... hypocrisy as regards the scarlet letter are, "a venerable minister or magistrate," people who are viewed as models of "piety and justice." Chapter Six: Pearl Summary Hawthorne discusses the choice of the name Pearl. He indicates that Hester chose the name to represent something of great value ... diffused opinion that the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale,...was haunted either by Satan himself, or Satan's emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth. Chapter Ten: The Leech and His Patient Summary Chillingworth realizes that Dimmesdale is hiding some dark secret. He therefore expends a gre...

• Word Count: 5572
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• Grade Level: High School

... , page 171: "Now was heard again the clangor of the music, and the measured tramp of the military escort, issuing from the church door." Chapter 24, page 178: " some children were at play, when they beheld a tall women, in a gray robe, approach the cottage-door." The symbol door, ... the world what she has done and the sin that she has committed. The symbol door can also give mood to the story. For example, in chapter one it talks about the prison-door. The description and detail they give about the door and the surrounding area, gives feeling and mood to the story ... novel was step, o...

• Word Count: 1018
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... invites her to a witches meeting. Hester says that if Pearl would have been taken from her than she would have attended. Chapter IX: The Leech This chapter is named The Leech and is about Chillingworth. Chillingworth becomes friends with Dimmesdale who is now very sick. Chillingworth knows about medicine ... move into a widows house and each take half of the first floor. Chillingworth suspects thing about Dimmesdale and hopes to come to a conclusion. Chapter X: The Leech and His Patient Chillingworth is still trying to find out things about Hester from Dimmesdale without being to obviou...

• Word Count: 2183
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• Grade Level: High School

... of the crowd as she stands upon the scaffold. In the popular version of the saying from the Gospel of John, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone."" The irony of this situation illuminates that the townspeople are not without sin themselves. While standing on the structure, Hester sees a figure in the distance who, from her earlier description ... revenge. As he feels the impact of this malice, Dimmesdale looks for comfort in the form of a midnight confession. According to The Scarlet Letter: A Student Casebook , however, " The Minister's Vigil' (Chapter 12) takes place at ni...

• Word Count: 1627
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... a great deal of symbolism to discuss various themes throughout the novel. One recurring symbol is the rose-bush which is introduced in the first chapter. This rose-bush grows outside the prison door amidst unsightly vegetation. The rose-bush can be compared to Pearl, who is the gift Hester ... innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion- (81). In chapter six, Hester discusses how the name Pearl came to be. "But she named the infant Pearl, as being of great price, --purchased with all she...

• Word Count: 1487
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Europe with Dimmesdale? Towards the beginning of The Scarlet Letter, we see Hester being punished publicly for the sin she has committed with Dimmesdale. In chapter 2, Hawthorne writes, "He laid his right hand upon the shoulder of a young woman, whom he thus drew forward; until on the threshold ... of her shame and she is constantly hurting because of her punishment. When she walks around town, the people look at her in a humiliating way. In chapter 5, Hawthorne writes, "Another peculiar torture was felt in the gaze of a new eye. When strangers looked curiously at The Scarlet Letter, - a...

• Word Count: 944
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• Grade Level: High School

... make friends with other children in the town because of her status, thus leaving her only with nature and her mother as companions. In chapter fifteen, Pearl "flirted fancifully with her own image in a pool of water, beckoning the phantom forth, and--as it declined venture-- ... Soon finding however, that either she or the image was unreal, she turned elsewhere for better pastime." Pearl's reflection is very real, and chapter sixteen smoothly continues this concept through another body of water--the brook in the forest. "Pearl resembled the brook, inasmuch as the current of her ... the b...

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... scenes that show Hester Prynne's love for the mutual partner of her sin. Such scenes can be found in: (1.) Chapter Two, The Market-Place (2.) Chapter Thirteen, Another View of Hester (3.) Chapter Seventeen, The Pastor and His Parishioner. Within the beginning of the novel, we the reader are introduced to Hester Prynne and ... finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes! "these were her realities,--all else had vanished!- Within the thirteenth chapter, Another View Of Hester, we the reader begin to learn that the once accusers of Hester Prynne's sin are now chan...

• Word Count: 1213
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• Grade Level: High School

... appeal- (74). As the story progresses we see Dimmesdale become weaker physically, due to his moral torment ", who's health had severly suffered" (119). In Chapter 8, we see him through Hester's eyes, as a man who "Looked now more careworn and emanciated than as we described him at the scene of Hester's ... friendly care". Chillingworth, Hester's wronged husband pretends to be his friend, but he actually plays an evil game with Dimmesdale throughout the whole story. In Chapter 17 Hester tells Dimmesdale about his so-called friend "Thou hast long had such an enemy, and dwellest with him, ...

• Word Count: 1627
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... evil. The scaffold in The Scarlet Letter serves as an important symbol with many different purposes throughout the novel. The first scaffold scene occurs in chapter two where Hester has just exited the prison and is escorted to the scaffold, which is in the center of the town. The scaffold is ... , the scaffold has done two things: first, it has punished Hester through humiliation, and second it has changed her views and beliefs. In Chapter twelve Dimmesdale attempts to absolve himself at night on the scaffold with no one watching. He intends to free himself from all his inner anguish and...

• Word Count: 917
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• Grade Level: High School

... he publicly announces his true identity near the end of the novel. Evidence of such hints is found as early in the novel as the third chapter, "The Recognition." Reverend Dimmesdale opens conversation, pressing Hester to speak up against her coconspirator. After receiving a haranguing from Mr. Wilson, who ... identity of her child's father a secret provides a great hint to the fact that Dimmesdale may have something he is hiding. Further into the novel in chapter 8, "The Elf-Child and the Minister", Roger Chillingworth accuses Dimmesdale of speaking "with a strange earnestness" (105) as...

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... the role model they have, in their minds Reverend Dimmesdale is a saint and he is their guide or path to heaven. Hester Prynne follows the puritan idea on idleness. In chapter 5 page 56, Hawthorne describes Hester making richly embroidered clothing at all hours for public officials. "Deep ruffs, painfully wrought bands, and gorgeously embroidered gloves"- "-there was a frequent and characteristic demand ... for such labor as Hester Prynne could supply." In addition she kept herself busy by caring for the sick and dying such as Governor Winthrop. In chapter 12 page 105, Hester is describ...

• Word Count: 745
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• Grade Level: High School

... to the story and the symbolism. An important concept of romanticism includes a close connection to the earth and natural scenes. A large occurrence of this comes in the first chapter of the book. The chapter mentions a rose bush outside of the prison. The novel then goes on to outline the rosebush as a beautiful thing that rises out of a bad place. The rosebush symbolizes ... asks for forgiveness for her sins nor apologizes for her acts. She stands strong and takes whatever consequences come to her. Hester proves she has complete and utter pride in chapter fourteen when Chillingworth te...

• Word Count: 1687
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• Grade Level: High School

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 ... 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 ... the prison with the beauty ...

• Word Count: 808
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• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... self-respect and survives her punishment with dignity, grace, and ever-growing strength of character. From the moment Hester Prynne is introduced into the plot of The Scarlet Letter in chapter 2, "The Marketplace", the reader realizes she is very prideful and strong. As an adulteress, she is forced to endure ignominy from her peers and is sentenced to have the letter ... courage all throughout The Scarlet Letter. The best example of this courage is her willingness to stay in Boston, the town where both the sin and punishment took place. In chapter 5, Hester arrives at a reason for her t...

• Word Count: 909
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... pearl for just as a clam produces a beautiful creation as the result of a terrible incident, so pearl was created. This terrible incident is the sin committed between Hester and Dimmesdale. In chapter two, the reader sees Hester refusing to hold Pearl next to her breast with the scarlet "A." Hester dose this because she feels that one symbol of shame would be inadequate ... illustrated by Pearl many times thought the novel. By acknowledging the letter on her mother's chest, Pearl plays an extremely active role in Hester's penance rather than a passive one. In Chapter 15, the reader sees...

• Word Count: 1158
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• Grade Level: High School

... in the novel, which is quite frequently, Hawthorne conveys formal and proper language which assists the reader in understanding the Puritan culture and the ancestry of the Boston inhabitants. In chapter 23, Roger Chillingworth kneels down toward the dying Reverend Dimmesdale and says "Thou hast escaped me!" In response, the reverend says, "Thou, too, hast deeply sinned! (p.232)" When I began the ... is a witch or a servant of "The Black Man" when Hibbins says, "Will thou [Pearl] ride with me, some fine night, to see thy father?" The mistress is even "present" in chapter 12 when Dimmesda...

• Word Count: 1296
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• Grade Level: High School

... self-respect and survives her punishment with dignity, grace, and ever-growing strength of character. From the moment Hester Prynne is introduced into the plot of The Scarlet Letter in chapter 2, "The Marketplace", the reader realizes she is very prideful and strong. As an adulteress, she is forced to endure ignominy from her peers and is sentenced to have the letter ... courage all throughout The Scarlet Letter. The best example of this courage is her willingness to stay in Boston, the town where both the sin and punishment took place. In chapter 5, Hester arrives at a reason for her t...

• Word Count: 912
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... ; Hawthorne technique of using symbolism is brilliant and it helps the reader understand the whole concept. In The Scarlet Letter, images increase the reader's understanding of the characters. The first chapter sets the tone for the story. Though the initial settlers of New England set out to establish a "Utopia of human virtue," (Hawthorne 1358) they nevertheless recognized the need to allot ... congenial in the soil that had so early born the black flower of civilized society," the prison (1358). The rose is a symbol referred to throughout the story. In this first chapter it illustrate...

• Word Count: 1915
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• Grade Level: High School

... despite this small defeat. Walter Lee stands up to Karl Linder in front of his son, and does not accept his offer. He showed his son that by being strong, Stone 2 this small defeat will not affect him and he will not lose heart despite what happened. A second example showing how a courageous person can bear defeat without losing heart in this ... himself as being a bloodsucker tortured with guilt, who wants to make both Hester and Dimmesdale's lives unbearable. Dimmesdale overcomes the gnawing of Chillingworth though, and by using courage he is Stone 3 able to continue loving her no mat...

• Word Count: 830
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• Grade Level: High School

... "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The first scaffold scene occurred in the beginning of the story which was about Hester and the second scaffold scene happened in chapter 12 which was about Dimmsdale. In a "utopia" like the puritan's society, one can never get away after committing crime, in the end they get punished and pays for ... , the minister and Hester's lover. It occurred really early in the morning when the sun wasn't up and only few people awake. Nobody was aware of Dimmsdale's crime in this chapter. He had the scarlet letter on his chest. It's giving him pain and ma...

• Word Count: 560
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• Grade Level: High School

... the glimmering of the gold embroidery about the letter' and, putting up her little hand, she grasped at it, smiling not doubtfully, but with a decided gleam," (Hawthorne, 88). Pertaining to chapter 6, Pearl is viewed at the age of three and begin to learn that she possesses a rich and luxuriant sense of beauty; "a beauty shown with deep and vivid tints." ... to her being born out of sin (Chapters 7-12). It does not help that Pearl frequently displays an array of odd and cruel behaviors as well as sheepish remarks. In chapter 10, Pearl is seen dancing in the graveyard and hooking bur...

• Word Count: 845
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• Grade Level: High School

... his writing that the truth is what will set people free. Dimmesdale struggles with wanting to live a religious life and dealing with the hypocrisy of his own sinful nature. In chapter twelve, Pearl calls to Dimmesdale asking him to reveal his own connection to herself and Hester. Dimmesdale refused to join Pearl and Hester the following day on the scaffold. When ... exist, their experiences were based upon history and the way Puritans perceived others in that kind of situation. The evidence in the book does sufficiently support the thesis. For instance, chapter twelve demonstrates the m...

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... agony as well as mine!" Her statement signifies an early attachment to the letter and declares her plans to willingly endure her punishment. The scaffold is again made prominent in chapter 12, when Dimmesdale ascends its steps as Hester had done seven years prior. Hawthorne depicts Dimmesdale as evidently overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and remorse, saying, "Mr. Dimmesdale was ... 's heart. After recognizing the man as Chillingworth, they grow more suspicious of the "physician" and his intentions. Dimmesdale mounts the scaffold in unison with Pearl and Hester in chapter 23. This time,...

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Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter Pearl is a great example of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter. In chapter six when Hester is talking about her daughter Pearl, of The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne says, "in giving her existence a great law had been broken." Since Pearl was born, she ... if Pearl had never have been borne, Hester would have never been found guilty of adultery, and would have never had to wear such a burden on her chest. Also, in chapter six. it shows Pearl's fascination of the scarlet letter and seems to torture her mother by playing with it. Pearl symbolized God's way of p...

• Word Count: 647
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School