surroundings in which it exists. One such thing which the they did not have control over was the wilderness beyond the town. The Puritans' manners and customs are important to the power of the story in The Scarlet Letter. The story of The Scarlet Letter would be different in modern society. The Scarlet Letter is greatly influenced and shaped by the Puritan context. One aspect of which they did not have control over was the wilderness beyond the town. The forest was unmanageable and overgrown,…
it; he was often observed, on any slight alarm or other sudden accident, to put his hand over his heart with a first flush and then a paleness, indicative of pain” (Hawthorne 90). When Dimmesdale places his hand over his chest, it represents the scarlet letter on Hester Prynne’s bosom. Dimmesdale’s health begins to decline because he feels guilty of the sin he committed with Hester Prynne. The guilt from the secret that Hester Prynne…
In The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne helps the reader understand the actions of the Townspeople through giving an understanding of the time period and the setting. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s piece The Scarlet Letter narrates a story that is based in the New England Colonies during the mid-17th century. During this time the puritans were running from religious prosecution and came to the New World to further reform The Church of England. The Town is a setting in The Scarlet Letter…
The Scarlet Letter, a novel on the subject of Pearl used as symbolism by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Pearl is used as a symbol by Hawthorne throughout the novel. If Pearl were not to be in this novel, the novel would not be easily perceived to the intended meaning. Pearl is used as a symbol throughout the novel by her changing Dimmesdale’s actions, her realization of the scarlet from infancy, and her outburst at the brookside. To start, Pearl is used as a symbol throughout the novel by changing the…
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne presents three important scaffold scenes that help determine the genre of the novel. The genre could be classified as a romantic tragedy and historical fiction, which is Romanticism for this novel. Even though the story is more of a tragedy, the romantic elements are littered throughout the story, which is why some people consider the novel a romance. The romantic genre could mean two different types of romance, a love story, or Romanticism, a movement…
In the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne shows how one’s character can be very influential to the people around them. Pearl, Hester Prynne’s daughter, who is very symbolic but also makes some drastic changes occur. Hawthorne wrote about Pearl to show how one character can make a difference no matter how young. Although some depict Pearl to be a flaw in society, she is actually an essential character in the novel. Pearl symbolizes the living version of the scarlet letter she also…
Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many of the characters commit sinful actions. A common theme in the novel is that all characters live with sin, but only those who are worthy of redemption live with guilt. This integral relationship between sin and guilt is expressed through Hester’s public shame, Dimmesdale’s effort to save face, and Puritan hypocrisy. To start, Hester shows that she is worthy of redemption because she is ashamed to wear the scarlet…
private transgressions are something more than just keeping things hush-hush. This is the fear of allowing the truth to set you free. Nathaniel Hawthorne discerned this verity in his book The Scarlet Letter, noting man 's want to be seen as upright yet, holding sin within his being. In the passages of The Scarlet Letter, a woman called Hester and…
→ 1. AGREE or DISAGREE: Hawthorne made it clear that, by the end of the book, the Puritans had learned something from Hester’s punishment. Why or why not? I firmly believe that in his novel, The Scarlet Letter, the author Nathaniel Hawthorne developed the idea that the Puritans had not learned something from Hester 's punishment. The first method that Hawthorne employed to build the concept that the Puritans had not learned something from Hester 's punishment was to describe how the Puritans…
The four men deciding Pearl’s fate are Governor Bellingham, Mr. Wilson, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. The men begin to tease Pearl by calling her “ a little bird of scarlet plumage…” and “one of those naughty elfs or fairies” (91). Pearl seems to be most drawn to Dimmesdale, as she takes his hand and gently caresses her own cheek, “a caress so tender, and withal so unobtrusive…” (96). As the men decide Pearl’s fate, Dimmesdale comes to the mother and daughter’s defense,…