TheSubversive Two Women who have Free Will From the beginning of humanexistence , women have always been against social norms , and have treated assinners . They are temptable , subversive to social system like Satan . Eve , wholived under God ’ s blessing , was also a sinner . She changed the lives of theentire human race by picking the fruit of the tree of the knowledge , disobeyingGod ’ s command . And here , the two women , Hester Prynne from Scarlet letter andRoxy from Pudd ’ nhead Wilson , are doing rebellion on their society , followingEve ’ s path . Hester did adultery which istreated as the terrible sin in Puritan society where emphasizes the chastity ofwomen . Roxy who lived as a black woman slave also confused the rule of slaverysociety by swapping her baby with White ’ s baby . These two women have thecommonalities in many ways . First of all , they live with the stigma of lowlystatus in the social system . Hester stitched the scarlet letter “ A ” on herbreast for sin of adultery , and Roxy has the title of black slave in her blood , like the letter A . Because of their stigma , they live far from the town such astheir margin social conditions . Hester and Roxy are totally dividedfrom the core of social system . From the Puritan rule and the slavery system , they are separated as Eve expelled from the Garden of Eden . Instead of beingaway from the town , however , they live close to forest , “ the place of Freedom . ” Their homes are placed on marginal sites , but those are only places which theycan express their own feeling and identity , freely . Hester and Roxy revealed theirtruth , meeting their lovers , Dimmesdale and false Tom Driscoll . They even make plansto escape from the town in the marginal place , forest . It reminds us of that Evecould get “ Free will ” by being expelled from God ’ s embrace . Although Hester andRoxy were sinners as a woman who did adultery , and as a black slave , they didn ’ tsummit to the system but became the subversive beings by free will . Their free will can be expressed inthe following condition . As Satan has the idea that he is equal with God , Hester and Roxy are aware that their existences are not different from otherpeople in the social system . This idea makes them to do subversive behavior tothe society . First , Hester see the same hidden “ A ” letters in the puritans ’ breast . Though she had been treated as a vulgar person by letter A , this lettercould make Hester to see other people ’ s sin . From then , Hester thought all thepeople are sinner like her , and got the ability to sympathize people , acknowledging her sisterhood . Hester ’ s ability moved puritans tothink her A as ‘ Angel ’ or ‘ Able ’. “ Even the rulers , and the wise and learnedmen of the community , were longer in acknowledging the influence of Hester ’ sgood qualities than the people . ( 127 ) ” This is very subversive situation . Ofcourse , Hester didn ’ t change the entire Puritan society system , but she madepeople to praise the woman who broke the significant rule of social system . Hesterwas expelled once , but her sin gave her free will to think how human beingshave same sin . Therefore , Hester can get the ability to sympathy and devote tosociety as a prophetess . Roxy also thought about equality . Eventhough she was a black slave , Roxy didn ’ t accept the threat on her black sonwhich black slaves ought to withstand . Roxy couldn ’ t endure the slavery system ’ sinequality , and she thought her son and the white ’ s son has no differences withappearances . This idea gave her free will to swap her black baby with Driscoll ’ sbaby . The point of this is that she changed her child with the child ofDriscoll family who form the rule of the white town . By switching her baby withRuler ’ s , Roxy revealed how slavery system is ambiguity . When the story ends , the real Tom Driscoll is back to his own place , but the real Tom can ’ t changehis black tone and manner , even he is the white of the white in blood . “ Hecould neither read nor write , and his speech was the basest dialect of theNegro quarter . His gait , his attitudes , his gestures , his bearing , hislaugh — all were vulgar and uncouth . ” Therefore , although her son was sold downthe river at last , Roxy shows that the slavery system is just a fiction . Hester and Roxy also havesubversive aspects on Gender role . From the social prejudice , all women arealways taken the passive side in the gender relationship . However , in the caseof Hester and Roxy , they are going completely brushed these gender role . ForHester , she was the leader of the relationship with Dimmesdale , granting thepower . Even Dimmesdale begged her , saying “ Think for me , Hester ! Thou artstrong . Resolve for me ! ( 153 ) ” Roxy also plays the role of commander of therelationship with false Tom . She decided how to resolve false Tom ’ s faults , andshe also threaten him if he didn ’ t follow her , she would accuse his trueidentity . Hester and Roxy made all decisions as independent human beings whocan get ‘ rights ’ and were on upper place in gender relationship . For thesereasons , they are subversive not only to their social system , breaking rules , but also to the old gender prejudices . Of course , it cannot be guaranteed thatHester and Roxy completely succeeded in challenging the existing society . AfterHester ’ s death , there was still letter “ A ” on Hester ’ s grave , and Roxycontinued the life of a female black slave . However , as Eve spread the freewill to humans by eating the fruit , Hester and Roxy ’ s rebellion can pull thefree will ’ s torch of people who are in their old system . “ People brought alltheir sorrows and perplexities and besought Hester ’ s counsel as one who hadherself gone through a mighty trouble . ( 204 ) ” This shows Hester has become kindof a ruler of her society . Roxy ’ s behavior also brought a huge reversal to thetown , accusing how slavery system is ambiguity . Their free will made a littlewave on their society , and this is meaningful as much as Eve ’ s influence onhuman race . Therefore , Hester and Roxy , both are subversive to theirsociety .