The Scarlet Letter: Essay Topics Directions: Choose one of the following topics and write a well-developed essay using MLA format. (Your paper should be no less than 1-2 pages)
Explain how symbolism is effectively used in the novel.
In the Scarlet Letter Pearl, daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale symbolized being absolutely beautiful, innocent, and pure but inside evil dwells, similar to puritan society itself. Hester strongly symbolized honesty and strength through the time that the people of the town hated her for committing the sin of adultery. The scaffold that Hester, Pearl, and eventually Dimmesdale stand upon easily represents punishment and the open truth that is shed from those who stand on it. Contrast Hester's scarlet letter …show more content…
He strives only for hate and revenge on the one who betrayed him, planning to literally guilt the life out of his victim, as a leech sucks it from one’s blood. The reason that Hester is not as guilty as Chillingworth is the fact that she openly exposed her sin with complete honesty and integrity, embracing the hate that people threw at her without trying to defend her sin. Dimmesdale, though keeping his sin buried within, still feels heart-wrenching guilt for his sin and even goes as far as to punish his own self with a whip in the dark of every night because he feels so awful for what he had done. Chillingsworth did none of these things, as he had no guilt for his vengeful sin and he did not expose it either. He dwelled deeply on his sin, embracing it as if it were an ally to him. In this way he is truly the worst of the sinners in the novel of the scarlet letter. What picture of Puritan society is gathered from the …show more content…
It is significant as she holds her little baby up there with her, being scorned at and hated for the sin that she will not speak of. In another scene Dimmesdale stands upon the scaffold himself with his sin in the black of night, inviting Hester and Pearl to come up with them. In that scene they see a red comet and a gigantic ‘A’ formed into the clouds above their heads, almost as if to expose their sin to the sky itself. In the very last scaffold scene there is incredible significance, as in the light of day, Hester and Pearl did not stand alone on the scaffold. Dimmesdale faced his sin and stood upon it with his lover and child, yelling out his sin to the world before he collapsed and died from natural
Explain how symbolism is effectively used in the novel.
In the Scarlet Letter Pearl, daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale symbolized being absolutely beautiful, innocent, and pure but inside evil dwells, similar to puritan society itself. Hester strongly symbolized honesty and strength through the time that the people of the town hated her for committing the sin of adultery. The scaffold that Hester, Pearl, and eventually Dimmesdale stand upon easily represents punishment and the open truth that is shed from those who stand on it. Contrast Hester's scarlet letter …show more content…
He strives only for hate and revenge on the one who betrayed him, planning to literally guilt the life out of his victim, as a leech sucks it from one’s blood. The reason that Hester is not as guilty as Chillingworth is the fact that she openly exposed her sin with complete honesty and integrity, embracing the hate that people threw at her without trying to defend her sin. Dimmesdale, though keeping his sin buried within, still feels heart-wrenching guilt for his sin and even goes as far as to punish his own self with a whip in the dark of every night because he feels so awful for what he had done. Chillingsworth did none of these things, as he had no guilt for his vengeful sin and he did not expose it either. He dwelled deeply on his sin, embracing it as if it were an ally to him. In this way he is truly the worst of the sinners in the novel of the scarlet letter. What picture of Puritan society is gathered from the …show more content…
It is significant as she holds her little baby up there with her, being scorned at and hated for the sin that she will not speak of. In another scene Dimmesdale stands upon the scaffold himself with his sin in the black of night, inviting Hester and Pearl to come up with them. In that scene they see a red comet and a gigantic ‘A’ formed into the clouds above their heads, almost as if to expose their sin to the sky itself. In the very last scaffold scene there is incredible significance, as in the light of day, Hester and Pearl did not stand alone on the scaffold. Dimmesdale faced his sin and stood upon it with his lover and child, yelling out his sin to the world before he collapsed and died from natural