The following selection focuses on Pearl‚ one of the characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s highly symbolic novel‚ The Scarlet Letter. Pearl’s mother‚ Hester Prynne‚ has been accused of adultery by her Puritan community and must wear the scarlet letter “A” as punishment. Despite her public shame‚ the letter links Hester to her illegitimate daughter and to the preacher Dimmesdale‚ Pearl’s father. In this excerpt‚ taken from a book of literary criticism‚ the writer explains what Pearl represents
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previous surveyor‚ detailing the events while working in and tidying up the attic one day. The fictional story depicts the life and struggles of Hester Prynne as she conceives a fierce and whimsical child‚ known as Pearl‚ after she has an affair with an unknown member of the community. At a glance‚ “The Scarlet Letter‚” is the story of a young woman‚ Hester Prynne‚ which is sent ahead of her husband to America‚
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Presenting the Problem in Alice Walker’s Possessing the Secret of Joy In 1992‚ Alice Walker published her novel Possessing the Secret of Joy. It tells the story of an African female named Tashi‚ who is from Olinka‚ a place where females commonly practice genital mutilation. Throughout the novel‚ Tashi is torn between her Olinkan culture and her American culture. She has married an American; however‚ she chooses to honor her heritage and undergo the “female circumcision” as a teenager. The novel’s
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The classic American novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne deals with many themes that were relevant in Hester Prynne’s puritanical society and remain expressed in modern day America. The promising outcomes of our negative actions are shown through many symbols in the text‚ prominently through Pearl and the mysterious forest. The story teaches us many lessons‚ but Hester teaches that although bad things can happen to people‚ you can turn the situation around for the better. In The Scarlet
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“The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie and “Learning to Read” by Malcolm X are both Essays about young men trying to learn how to read‚ and what they got from reading. Both are very exciting and interesting Essays‚ but I feel that Sherman Alexie’s Essay has a tad bit more meaning; to me at least. Yes‚ Malcolm X’s Essay was longer‚ more into detail and possible a more well written Essay‚ but the meaning wasn’t as strong to me. Alexie took his knowledge and used it in a
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story’s important message: the interrogation at the prison‚ the governor’s decision for Hester’s custody‚ the midnight meeting on the scaffold‚ Hester and Dimmesdale’s rendezvous in the forest‚ and
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story of a young woman which committed what was considered to be one of the most vile sins of her time. That sin was adultery and for committing such a sin her punishment was public humiliation in the form of a scarlet letter a worn upon her bosom. Hester Pryne the wife of Roger Pryne (aka Chillingworth) was left waiting alone for two years for the arrival of her husband in the new world for two long lonesome years she waited in hopes of the arrival of her husband. Within these two long years she
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Dimmesdale has committed adultery with Hester Prynne‚ and he is constantly troubled by inescapable guilt. Dimmesdale knows he is a hypocrite and he hates himself for it. He tries many ways to pay penance‚ but nothing seems to relieve him of this terrible guilt. He tries fasting and he tries whipping himself‚ but nothing can rid him of his guilt. This guilt causes Dimmesdale to become physically ill. He constantly is holding his hand over his heart. This is because Hester Prynne is forced to wear the scarlet
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Hawthorne uses sunshine‚ the rosebush‚ and the forest to add an immense amount of symbolism throughout this dynamic novel. Hawthorne’s use of symbolic objects in nature play a huge role in this novel. He uses these objects to bring creativity to the story. His use of symbolism makes the reader really think about these ordinary objects and what they mean in the novel. He uses a writing technique that takes these objects and totally changes their meaning. Hawthorne takes the reader to a whole other
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Pearl is the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale‚ the result of their secret sin. As a result of the sin Pearl’s mother is forced to wear the letter "A"‚ embroidered in scarlet upon her chest‚ so all will know of her adultery. Pearl is mainly described through other characters in the novel‚ though Pearl’s actions also play an important part in determining her character. Pearl like most people has to grow to realize that along with life comes death and with joy there is sorrow. Pearl’s
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