Hawthorne’s narrator criticizes the puritan community with a satirical diction. he refers to the puritans as "good people" even though he had previously described their "grim rigidity." through the use of these contrasting phrases, the storyteller emphasizes his real purpose, which is to show that the puritans are not as righteous as they initially appear. in reality, they are a cold and brutal group who are willing to whip a child simply for their disorderly behavior. instead of this virtuous character they portray at a glance, they are people who are involved in an "awful business" and are expecting an "anticipated execution." the storyteller’s use of the word "anticipated" implies an eagerness in the puritan community to watch someone die. the multiple connotations of the word "anticipated" allow the narrator to satirize the community who commonly sentence lesser crimes with death, rather than with simple ridicule. this harsh treatment of the accused for crimes any person could commit displays the hypocritical nature of the puritans, who are longing to condemn others to better themselves?