One of the most complex and elaborate characters in The Scarlet Letter is Pearl‚ the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl‚ throughout the story‚ develops into a dynamic individual‚ as well as an extremely important symbol. Pearl is shunned because of her mother’s sin. Pearl is a living representation of the scarlet letter - acting as a constant reminder of Hester’s sin. Hawthorne uses vivid descriptions to characterize Pearl. She is first described as the infant; "...whose
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Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Symbolism plays an important role in many novels. Held with the distinction of implying important themes‚ symbols add depth to a story. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter takes place in Boston‚ Massachusetts‚ in the 1640’s. Embellished with symbols and hidden themes‚ the novel tells “a tale of human frailty and sorrow” (Hawthorne 46). In addition to human flaw and sadness‚ the novel reveals inhumane punishment and torture from the government and citizens
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The Scarlet Letter Motif: Words and names for the Scarlet Letter Chapter 1: Chapter 2: 1. “‘But she—the naughty baggage—little will she care what they put upon the bodice of her gown!’” (49) CM: Like many Puritan women in Boston‚ this woman illustrates the hate they all have for Hester Prynne‚ by declaring that Hester is unmoved by her sin. 2. “‘Ah‚ but‚” interposed‚ more softly‚ a young wife‚ holding a child by the hand‚ "let her cover the mark as she will‚ the pang of it will be
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images because she is nearly all symbol‚ little reality. Dimmesdale sees Pearl as the "freedom of a broken law"; Hester sees her as "the living hieroglyphic" of their sin; and the community sees her as the result of the devil’s work. She is the scarlet letter in the flesh‚ a reminder of Hester’s sin. As Hester tells the pious community leaders in Chapter 8‚ ". . . she is my happiness! —
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Who’s In Charge Here? In The Scarlet Letter‚ the majority of the action happens not between characters‚ but within them. Guilt‚ passion‚ love‚ and hate all play key roles in the development of the novel. “The Sins of the Fathers: Hawthorne’s Psychological Themes‚” a critique penned by Frederick C. Crews‚ explores the inner workings of Hawthorne’s characters. He argues that characters in The Scarlet Letter act not of their own accord‚ but instead are ruled absolutely by “feelings that [they] neither
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am a woman grown?" (Pg 141) What theme regarding human nature does Pearl portray through this conversion with her mother? Pearl’s unique character often times has the ability of recognizing truths that no one else can. Impressively‚ she directly connects the scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom and the sun’s failure to shine on her to the absence of sunlight in her life‚ through her sin of adultery. Though Pearl’s symbolic nature allows her to identify these truths‚ her position as just
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the leader of the church. Hester Prynne‚ the protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter‚ is exposed as an adulteress-which creates the main conflict in the novel. Hester willingly sins against the laws of the church‚ thus causing the tragedy. Puritanism started in the sixteenth century as a movement to reform the Church of England. Puritanism accepted the interpretations of John Calvin on the nature of man‚ free will and predestination‚ and other basic concepts. Puritanism became‚ after
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Section I: Significance of Title: The Scarlet Letter. In the story‚ Hester Prime Committed Adultry‚ and her punishment was that she had to go through out her life for 7 years wearing a shinny scarlet red A. The book could be considered a Metaphor because the scarlet letter was Hester’s symbol of punishment. It was a way for the townspeople to judge Hester literally and figuratively as a woman‚ when it is clearly shown that the townspeople were no better (if not much worse) than Hester. You
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to dwell upon…”. Throughout the rest of The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne uses several devices to describe Hester and women in general. The first device that seems to be the most prominent throughout the book is symbolism. One of the symbols was the scarlet letter itself. Due to Hesters sin of adultery‚ the letter “A” is given to her to wear. She is publically ridiculed because of her human nature “...was the SCARLET LETTER‚ so fantastically embroidered and illuminated
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Amelia B. Professor Gao English 430 Spring 2012 “Scarlet Letter” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter is a story full of themes of guilt‚ pride‚ hypocrisy‚ retribution‚ and isolation. Taking place during the seventeenth century‚ the story of Hester Prynne and her famed scarlet letter depicts a story of unconceivable proportions. Guilt‚ Sin and Judgment Perhaps the foremost purpose of The Scarlet Letter is to illustrate the difference between shaming someone in public and allowing
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