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, partriarchical attitude of both puritan society and of contemporary society. For instance, even the definition of the word, "Scarlet ... "Hester did not si...

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• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Scarlet Letter was the story of Hester Prynne, an adulteress who lived during the Puritan era, and the pain and shame she endured because of her sin. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, was educated on the beliefs and practices of the Puritans during this time, as some of his ancestors resided in the Puritan city of Salem, Massachusetts. Through Hawthorne's research of the Puritans, he beccame ashamed to be related to such a people, and developed ... a strong dislike for their ideas and their hypocrisy. In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne used diction and certain symbols ... ...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... much more appealing if authors let their readers make their own decisions about the events or characters in the story. The ambiguousness of The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne leaves many of the actions, events, and issues involving the characters up to the reader's own assumption. One of the issues posed by Hawthorne during the story is that of responsibility. Hawthorne illustrates that the lack of responsibility is harmful and should be held with contempt through ... the character Arthur Dimmesdale, the unholy minister whose guilt of being an adulterer eventually kills him. Haw...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Kiran Thomas 10/27/02 English 10 Honors The Scarlet Letter: Chap. 1-2 Chapter One 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 ... ...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the novel The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne takes a very biased side against the Puritans he writes about. Hawthorne himself was a descendant of Puritan ancestors, and it seems that in many ways he still cannot escape the engulfing guilt of their crimes, as he never truly held their religion; "Hawthorne never felt he belonged to any such community of love and belief." From what I have learned about the Puritans ... They just didn't understand that there were other things in life than their religion. Hawthorne's presentation of the Puritans throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter is not...

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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... has been debated countless times throughout our history and two books seem to depict this standard of living in two different ways. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, conflicts the effects of the conjunction of church and state while The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, conflicts the inability to perfect human nature regardless of any assistance given by a created lifestyle such as Puritanism. Although these conflicts are different ... in body, they do share likenesses that are visible when recognized. The Crucible shows how the assimilation of church with state gove...

• Word Count: 710
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a novel that illustrates the importance of one person in the community and how that individual has the capability to alter the outcome of himself and the community. Hester Prynne's strength and determination provide the perfect attributes to conquer her sins and the sins of others. The "A" that Hester Prynne bears in The Scarlet Letter shifts in meaning at least two times to mirror the character changes of Hester throughout the progression of ... the ... ...

• Word Count: 842
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... , -or whether, as there is fair authority for believing, it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson, as she entered the prison-door, -we shall not take upon us to determine." In The Scarlet Letter, author, Nathaniel Hawthorne effectively sets the mood for this dismal novel. The ugliness and rust in the prison and cemetery seems like the last place for any kind of beauty to be. But ... the rosebush grows contrasting with the depressing backdrop offering a sort of sweetness to this tragic story. In this tale, practically every main character is faced ... ...

• Word Count: 561
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate