The Scarlet letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The plot focuses on sin in the Puritan society. Hester Prynne‚ the protagonist‚ has an affair with Reverend Dimmesdale‚ which means they are adulterers and sinners. As a result‚ Pearl is born and Hester is forced to where the scarlet letter. Pearl is a unique character. She is Hester’s human form of her scarlet letter‚ which constantly reminds her of her sin‚ yet at the same time‚ Pearl is a blessing to have since she represents the passion
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Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ a critically acclaimed American writer of the 19th century‚ was born in Salem‚ Massachusetts in 1804. The novelist’s book‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ is supposedly his best work‚ and universally considered a literary classic. Concerned with sin and consequences of dealing with it‚ Hawthorne’s work relates to his own personal sense of shame about his ancestor’s persecuting roles in the 17th century Salem Witch Trials. By indirectly dealing with his sense of guilt through fictional circumstances
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The Scarlet Letter: from A to z. Journal # 1 Reading: The Marketplace‚ The Recognition‚ The Interview Journal Notes [see end of document for format criteria]: 1. Select distinguishing characteristics and remarks for Hester Prynne‚ Rev. Dimmesdale and the stranger/physician. 2. Track how the crowd treats Hester/her punishment 3. Note Hawthorne’s references to Puritan living and how they indicate bias towards their actions and beliefs. 4. Vocabulary (you
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Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ a critically acclaimed American writer of the 19th century‚ was born in Salem‚ Massachusetts in 1804. The novelist ’s book‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ is supposedly his best work‚ and universally considered a literary classic. Concerned with sin and consequences of dealing with it‚ Hawthorne ’s work relates to his own personal sense of shame about his ancestor ’s persecuting roles in the 17th century Salem Witch Trials. By indirectly dealing with his sense of guilt through fictional
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Ambiguity‚ which is doubleness or inconclusiveness of meaning‚ is an important characteristic of Hawthorne’s style in The Scarlet Letter. Constantly used throughout the story‚ ambiguity continually keeps the readers attention. Examples of ambiguity are clearly seen throughout the book. When Hester Prynne is leaving the prison‚ Hawthorn briefly describes a rosebush In front of the prison. Hawthorne says‚ "…or whether‚ as there is fair authority for believing it had sprung up under the footsteps of
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In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ a character named Hester Prynne committed adultery with a man who at first was unidentified but later confirmed to be her reverend‚ the worshipped Arthur Dimmesdale. Since Hester became pregnant after the affair and her husband had not yet arrived in the colony‚ it was clear that she had committed adultery. The government of the colony demanded to know who her lover was‚ but Hester repeatedly refused to incriminate him. Because Hester never identified
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Chillingworth visits Hester during her brief incarceration‚ where he berates her for having crushed his dreams of finding acceptance and love ("My heart was a great mansion with room for many souls‚ but cold and empty and without a parlor fire; I longed to light one!"). While he makes it obvious he will not take revenge upon her or the baby‚ he demands to know the name of Hester’s lover. She refuses to tell him‚ but Chillingworth promises that he will find the man and destroy his soul. Chillingworth
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Hester’s Strengths as a Feminist Protagonist in The Scarlet Letter Feminism is the philosophy advocating equal political‚ economic‚ and social rights for women. The idea of feminism was not at all prevalent during the 1850s when Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was published. In spite of this‚ Hawthorne wrote one of the most influential feminist novels of his time: The Scarlet Letter. This novel was hailed as an important feminist novel because of the main character: Hester Prynne. Hester
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Symbols of Guilt Within The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter‚ a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in the 1800’s‚ transports readers to a Puritan town in the 1600’s. Hawthorne‚ nephew of the Puritan Judge John Hathorne‚ was very fixated on puritanism and theocracy. Throughout his novel Hawthorne repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the Christian religion in the theocratic town. Along with stressing the topic of religion Hawthorne also accentuates the theme of guilt within his novel and uses
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everywhere in everyday life. Beginning before even before 1640‚ people in the newly established colonies were forced to wear letters on their chests for all of the public to see. People who refused were actually whipped and beaten to coerce them into wearing their letters. One particular letter was the scarlet letter “A” which represented adultery. In the novel The Scarlet Letter‚ the leading woman‚ Hester Prynne‚ is forced to wear an “A” for her sin. Hawthorne uses Hester as an example to the rest of
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