“The Custom House,” an excerpt from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter,” defines Romanticism as a type of writing which integrates “the Actual and the Imaginary” to expose life in a new and “unusual light.” According to Hawthorne the best time to write Romantically is when “glancing at the looking glass, we behold… all gleam and shadow of the picture.” In other words, the best time to write a Romantic piece is when looking at life in a clean perspective because that is when all opposition- whether it be “gleam and shadow,” imagination and reason, or opposition in opinions and ideas- becomes as clear as “the looking glass” itself. In this time of clarity and inspiration (from other perspectives), any Romantic author will be able to…
The author emphasizes the need for the settlement to have a prison and graveyard. This symbolizes the imperfections in the “perfect” Puritan…
The Salem witch trials of 1692 in Salem, Massachusetts, was a notorious episode in American history. This historical event resulted in the execution by hanging of fourteen women and five men accused of practicing witchcraft. Furthermore, one man was pressed to death by heavy weights; at least eight people died in prison; and more than one hundred individuals were jailed while awaiting trial. The political discrimination experienced in Salem was the foundation for the trials. In 1692, the town of Salem, Massachusetts was split into two distinct sections.…
Historical Debate: Were Socioeconomic Tensions Responsible for the Witchcraft Hysteria in Salem? In 1692, a town called Salem had one of the most debated and dark times of the colonies. Mass hysteria became a real problem for this town, with around twenty people murdered and over two-hundred more accused of witchcraft. It began when three girls played a fortune telling game, people noticed they started acting strange, and one of the girls claimed that she was working for the devil.…
Twenty Years at Hull House by Jane Addams modeled a method in social work that existed in contrast to the Charitable Organization Societies (COS). Addams chose to live among the disadvantaged and immigrant populations, seeking a reciprocal relationship that would encourage a symbiotic existence between social classes (p. 59). Where Hull House did not attempt to decide the fate of the poor, COS existed solely to facilitate “friendly visitors” to enter the homes of the poor and use the data they gathered during those visits to decide who was worthy and what sort of services they essentially deserved (Wenocur & Reisch, 1989, p. 31). Jane Addams' vision of a Settlement House influenced the emerging profession of social work by providing services within her community to encourage such symbiosis and by promoting social justice issues to improve people's lives…
In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn, many symbols are present. The largest and most know of the symbols is the scarlet letter A. The scarlet letter A was prominent thought out the whole story and was surrounded by other smaller symbols. The first third of "The Scarlet Letter" is when the scarlet letter is introduced along with the explanation surrounding it.…
Hawthorne distinguishes where the story takes place, in Puritan Boston where people acted saint-like and were engaged into God’s beliefs, but as time passed they stopped caring and Hawthorne displays how society soon became corrupt and depraved. Moreover, Hawthorne interprets his autobiography and describes his interest in literature, but lack of support from his colleagues however he ignored everyone and his lack of support was what encouraged him to write dark romanticism novels and essays and that he soon became a major anti- transcendentalist. Although he did not have advocacy, he was still “a man of thought” (27). He ignored the deception and facilitates the of the old manuscripts and the scarlet letter in the Salem House which has a major impact on the rest of the novel. Overall, Hawthorne's purpose is to imply how he feels about literature and history, how he worked in the Salem House for three years and quit because he did not like the idea that the government has control over man and then expresses how he began writing about dark and gloomy works to portray his thoughts on society and…
The Puritan colonies in America were characterized by rigid standards in both the church and state. They had to be harsh and possess perseverance in order to survive in the New World. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter has preserved in literature a certain perspective as to the harsh Puritan justice and lives we believed them to have lived out. While Hawthorne includes historical details and settings in his book, he does take liberties in his fictional story of the justice system and punishments used by the Puritans.…
Salem, a small town located in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in the Puritan time period was shaken when twenty people and two dogs were sentenced to death for crimes that were not even rational. From a peaceful little community Salem had become a town of nightmares in a matter of months. Certain aspects of the Puritan lifestyle could be to blame for the hysteria. The Puritan time period was one of the most interesting, complex, and strangest milestones in early American history. Even after hundreds of years it is still written about and studied today.…
A small village in Salem, Massachusetts is what this Puritan community calls home. The village is not a new settlement, rather, one that has been molded for decades. The inhabitants have continued to build on the lives and reputations of those before them. Now that Abigail Williams, niece to the town’s Reverend Parris, and other girls in the community have begun accusing many of witchcraft, everything has gone downhill. Considering Arthur Miller describes Salem as a close, Puritanical community in The Crucible, the setting is crucial to the storyline.…
On Wednesday, 09/07/2016, at approximately 1030 hours, I, Deputy Stacy Stark #1815 was dispatched to speak with a victim of a domestic battery at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. The victim’s name was Brittany M. Hawthorne (F/W, DOB: 12/27/1984). The domestic battery occurred at 173 Mc Dowell Rd. Murphysboro, Jackson County, Illinois. Hawthorne reported the domestic battery occurred over a course of 4 days.…
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, was written in a time when conformity was necessary for survival, while individuality was condemned. Those who conform to society do so because they fear being different and value being accepted. Those who choose not to conform, are often punished, whether that meaning literally or socially. Those who fear differences, humiliate and ridicule those who are different and use them to scare others to stick to the social norm. It is necessary for societies to possess strong individuals even though they struggle against it.…
Throughout the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne explores themes of conformity through Hester Prynne´s various relationships. Hawthorne illustrates three relationships in which Hester can frequently be seen both conforming to and rejecting societal expectations regarding how a woman should act, and for different purposes. As is demonstrated throughout the novel, Hester will -by nature- resist norms and expectations, but can be seen conforming when doing so will ultimately benefit her. Hester frequently conforms by means of appeasing someone of a higher power, to create a bridge of trust between them. As is reflected in her relationships with the Puritan church, Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester only conforms to expectations…
Nathaniel Hawthorne 's The Scarlet Letter is full of symbolism. Every item has a story in it. He didn’t just throw in a rose because they’re his favorite flower. He put thought and meaning into every word in the book. Hawthorne’s symbolism may be over discussed in various english classes, but it for good reason.…
Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes: 37 Short Stories plus a Complete Novel. Secaucus, N.J.: Castle, 1978. Print. The Adventure of the Empty House is one of the short stories that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle writes about Sherlock Holmes.…