In “The Scarlet Letter”‚ a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ the narrator tells a series of events that occurred years before his time. The events take place in the seventeenth century in Massachusetts‚ in what was a Puritan settlement at this time. This story surrounds‚ a young woman‚ who has committed a sin of adultery and therefore is punished by the town. Hester Prynne‚ the young lady‚ is sentenced to public shaming‚ where she is to stand on a scaffold in front of the town. Hester is not only publicly
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Edgar Allan Poe wrote that the single effect was the most important aspect of a short story‚ which everything must contribute to this effect. Poe’s gothic tale "The Black Cat" was written trying to achieve an effect of shocking insanity. In this first person narrative the narrator tells of his decline from sanity to madness‚ all because of an obsession with two (or possibly one) black cats. These ebony creatures finally drive him to take the life his wife‚ whose death he unsuccessfully tries to conceal
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Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most iconic writers of dark Romanticism. His works became so classical due to his use of symbolism‚ time period in which he wrote‚ and the meaningful themes expressed in his writing. In his most recognizable novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ the most pronounced theme is that everyone carries sin with them and no sin goes unpunished. The uses of symbolism allow the reader to develop a deeper understanding of historical context and this theme. Hester lived in a Puritan
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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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In “The Birth-Mark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ the most noticeable symbol is Georgiana’s birthmark on her cheek. Her birthmark is a tiny red spot on her cheek in the shape of a small hand. In the story it says‚ “some fairy at her birth-hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infant’s cheek” (340). At the beginning of the story Georgiana has grown so tired of the birthmark she says‚ “Either remove this dreadful hand‚ or take my wretched life!” (342). Aylmer‚ her husband the scientist‚ decides to take up
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that form follows function. The theme of focus is perception. Hester is the main character of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Her actions result in her public identification as an adulterer. As the novel progresses‚ her doings reveal character traits that are highly valued-yet‚ Hester remains branded by the red letter “A” stitched on the breast of her gown. In The Scarlet Letter‚ Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes literary devices to portray the perceived form that shapes Hester’s identity. Hawthorne’s
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The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story about Hester Prynne‚ her husband Roger Chillingworth and the minister that she had an affair with Roger Chillingworth. There are many strong feelings displayed throughout this novel such as revenge and forgiveness. The most prevalent feeling throughout this story is love. All the principal characters love someone and depend on them. All in all‚ The Scarlet Letter belongs in the romance novel genre because all of the characters are primarily influenced
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ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT STORY “THE BIRTHMARK” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark” illustrates how one’s obsessions and moral weakness leads to another’s questioning of their self-image and drives the pursuit of perfection in our society. The main character‚ Aylmer‚ develops an obsession with becoming a world renowned alchemist‚ yet falls short when he sets his goals and cannot accomplish them. The unrealistic goals that Aylmer sets reflect how his character is composed; he consistently strives
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Can one teach a life lesson through pure misery of another? Nathaniel Hawthorne effectively portrays the Puritan society in a Dark Romantic point of view within The Scarlet Letter. He uses characters such as Hester Prynne‚ Reverend Dimmesdale‚ and Roger Chillingworth to show the dim side of emotions. Throughout The Scarlet Letter‚ Hawthorne uses these three main characters to show the responsibility one should take for his actions‚ the internal suffering caused by guilt‚ and the dangerous effects
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In the introductory sketch to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel the "The Scarlet Letter"‚ the reader is informed that one of the author’s ancestors persecuted the Quakers harshly. The latter’s son was a high judge in the Salem witch trials‚ put into literary form in Arthur Miller’s "The Crucible" (Judge Hawthorne appears there). We learn that Hawthorne feels ashamed for their deeds‚ and that he sees his ancestors and the Puritan society as a whole with critical eyes. Consequently‚ both open and subtle
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