Why was "plain" a euphemism for "ugly, " when the very hallmark of human beauty was its plainness, the symmetry and simplicity that always seemed so young and so innocent. It was impossible not to think that here beauty was one of the most important things about her - something having to do with who she really was. Elif Batuman
About This Quote

In the novel "The Plain Time", Hester Prynne, a woman who has been convicted of adultery, is forced to walk a trail of shame with a visible scarlet letter on her breast. The scarlet letter has become a symbol of shame, and the punishment for adultery. As a metaphor for the scarlet letter, Hester's scarlet symbolizes her guilt and shame. In many ways, Hester is repulsive, but there is something inside her that makes her truly beautiful.

Source: The Idiot

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