Within the novel Hope Leslie, by Catharine Maria Sedgwick, there are allusions to the superiority of the Puritan faith and Anglo-American culture. At the same time, many Puritan figures in the story are depicted as sinful and morally corrupt, leading to a paradox that is difficult to interpret. To add to this paradox, many characters of other faiths or cultural traditions appear noble and sacrifice themselves for the good of others. Simultaneous support for Anglo-American Puritan ideals, along with unique portrayals of diverse characters, is thought by some scholars to be Sedgwick’s attempt to promote a new American identity, while concurrently supporting democratic individualistic ideals that promote racial equality and feminism. Although it is true that racial and gender stereotypes are deliberately deconstructed by the author, the underlying purpose appears to be a religious one. Rather than demonstrating that individualism should be celebrated, Sedgwick reveals that both sin and righteousness exist in each cultural context, religious group, and gender. Through such a technique, she systematically deconstructs any man-made ideal, highlighting the unity of mankind under one Puritan God.