In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne sets a gloomy and dark mood. The descriptions of the peoples clothing " in sad colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats- , the "rust on the ponderous ironwork-, and the ugliness of the large building ("[an] ugly edifice") with its "unsightly vegetation" (45) all attribute to the dark and gloomy tone, from which it can be inferred that such gloom will be present throughout much of the novel. .
Hawthorne uses much imagery and wording to convey the gloomy tone of the novel. .
His descriptions of the peoples clothing being sad colored, their hats being gray, the "weather stains and other indications of age- and rust on the "oaken door" (45), and the overgrowth of vegetation surrounding the jail all create images in the reader's mind of the tone and mood of the novel. .
The term juxtapose can be best defined as to place one on top of another. In the opening chapter of The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne juxtaposes the image of a prison against the image of a rosebush.
The weathered prison described with its "gloomy front," which "seemed never to have known a youthful era," an "ugly edifice" delimited by "unsightly vegetation" (45) contrasts the rosebush described as "wild" with "delicate gems" and a "fragrance and fragile beauty" (45). From this it can be inferred that the rose symbolizes the prisoner who is fragile, youthful and beautiful, yet in some way like Anne Hutchinson acted upon her own beliefs rather the ones held by the community. Then it is left that the prison represents the Puritans, and through the prison it is revealed that they are an ugly, gloomy, and aged people. This is further supported by the fact that they build prisons and cemeteries which contrasts their thought that they feel their society is a model of human ideals, virtue, and happiness. In associating the Puritans with gloom and sadness, and the prison with the beauty and fragility of a rose, the reader can almost side with the prisoner and sympathize on his/her behalf.
When Hester first fashions the scarlet letter has a meaning of adulterer. ... Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. ... A letter "the letter A "but freshly green instead of scarlet.""... The Scarlet Letter. ... "The Scarlet Letter, Nathanial Hawthorne 1850."" ...
When Hester first fashions the scarlet letter has a meaning of adulterer. ... Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. ... A letter "the letter A "but freshly green instead of scarlet.""... Then Hester notices the scarlet letter lying on the bank of the stream. ... The themes in The Scarlet Letter still have relevance to today's life....
In the book, "The Scarlet Letter," Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a character who is so loving, passionate, and mistreated that the reader cannot help but feel badly for her. ... She is reminded of her sin every day with her child, Pearl, and the scarlet letter. ... Throughout the story of "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne tips off the reader that Hester Prynne is destined for a downfall because her character is written a classic tragic heroine. ... It is evident that "Hester's story will not and cannot end happily" (Guy-A Critical Review of The Scarlet Letter-Website), because her tragedy is ...
The Scarlet letter: In the world of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, he shows the audience a 1600 Puritan society. ... The Scarlet Letter is very distorted in its depiction of the appearance of the letter, the meaning of the letter, and the affect that the letter has on other people. The appearance of the Scarlet Letter is very mysterious. ... The Scarlet Letter is very distorted in the appearance of the letter, the meaning of the letter, and the affect that the letter has on other people. ... The letter seems to become almost like a badge of honor for Hester, this is evid...
Scarlet Letter's Use Of Symbolism To Show Psychological Effects Of Sin "The act gross and brief, and brings loathing after it." ... She wears her scarlet letter among the solemnly dressed Puritans as this rosebush wears its scarlet blossoms amidst a small plot of grass and weeds. ... Hester has already been discovered and is receiving her punishment by wearing the scarlet letter branding her as an adulteress and keeping her socially isolated. ... In a moment of joy, Hester removes the scarlet letter and tosses it away from herself. ... We later see this is true as she lives...
Pearl, is an effective and dynamic character in, "The Scarlet Letter." ... "But the first object of which Pearl seemed to become aware was the scarlet letter on Hester's bosom! ... On the contrary, Pearl is rumored by the town to be a devil child due to her being born out of sin (Chapters 7-12). ... In the final chapters of The Scarlet Letter, Pearl gains knowledge far beyond her years. ... Her character acts as a mysterious and interesting symbol in, "The Scarlet Letter." ...
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne strategically structures the story around three very crucial scaffold scenes. ... Hawthorne also connects Hester's openly displayed shame with Dimmesdale's secret shame by having them both touch the stop where the scarlet letter is simultaneously. The second scaffold scene, also the climax of the plot, occurs in chapter 12. ... While on the scaffold, they see a meteor in the sky that resembles a red letter "A". ... He shows them the scarlet letter he bears. ...
They stressed the importance of personal religious experience (Williams 12). ... The following pages will examine the way sin affected the Puritan Community in the Scarlet Letter. ... Hawthorne's sensitivity to guilt is clearly present in the Scarlet Letter, as well as some of his other works. ... It wasn't until the publication of his novel The Scarlet Letter in 1850 that Hawthorne became a well-known writer. ... The town first requires Hester to wear the scarlet letter and stand in ignominy on the scaffold. ...
The Scarlet Letter Thresholds- Doors, Steps, and Scaffolding Throughout the novel "The Scarlet Letter" I was to examine and discuss some of the various symbols. ... Chapter 12, page 103: " an arched door of oak, with an iron knocker, and a rough log for the door-step." ... Hester is now on her own, alone in the world with a child, and a Scarlet letter on her chest telling the world what she has done and the sin that she has committed. ... These are the chapters, pages and context in which I found the word step: Chapter 2, page 39: " she ascended a flight of wooden steps- Chapter ...
