... full of unexpected flips and turns. Upon closer examination, The Scarlet Letter is really filled with obsession, guilt, and morals. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses a twisted physician, a minister, and a very independent character to express the theme of revenge among his three main characters. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses his very different characters to show that no matter what ... Chillingworth is clearly the most obviously revengeful character. However, Aurther Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne are more significantly involved in the extraction of their revenge. Hawthorne's ...

• Word Count: 1589
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... full of unexpected flips and turns. Upon closer examination, The Scarlet Letter is really filled with obsession, guilt, and morals. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses a twisted physician, a minister, and a very independent character to express the theme of revenge among his three main characters. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses his very different characters to show that no matter what ... Chillingworth is clearly the most obviously revengeful character. However, Aurther Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne are more significantly involved in the extraction of their revenge. Hawthorne's ...

• Word Count: 1480
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... to endanger life or limb. Failing to attend church 10 shilling fine Working (laboring) on  Sunday 10 shilling fine Traveling on Sunday 20 shilling fine (www.csustan.edu) In Hawthorne's book The Scarlet Letter, sin is unequivocal palpable. Some early readers of this book believe not only that the subject was sin but also that the author condoned sin, at least the sin ... the moral and psychological result of sin- the isolation and morbidity, innocence and guilt, and the distortion and thwarting of the emotional life. In Hawthorne's remembered novel, The Scarlet Letter, The community alo...

• Word Count: 1751
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

An Analysis of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a novel of conflict between a woman in love and the stern Puritan community in which she resides. Hawthorne illustrates that a woman who follows her heartbreaks the laws of the community. Hester Prynne leaves that community to reside in isolation with her illegitimate child. Hester always maintains her love, not for her husband, but the ... novel are the undefined characters. An understanding of these symbols is vital to a complete comprehension of the complexity of the story; Hawthorne technique of ...

• Word Count: 1915
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... the identity of her partner so that he can have his revenge. In his rage and confusion, Chillingworth asks a townsman, "And who, by your favor, Sir, may be the father of yonder babe- it is some three or four months old, I should judge-, which Mistress Prynne is holding in her arms?" (Hawthorne, 44) While Chillingworth is in the crowd growing angrier at ... is trying to get revenge by tormenting the minister, adds to the deterioration of Dimmesdale's health. He does not realize that Chillingworth is Hester's husband and his worst enemy. All of this torture and guilt leads Dimmesdale to c...

• Word Count: 1498
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... prevents the darkness from touching Pearl, who is an embodiment of joy, life, and warmth. Hester, however, is allowed to rise above the gloominess on occasion, as when she throws away the scarlet letter and let's loose her hair. Thus, Hawthorne suggests how sin (symbolized in the scarlet letter) is responsible for the gloom that fills the lives of the protagonists. When the sin is ... is a secret no more; Chillingworth will have his revenge. Outcome The novel openly ends in tragedy, for the secret of Hester and Dimmesdale becomes public knowledge when the minister reveals his adultery a...

• Word Count: 1929
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... meaning from adultery to ability, in the eyes of the people around her. Through the scarlet letter, Hester become a sympathetic heroine, and the Puritan society becomes not only bigoted and joyless, but essentially evil. (Bloom 13-14, 97, 100) The person that is affected most by the scarlet letter is Hester Prynne, for many very obvious reasons. It is a large part of her daily life, and ... comes into the city is to sell her very well-crafted clothing. This in turn causes the Puritan view of her letter "A" to change from adultery to ability. (Hawthorne; Schneider) Arthur Dimmesdale is a...

• Word Count: 1366
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... Ministers Black Veil and Young Goodman Brown all unite upon this common thread. The opening scene of chapter 2 in The Scarlet Letter describes a gaggle of gossiping women viewing Hester Prynne's punishment. Hawthorne writes, ""The magistrates are God-fearing gentlemen, but merciful overmuch,-that is a truth,' added a third autumnal matron. 'At the very least, they should have put the brand ... as that of the Puritans, where one would be turned into a symbol to be ridiculed. Such is the position of Hester Prynne. Early on in The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne says "Thus the young and pu...

• Word Count: 1379
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter is based on the puritanical custom of affixing a giant red, letter "A" to anybody that committed adultery. The novel centers on the adulterous Puritan Hester Prynne. Throughout the novel, she loyally refuses to reveal the name of her partner. The novel is generally regarded as Hawthorne's masterpiece and as one of the classics of American literature. However, it also reflects the typical ... England. She is convicted of committing adultery. At the beginning of the novel, Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter, A, on her dress as a sign of her...

• Word Count: 1505
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... and affects one's state of mind. Set in the mid 17th century, the three scaffold scenes developed by Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter depict the moral, emotional and psychological effects of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. Also, the Scarlet letter "A" that Hester is obligated to wear affects her persona and shadow self along with the community in which she lives. Each scene ... that he wants to torture Dimmesdale as much as he can. The meteor shows Chillingworth the relationship between Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl, and makes his yearning for revenge e...

• Word Count: 1995
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... his book. In Nathanial Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne uses the theme sin and concealment. The three scaffold scenes throughout the book are used to connect this theme. The first scaffold scene takes place right at the beginning of the novel in chapters 2 and 3. One of the characters that are involved in this scene is Hester. The book starts out with Hester in a prison and then ... joy and sorrow and to never battle with the world but to be in it. The last character in this scene is Chillingworth. Chillingworth is afraid of loosing his prey(revenge), Dimmesdale. He is begging h...

• Word Count: 1336
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... of literature that display both aspects of this society very accurately are The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. The Scarlet Letter displays a society that treats two people very differently who commit the sin of adultery together. The woman, Hester Prynne, admits her sin, is forced to always wear a scarlet letter A on her bosom, and is ostracized from society. The man, Reverend ... and the general aspects of the characters. The general aspects of characters are also similar in both The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible. Both have a main antagonis...

• Word Count: 1327
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... themes contained in the novel, but the themes of Puritanism vs. Romanticism and the theme of reflection are the most prevalent. The Scarlet Letter is chock full of symbolism. Hawthorne uses people and objects and makes them symbolic of events and thoughts. Throughout the course of the book, Hawthorne uses Hester, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale to signify and contrast both the Puritanical and Romantic philosophies ... the Puritanical beliefs. She is a beautiful, young woman who has sinned, but is forgiven in the eyes of most. Hawthorne portrays Hester as a someone who can do wrong with her...

• Word Count: 2043
• Approx Pages: 8

... concepts, which in novels, usually contribute to the main theme in the book. Sometimes referred to as "the first symbolic novel to be written in the United States", "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne contains many symbols that are apparent throughout the novel, and reoccur at many different places. While symbols are created, those symbols must be given meaning within their context and ... same place as the scarlet letter which Hester wears around. On the other hand, Pearl is seen as a child of pure nature, one who is always true to her self and does not let anything influence h...

• Word Count: 2041
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... to reveal the identity. The elderly onlooker is then identified as Roger Chillingworth, who actually is Hester's missing husband practicing as a medical doctor in disguise. He decides to settle in Boston for revenge. He tells only Hester of his true identity and has sworn to secrecy that he will not tell another. Several ... (Dimmesdale) and they plan to move to Europe so that they can live as a family. Both begin to feel set free and Hester even removes her scarlet letter followed by taking down her hair. The day before the ship is to set sail, it is a holiday and Arthur gives his most...

• Word Count: 1497
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... Scarlet letter: In the world of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, he shows the audience a 1600 Puritan society. This "utopia- has people who all seem to be very ugly and uptight. They all think that they live with such perfect values that they all jump on Hester Prynne for having this baby out of wedlock. However, a good example of how the colony has deteriorated is when Hawthorne ... cemeteries and prisons."" In this world Hawthorne conveys, he uses distortion a great deal to signify something as being much bigger than it really would be. The use of distortion and exaggeration ...

• Word Count: 1455
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... of pride and inner beauty. Not long after this story was published, did women start rebelling against their so-called "position" in society. Hester would have been very proud. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is an amazing story of Hester's strength in exposing and accepting her sin, choosing to wear bold apparel, and helping Dimmesdale deal with his inner conflict. She is truly a model ... for advocates of the early women's right movement. Although the scarlet letter burned a hole to her heart, Hester wears it and never denies it, which shows a true ... deep, dark secrets. ...

• Word Count: 1678
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... one of the female spectators; "but did ever a woman, before this brazen hussy, contrive such a way of showing it!- The Scarlet Letter served to separate Hester from the rest of the Puritan society in which she lived and had formerly been a part. Nathaniel Hawthorne states, "it had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in ... Arthur Dimmesdale in the forest. Pearl demands that Hester put the letter back on and will only interact with her mother once Hester complies. After seven years, the symbol of the Scarlet Letter transforms f...

• Word Count: 1295
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... spirits! Love ... must always create a sunshine, filling the heart so full of radiance that it overflows upon the outward world" (186). Extending this metaphor of the radiance of ! love, Hawthorne often refers to Hester's scarlet letter as glowing and thus figuratively lighting up the dark and cruel world around it. When Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold, connected to ... to the rosebush growing in the plot of weeds. Hawthorne does not condone sin; however, he finds unexpected ways that a sinful act may have propitious consequences. Pearl, the product of Hester's adulterous relationship ...

• Word Count: 1485
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... the sea;--have not been bold to put in force the extremity of our righteous law against her. The penalty is thereof death" (Hawthorne 56). Different cultural upbringings and different thoughts influence truths to be understood differently. The Puritan belief encompasses that an adulterer must be put to ... sin, for which she had borne so long and dreary a penance, but of her many good deeds since " (147). The truth of Hester's scarlet letter changed; it no longer represented her weakness and evil, instead, she was now seen as a hardworking woman who is kind and humble. Larger part ... q...

• Word Count: 1931
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... novel is about human weakness and its resulting sorrow. Hawthorne's focus of attention is the effect the sin has on Hester and Dimmesdale. They constantly suffer from shame and guilt throughout the novel. Both of them lead joyless lives. Dimmesdale, however, suffers much more intensely than Hester. Hester is made to publicly acknowledge her sin. A scarlet letter "A" is permanently placed on her dress to symbolize ... sin for Hester and Dimmesdale is eternal shame and guilt. Their lives are ruined as a result of their sinfulness. Since their sin is committed in the strict, moralistic Puri...

• Word Count: 1285
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Good vs. Evil Within The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays the contrast of good and evil through the Reverend Dimmesdale and through his physician, Roger Chillingworth.   He also emphasized the necessity to "Be true" through Hester's vow to keep the secrets of both men.   Throughout the novel, Hawthorne showed that whether one is outwardly good or evil, one must be true and needs others to be ... .   He tortured Dimmesdale by taking a knife and putting it into the wound that had formed in Dimmesdale from the guilt he felt for not revealing his secret about Hester.   He lived onl...

• Word Count: 1430
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Scarlet Letter, he describes the story as a "tale of human frailty and sorrow."" This is most likely due to the fact that all the main characters ... lives of others around him. Lastly, his fatal flaw led him to suffer dire consequences at the end of the novel. In the Scarlet Letter Roger Chillingworth's major flaw is revenge. He first vows to seek revenge on the father of Pearl during chapter 4 saying, "Thou wilt not reveal his name? Not the less he is mine. He ... of others as well. To begin, the one that Chillingworth wanted to seek revenge on was Dimmesdale...

• Word Count: 1529
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the letter A is given to the characters Hester and Dimmesdale. According to the law of the Puritan society and the strict interpretation of the Bible, adultery is one of the deadliest sins that led to the deadliest punishment - execution or corporal punishment. The letter A came to symbolize different things for each character. For Hester, the Scarlet Letter symbolizes her adultery ... public with her guilt, and Dimmesdale has the punishment of hiding his guilt from the public. Hester became stronger from her punishment, but Dimmesdal...

• Word Count: 1309
• Approx Pages: 5

... entire human race. They degrade from perfect creatures into sinful individuals influenced by temptations, greed, pride, and evil. Similarly, Nathaniel Hawthorne's characters in The Scarlet Letter develop into less humane creatures as a result of the evil around them. The influence of evil leads to the corruption and ... their love for him, the more Dimmesdale grows to hate himself. Dimmesdale obsessively, and unsuccessfully, seeks to avenge himself and seeking revenge on himself at the same time. Dimmesdale recognizes his self-alienation from truth. He feels isolated in his sin and remo...

• Word Count: 1412
• Approx Pages: 6