... the Scarlet Letter. They suffer with the guilt of the sin of adultery that they committed. At the time, the Puritans looked down on this type of sin. Hester and Dimmesdale can be compared and contrast in the way they handled their scarlet letter, their cowardliness, and their belief of what the afterlife is. Hester and Dimmesdale both bear a scarlet letter but the way they handle it is different. Hester's scarlet letter is a piece of clothing, the "SCARLET LETTER ... , so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom" (Hawthorn 51). Dimmesdale on the other hand, has a scarlet l...

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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... by St. Augustine, regarding immorality. This is discovered to be very true by the main characters in The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne's story of a woman (Hester) who lives with the Puritans and commits adultery with the local minister (Dimmesdale). In his novel, Hawthorne shows that sin, known or unknown to the community, isolates a person from their community and from God. He shows us ... doubtless caused by one of those meteors the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter-the letter 'A'-marked out in lines of dull red light" (Hawt...

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• Grade Level: High School

Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller's The Crucible are both distinctly different works about the Puritan society. The Scarlet Letter is a novel and The Crucible is a play. While The Scarlet Letter deals mainly with the sin of adultery, The Crucible deals mainly with false accusations of witchcraft. Both have obvious similarities like the setting and the crime, however, one of the greateset similarities between the two is the loyalty of the Puritan people to their appointed officials, the public supported ... them greatly, because in their theocratic society, the eyes of...

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... ?" asked Pearl, stopping short. "Will it not come of its own accord, when I am a woman grown?" It is an explanation on the significance of the scarlet letter as a symbol and the bridge of the connection between sin and humanness. "Mother," said [Pearl], "was that the same minister that kissed me by the brook?" "Hold thy peace, dear little Pearl!" whispered her mother. "We must not always talk in ... . She had returned, therefore, and resumed, of her own free will, for not the sternest magistrate of that iron period would have imposed it, resumed the symbol of which we have related so dark...

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... by accident. Some sins are committed out of love, like that of Hester and Dimmesdale in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. While others commit the sin of hate just like Chillingworth. Hester was forced to bear the letter "A" (adultery) as punishment for committing her sin and for salvation. On the other hand, I must bear "H" (hate) in order to transform myself into a better person and to gain ... was a very cowardly person when it came to the sin and his very soul burned for he had no scarlet letter. I as well burned where the letter should have been and am afraid of what lies...

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... and fear. Then these poor choices lead to other wrong actions that reflect their guilt. Lack of insight leads people to make bad choices, and there are several examples in the book, The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne and Roger Chillingworth get married even though they knew it was not going to be a truthful love relationship. Back then, women often married for stability, rather than ... as a minister, but he would have lived a better life just like Hester. It is better to tell the truth and admit one's crime earlier like Hester than to hide it until the last minute like Dimmesdale. After...

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... men known as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville show an example of this coincidental action because of former jobs they occupied at the Salem Custom House. Hawthorne and Melville claim the credit for remarkable works such as the novels The Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick. As any other literature these two can be linked in many ways such as haste between characters, events ... a resurrection, and remarkable recoveries for a characters personality. In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth shared an important similarity with Ahab and the whale, Moby Dick. Dimmesdale was a you...

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... " (p124). This passage, taken from the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, shows the effect that evil has on the antagonist of the novel. The antagonist, Chillingworth, is the novel's villain, due to his numerous displays of evil throughout the course of the novel. Chillingworth's villainy is mainly derived from the anger he has toward his wife for having an affair with Dimmesdale, the Reverend of the town. His villainy also enhances meaning ... plays an important role in The Scarlet Letter. It helps Hawthorne portray his beliefs on sin and the worst kinds of it. Chillingwor...

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... in America. People such as Emerson and Thoreau changed the views of the public, with words and actions. The scaffold similarly served as a link for the characters in the Scarlet Letter to separate their ideals from the ideological society in which they lived. Though the role of the scaffold was different, some sort of absolution was always the outcome. As the story begins the scaffold is meant to be a punishment for Hester in ... that all people have a potential for evil. The scaffold in The Scarlet Letter serves as an important symbol with many different purposes throughout the novel. ...

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... Hester's first public appearance with her child and the scarlet letter on her bosom. She maintains a confident poise about her, despite the judgement that comes along with standing on the scaffold. Hawthorne's usage of the scaffold depicts Hester's isolation from the Puritans, and illustrates the theme of punishment that is common throughout the novel. Roger Chillingworth is present, watching the sinner upon the scaffold who is secretly his wife. Hawthorne says ... twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them". Minister Dimmesdale is partaking in the persec...

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Stephanie Jensen "Sin and Its Engulfing Role in the Community" ~An Analytical Essay~ In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne expresses significant themes and Puritan ideals, such as the concept of sin. In the first chapter, Hawthorne indicates that the colony set land aside for the cemetery and the prison. This shows that the colonists knew there would be serious sin that required punishment, and that every person would ... even expressed natural humans" need for love. The women in the community condemn her for sewing the scarlet letter with such embellishment; because its beauty and lust...

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... scenes of when they were happy. However, the happy Chillingsworth she knew before he had left changed as soon as he saw her on the scaffold wearing the Scarlet "A- carrying the child. Hester realizes that she is somewhat at fault for Chillingsworth's hurt and obsession for vengeance. Hester says, "The Scarlet Letter burned on Hester's bosom. Here was another ruin, the responsibility of which came partly home to her ... ."" The Scarlet "A- on her chest and Pearl ridiculed Chillingsworth. However, he also blamed ... ...

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... 's term of confinement was now at an end. Her prison-door was thrown open, and she came forth into the sunshine, which, falling on all alike, seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if meant for no other purpose than to reveal the scarlet letter on her breast (72). As an outcast Hester will live a life of solitude and will no longer be ... could see, Hester and Dimmesdale had lived with their guilt in very separate and different ways. Towards the end of the novel, Hester was beginning to change her public image. they had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that on...

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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

"The Scarlet Letter," is one of Nathaniel Hawthorne's most eminent masterpieces. This work distinguishes him and brought him to the forefront of American literature. Hawthorne narrates a sinful woman's life in the tradition new America society. There are many wonderful characters in the novel and among all of them, Pearl is the most mysterious and had something original and symbolical in the story in her features. The girl is the bad result ... of the adultery between her parents, who can be considered as the symbol of the sin and scarlet letter. "However, wisely judging that one token of her...

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"The Scarlet Letter" tells the story of Hester Prynne's sin and all that came about from her daughter's being born because of adultery. The Puritan society, Dimmesdale's, and Hester's story takes place in a strict, hypocritical, and judgmental one. Their adulterous sin was one the puritans believed should have been punished by death. However, only Hester was punished as Dimmesdale kept his part of the sin a secret. Hester was ... forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" on all her clothing, as a symbol for her sin and shame. On the other side, Dimmesdale stayed away and was not punished at all. Bu...

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In the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale has committed the sin of adultery with Hester Prynne. The story begins with Hester coming out of a jail and being put on the scaffold for the sin she has committed with the cursed child in hand. The town is ashamed at her for this horrible act but they do not know who she has committed the crime with. Ironically, Reverend ... his mind he physically abuses himself. Because of the guilt that Chillingworth has brought out of Dimmesdale, The Reverend becomes mentally unstable. He begins to have visions. In one of ...

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Secret Sin Leads to Guilt In "The Scarlet Letter", Hawthorne depicts a way of life that no longer exists in today's society. It was a society of fear in a strict moral code. The morals, which were based on religious beliefs, were usually taken too seriously and gave birth to a generation of extremists known as puritans. Many puritans had ridiculously harsh punishments when a law ... had done for fear of punishment and rejection is clearly shown by Chillingworths" tormenting comments. Once secrets were out everyone in the community knew about it immediately. Hester cannot even bring herself t...

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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It is about a woman who was convicted on a horrible crimes back in the 17th century. This story has many themes within its binding. One of the very obvious themes is Civilization verses the Wilderness. In this story it seems like the civilization uses the wilderness to get away. They feel free there and they feel like there are no rules ... or laws in the forest. No one in the town knows what is done in the forest. The people in the town say the black man walks the forest. When they say the black man they are ref...

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... . His preaching grows stronger because he knows sin, but the townspeople see this as him being a God-sent angel. Angelic preachers do not always maintain their status, sometimes they fall. Lucifer had fallen from heaven to hell in the Bible due to his own sinning. He fell to shame as Hester had in The Scarlet Letter. If Dimmesdale were to fall from grace, what would ... the townspeople think? What truth is there if their own minister committed a heinous crime? Boston's angel is a sinner. As ... he sat on the scaffold, Dimmesdale thought about what would happen if he were on the scaffold...

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The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses three scaffold scenes to demonstrate an underlying theme of sin revealed, sin concealed. If hidden, sin will destroy, but if revealed sin can make a person stronger. The first scaffold scene depicts Hester and her child on a scaffold in front of the townspeople of Boston. For Hester, this forces her to reveal her sin. Because Hester reveals her ... thou stand here with mother and me, tomorrow noontide?" (Ch. XII), because Dimmesdale replies no. Pearl then laughs and becomes disgusted with the minister. Chillingworth sees the t...

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... his mind. In a word, it is about a story of how people deal with their sin. While Hawthorne concentrates more on sin in this novel, the love between Dimmesdale and Hester plays a significant part in it as well. A general inspection of The Scarlet Letter displays a requited love between Hester and Dimmesdale. However, a close reading shows that Dimmesdale does not love Hester sufficiently because he lacks ... the ability and courage to accept his responsibility, except in the moments before his death. Firstly, in some aspects, Dimmesdale sees his reputation more important than loving ......

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• Grade Level: High School

The Scarlet Letter is a story of characters that have to live and deal with the effects of sin in different ways. Of these characters, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is the character portrayed as the most weak and unnoble. Despite this portrayal Dimmesdale was a stronger character than given credit for. His unbelievable amount of control in his way of handling his burdens displays his great ... give Dimmesdale great strength, it is also his largest flaw. His body refuses to do what his heart says is right. Dimmesdale instructs Hester to reveal the truth, but when she refuses he doesnt have t...

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... having done something wrong, improper or immodest. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale struggles to overcome sin, guilt, and public shame in Puritan society. Arthur Dimmesdale reveals his guilt and shame towards the end of the novel when Hester and Pearl stand with him on the scaffold while he confesses his sin to the townspeople. To feel shame or guilt, one must have a clean ... , he shows physical pain from his shame. While they fight about whether or not Pearl is a devil child and should be taken away from Hester, Dimmesdale is described as, "the young...

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• Grade Level: High School

... frames The Scarlet Letter around three scaffold scenes in the beginning, middle and end of the novel; each scene occurs on different occasions and at different times. In all three scenes, however, the main characters Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth are united. The scenes become more intense as the involvement and interaction of each character progress. The first scaffold scene begins on an early summer morning. The ... must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one-(1342). While Dimmesdale awaited her appeal, he placed his hand over his heart "a habit the reader w...

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... Lord of the Flies, Crime and Punishment, The Scarlet Letter, and Pygmalion "The superficial nature of human moral systems" is a valid concern in society today. This has always been a factor in society that authors have felt the need to address. People see the hypocrisy in themselves and know that it exists in others. The manners that ... only do what is expected. If moral behavior is no longer expected, it will stop being practiced. A perfect example of this human hypocrisy lies in The Scarlet Letter's Arthur Dimmesdale. To his congregation, Dimmesdale is an icon of morality, but he kn...

• Word Count: 686
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• Grade Level: High School