefs of Puritanism. Going to Church, nightly praying, and daily parochial schooling was just the religious aspect of the rearing process. Children were only permitted to read accepted books and usually only owned one book, the Bible. Children were restrained from playing or having any sort of enjoyment lest they be involved in sinful behavior.

There harsh rearing included many punishments which would be seen as harmful and destroying. Tying a child outside of his window upside-down or rolling him around like a ball while being tied up was not uncommon penalty at the time.