Preview

Creative Thinking And Critical Thinking In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
371 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Creative Thinking And Critical Thinking In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
As the final bell rings to dismiss students from creative writing, the teacher considers the creative process in the minds of their students. Creative thinking and critical thinking, aide students as they mature into adult individuals. Some believe that thoughts on adultery are equivalent to sin, as if it were a scarlet letter of confusion. Teenagers, have inclinations that may cause pain and suffering for another, but all in all it is part of growing up to learn how to function with others in a complex society.
A prime example of such sin is in the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In the novel, Hester, the protagonist, must function by the rules executed by Puritan society and beliefs. This is also a parallel to The Crucible by Arthur

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Crucible a book about faith and trials, it ironically displays the faithless puritan society not only religious wise but their attitude towards the condemned/sinners.John Proctor tried to separate himself from the puritans one sided thinking, he held to his integrity and died honorably.…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Imagination. Creativity. In chapter 6 of What the Best College Students Do, by Ken Bain, these two words encompasses the chapter’s main purpose. The chapter provides information about the brain and the effects of language and preconceptions on the brain. This knowledge allows individuals to create their own solutions and their own path.…

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Refining Solutions Paper

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Ruggiero, Vincent R. (2009). The Art of Thinking-- A Guide to Critical and Creative Thought (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.…

    • 1048 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Define free will, truth, knowledge, and opinion. Explain how we use them to form thoughts. What role does each play in critically assessing situations?…

    • 1354 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Puritans’ beliefs in the 17th century were different than most of the citizens that live in this modern day society. The Puritan beliefs are based on the of the Church of England, but they purified the religion. The Scarlet Letter is based off the Puritans’ beliefs and the story of society that the Puritans lived in; some other critics observe that Nathaniel Hawthorne criticizes the Puritans society and their beliefs.…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Common throughout religious stories we read today mainly focuses on how the author feels about their faith. However, in Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter it composed a both beautiful and tragic story while still creating a deep impact on the conflicting views of the society and nature in the Puritan society. Hawthorne uses his main characters in this novel to focus on three main rhetorical strategies; symbolism, hypocrisy and maliciousness. While using these strategies Hawthorne is able to create a story of a woman who was condemned and exposed of her sin in the Puritan Society.…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In a novel of sin and redemption, symbolism is used to broaden the significance of certain aspects. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses a barrage of themes, motifs, and symbolisms. These images help to unify the novel and enrich the meaning behind the work. Early in the novel, Hawthorne refers to iron, oak, chains mainly to demonstrate the Puritanism that takes place in the novel. However, he also uses these symbolic items to display the bonds between characters and what they believe in. In the first paragraph of the novel, Hawthorne describes the prison door "which was heavily timbered with oak and studded with iron spikes" (Pg. 33) to flaunt the austerity and illustrate what times were like right off the bat. He uses verisimilitude to liken the callousness of the puritan ethic to the portal behind which go the criminals who don't follow these guidelines. The symbolism in this situation is used to intensify the importance of the puritan ethic in the novel. To elucidate Hester's desire to move back to England, and her morals for staying, Hawthorne states that "The chain that bound her here was of iron links, and galling to her inmost soul, but never could be broken." (Pg. 55) Even though she knew she could move back anytime she wanted, Hester felt fervent on staying in New England to prove herself to everyone. In this case Hawthorne used symbolism to enact the bond between man and nature. Hester was bound to the land through a chain of fulfillment. Hawthorne also uses symbolism to form a correlation between different chapters in the novel. On the first page, Hawthorne describes the prison door as a portal to doom. In The Governor's Hall, Hawthorne described the Governor's door as a door to liberty. If Hester "lifted the iron hammer" (Pg. 71) and entered the Governor's home, she would be taking the first step to freedom from her sin. The last way Hawthorne uses symbolism is to illustrate Hester's link to Dimmesdale. Hester knew there was a responsibility…

    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hawthorne uses manipulative diction to show his disdain towards the American government (Such as tenderness- “has no great tenderness”, fling off- “fling off her nestlings”, scratch/dab- “scratch of her claw, a dab of her beak”, rankling wound- “rankling wound from her barbed arrows”) to influence the reader to see how moody and dangerous the government can be. His vicious tone enforces the idea that the government hides behind a dangerous facade putting up a front that it is forgiving while in all actuality it is controlling and wrathful (again “but she has no great tenderness” implying that previously he had mentioned the misconception of the government being tender). The over glorified American government is represented by the metaphor of…

    • 174 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne presents the reader with the harsh, life changing conflicts of three Puritan characters during the 17th century. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Robert Chillingworth must endure their different, yet surprisingly similar struggles as the novel progresses. Despite their similarities, Hawthorne shows these individuals deal with their conflicts differently, and in the end, only one prevails. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s intricately critical diction helps determine his didactic tone; during the course of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne reveals that happiness can be harnessed through one’s perseverance.…

    • 952 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Phl/458 Critical Thinking

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Describe a situation of public interest in which critical and/or creative thought could have been used for a better outcome. Describe why it is important to think critically and creatively in similar situations.…

    • 951 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Society generally is ruled by many sets of cultural, religious, and philosophical concepts and beliefs by which human actions are determined whether if they are right or wrong. The system of principles and judgements is called morality. It’s often generalized by a culture or group, and so it serves to regulate the behavior of its members. The word conformity means to act in a behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards. Conformity to such “codification” is needed because it gives balance to society. Generally speaking, people conform in ways that keep things running in a smooth manner and keep them from a harsh crash of scrutiny that nonconformists suffer, especially when their nonconformity causes them to question…

    • 1986 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing is very distinguishable because of the themes, symbols, and motifs in his pieces of writing. His life was greatly influenced by the Puritan legacy because of where he was born, so a lot of his writing incorporates ideas about Puritanism. More precisely, a lot of Hawthorne’s writings involve sin and are morally serious. Two of his short stories, “The Birthmark” and “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment,” do not directly deal with Puritanism, but they do involve a number of other distinct motifs that Hawthorne is known for.…

    • 768 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To understand critical and creative thinking in society, one must first know the definition of critical and creative thinking. According to "University Of Accreditation" (2014), "Critical thinking is the active, persistent, and careful consideration of a belief or form of knowledge, the grounds that support it, and the conclusions that follow. It involves analyzing and evaluating one’s own thinking and that of others” (Critical Thinking). Creative thinking is the generation of new ideas within or across domains of knowledge, drawing upon or intentionally breaking with established symbolic rules and procedures. It usually involves the behaviors of preparation, incubation, insight, evaluation, elaboration, and communication ("University Of Accreditation", 2014). Thinking critical and creative is something people do from day to day; on the job, at home, school, and even while sleeping. Thinking allows an individual to process their thoughts before making any decisions, and helps them to gather creative ideas when trying to create something new.…

    • 500 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sin is a common struggle among many people regardless of personal beliefs. People want to do well in this world, obey some moral; people want to make someone proud, even if it’s not a god. Sin is an evident topic in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne’s sin is public knowledge, whereas Arthur Dimmesdale's identical sin is hidden. Arthur Dimmesdale, a reverend, was thought to be the most unlikely culprit of sin in Boston. Arthur Dimmesdale shows Hawthorne’s theme that sin occurs in everyone regardless of social status.…

    • 474 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Puritan society in Massachusetts during the time of the 1600s had very strong religious beliefs about the importance of sin and salvation. Nathaniel Hawthorne, in his book, The Scarlet Letter tells the story of the conflicts between Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth and how their sins affect themselves and their community. All three have committed grave sin in the eyes of the Puritans, but the most evil sin was committed by Roger Chillingworth.…

    • 1079 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays