In the early 19th century, when Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter, Americans had mixed feelings about the religious and philosophical legacy left by their Puritan ancestors. Describe the conflicts that many Americans felt regarding Puritanism's influence on the development of a national identity. What Puritan ideals should be kept, and which ones should be resisted or left out?

What is the central idea of the "allegory of the cave"? a. most men live chained to the wall of a cave all of their lives, facing a blank wall, and trying to guess the nature of objects reflected by a fire. b. a philosopher is like a prisoner freed from the cave that comes to understand that the shadows are not reality, rather he understands reality by his experience. c. men who allow their experience to be shaped by perceptions and shadows do not know a better life. d. a philosopher must return to share the news of enlightenment with others who will not necessarily accept his good news. part