... devil. Many see the "A" as something evil, as something for which Hester should be deeply ashamed about. But Hester accepts her punishment and because of the letter is able to build her character, making her courageous and strong willed. This "A" in a way, guides Hester and allows her to be who she is ... about the relationship between the two. Therefore, because of the incident, Dimmesdale also blames the act of adultery on himself and so he makes his own letter over his heart. Serving as a symbol that he shares the same pain as Hester and that Hester shouldn't be the only one who suffer...

• Word Count: 1035
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison." This is how the reader is introduced to Hester Prynne, the main character in the Scarlet Letter. As one reads the novel we see how she develops as a person. The reader feels the conflicts that the characters go through as they go through ... was: "Into my keeping, God gave her." His unique way of switching them around gave his writing style some interest, and variety. Hawthorne kept The Scarlet Letter with a very optimistic tone. Hester's glass was usually half full, as opposed to half empty. She was always trying to make the most ...

• Word Count: 914
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Solitude! Those had been her teachers -- stern and wild ones -- and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss." The scarlet letter "A" is Hester Prynne's American Express card, she cannot leave home without it. With the exception of one occasion, Hester is true to her badge ... Governor Bellingham's garden, in the sky on the night of Dimmesdale's scaffold vigil, continually little Pearl is pictured to be the scarlet letter personified, and the most dramatic of the "A"'s is that which is on Dimmesdale's chest when he reveals his chest and sin. As ... of unjust humiliation; to D...

• Word Count: 661
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... things such as crime and life, a simpler time with simple thoughts and people. 1.b. Discuss how the setting contributes to the believability of the novel. In The Scarlet Letter, the setting of Boston is surrounded by a, " vast and dismal forest" (68). The story could of taken place in a different place that has bodies of ... objective? How does he go about achieving his objective? What obstacles get in his way? How does he overcome them? In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Arthur Dimmesdale, and old minister, deals with the pain caused by his sin and dies in the end. Throughout t...

• Word Count: 781
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• Grade Level: High School

... name. "On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter "A"." pg. 51. Viewed from a Puritan perspective, she is a sinner, and sinners are the least moral and basically useless to the Puritan community ... . From my perspective, Hester is the most moral character in the Scarlet Letter. For that she follows her own morals, she cares for others more than herself. She rather suffers than reveal Dimmesdale, saving him from disgrace ... itself. "Such helpfulness was found in her - so much power to...

• Word Count: 833
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... . Hester Prynne's punishment was a short period in jail, three hours of public humiliation on the scaffold, and the requirement of wearing a scarlet letter "A" on her chest for the rest of her life, serving as "a living sermon against sin" (Hawthorne 69). After confessing her sin and ... the torture by Roger Chillingsworth; Hester's undisclosed husband and the town's physician. "Happy are you, Hester," says Dimmesdale, "that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret!" (188). As his shame and inner guilt increases, he suffers total decline, both mentally and phy...

• Word Count: 1175
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... torment in Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Throughout the book, the scaffold has been the symbol of puritan society's harsh punishment for sinners. The three scaffold scenes in The Scarlet Letter convey the theme of sin not being tolerated whatsoever in Puritan Society. Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is tormented throughout the story and in all three scenes with the scaffold. In the ... dull red light" (pg. (143). This serves as an alternate way of branding the A into Dimmesdale's mind. It is nighttime and Hester's scarlet letter is not visible, so the meteor's light reiterates the sym...

• Word Count: 598
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... throughout the story, such as Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale experienced isolation, the consequence of sin. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the theme with the greatest amount of emotional meaning and importance is isolation. Hester Prynne, the scarlet letter bearer who committed adultery, is the protagonist that experiences isolation the most throughout the novel. As the consequence of her sin, ... own family. At times, she is distant from Pearl emotionally because Hester is unable to tell her daughter the real meaning of the scarlet letter. Hester tells her that " I met the B...

• Word Count: 979
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... wee hours of the morning on the scaffold was the turning point of my impression of him. Pearl's role in the story, I felt, was the scarlet letter come to life. This is shown in several ways. She is a product of what Hester's red "A" represents and is usually dressed in shades of scarlet ... described as having elfish qualities about her. Elves are most commonly thought to be mischievous and evil, which are both characteristics of the adultery the scarlet letter represents. In my opinion, the most interesting aspect of Pearl's character is her reaction to seeing her mother without her bran...

• Word Count: 1043
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... prison where Hester spent the beginning of the story. Theme Openness vs. Concealment Secrecy, concealment, and deception almost always lead to suffering in The Scarlet Letter. The characters of Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth illustrate the negative effects of secrecy. Chillingworth's secret revenge changes him from a decent, scholarly man into ... sweet moral blossom that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow?.p.46 The Scarlet Letter: A small piece of red cloth, with a capital A embroidered in gold on it. Made by H...

• Word Count: 1015
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... to see the sin that other people hide. Whenever she faces these people she feels she can detect a certain reaction to the sight of the Scarlet Letter that betrays a sense of guilt. Feeling such guilt as this, Arthur Dimmesdale goes to stand in shame on the platform one night. In the gloomy ... discovery on Arthur's chest. What he sees is never revealed though out the entire story. Everyone is left wondering in puzzlement if what he saw was the letter "A" engraved in his chest or not . These incidents are used to create a mysterious atmosphere through the story. Finally, intuition is also...

• Word Count: 522
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... other a lowly embroiderer. They fall in love and create a child together out of wedlock. The society then rejects the mother, Hester Prynne, and forces her to wear a scarlet letter, the novel's namesake. Arthur Dimmesdale, the minister, stays quiet about this affair in fear that the society will similarly disown him. This novel focuses on the differences between these two ... while Hester becomes very peaceful and wise. This dramatic difference in characterization between the two lovers emphasizes the importance of cleansing oneself of sin. The writing structure in The Scarlet Letter als...

• Word Count: 890
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• Has Bibliography

The Effects Of Sin In The Scarlet Letter It is a fact that in time, we all have committed sins. The severity of the punishment is very difficult to agree on though. Some people ... sin was. However, what many people overlook is that people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, people have been punished. The Scarlet Letter is a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne which revolves around the theme of sin. Hester Prynne was a young woman living in a Puritan community in Salem, Massachusetts. Her husband, Roger ... was the birth of a daughter named Pearl. When the townspeop...

• Word Count: 512
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... Pearl. Chillingworth becomes a type of parasite, and one night Chillingworth finds Dimmesdale and touches his heart, feeling the burden on his heart, the scarlet letter. From that point in the story on, Chillingworth becomes obsessed with ruining Dimmesdale's life, slowly breaking him down emotionally. He admits that he wronged Hester ... for Hester's "sins-. Pearl's true emotions are held back in public, yet when in the forest, she feels free enough to recognize the scarlet letter's role in her life and is not afraid to hate Dimmesdale. She is true to herself and her emotions and allows...

• Word Count: 995
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... . Characters in this novel go through their lives struggling with themselves and trying to cope with the guilt and shame associated with their actions. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, "The Scarlet Letter," he shows the lasting effect that adultery has on Chillingworth Dimmesdale, and Hester. Roger Chillingworth's first reaction to the crime of adultery committed by Hester is one of shock, but ... to hold it all within himself. Hester Prynne's guilt is the result of her committing adultery, which has a profound effect on her life. Hester is publicly seen with the scarlet letter when she f...

• Word Count: 681
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... gone she has an affair with Arthur Dimmesdale, and the price of this sin was a beautiful girl which she names Pearl. Hester's punishment is wearing the letter "A" on her chest to remind her of this sin. Over the years Hester lives with the fact that she is not accepted by society and she manages ... It was the art - then and now, almost the only one within a woman's grasp - of needlework"(76). Hester's sewing ability is amazing, she even made her letter "A" the most beautiful "A" there was. All the women crave for her needlework. Even with this sin, Hester does not let it get her down, b...

• Word Count: 917
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... be a modern play written by Arthur Miller based on a true story, of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. On the other hand, The Scarlet Letter was an old-fashion, fiction novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Both of these books consist of abundant similarities such as, they deal with the guilt of ... to admit his act. The Puritans" culture and regulations played a significant role in both books. In The Crucible, as well as in the Scarlet Letter both groups of people were told to abide by certain rules of the Puritans. In both books, the women were told to live simple lives and ... . The pr...

• Word Count: 577
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... later that it became popular and a success as a book. Although Hawthorne wrote many novels, none of them were as successful as "The Scarlet Letter". It was set in Puritan Boston in the early years of a Massachusetts Bay Colony. Many things can affect what happens in a story and ... one of those things is setting. In the Scarlet Letter, there is the symbolic significance of various settings: the scaffold; the forest, which ironically becomes an oasis of freedom for Hester and Dimmesdale, though ... exhibits an unforgiving policy for those who do not do what Puritanism says is right and h...

• Word Count: 1003
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter is a story that shows a love that cannot be. "Mother," said little Pearl, "the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of ... see the love that cannot be. The sunshine is the love of a man (Arthur Dimmesdale) and it does just what Pearl says - it runs and hides itself from the scarlet letter. This love must be hidden because of practical reasons; such as Roger Chillingworth who is her husband is still alive. He knows about his wife and Arthur and he is ... way of them having an open relationship and he woul...

• Word Count: 381
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... their guilt and clear their conscience become productive members of society because they have reconnected with the rest of the human race. In The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the decision of the characters to either admit or hide the truth determines the quality of their lives. While Hester ... her repenting and punishment would be enough to gain her sanctity in the eyes of God, even though the Puritans held opposing beliefs. "The Scarlet Letter explicitly declares the impossibility of redemption for the sinner" (Morey, 24). If she did not let the colony share in her guilt, it...

• Word Count: 914
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Protagonist role in The Scarlet Letter " But (Hester) is not the protagonist, the chief actor, and the tragedy of The Scarlet Letter is not her tragedy but Arthur's. He is the persecuted one, the tempted one. He it was whom the sorrows of death encompassed . His public confession is one ... of the noblest climaxes of tragic literature." The argument over the protagonist role in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne runs undeniably deep. At first glance it appears that the protagonist of the story is Hester Prynn, however Randall Stewart has presented an argument that suggesur ... saying...

• Word Count: 855
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• Grade Level: High School

... in life, big or small, people try to make the best choices. However, despite good intentions, people often make poor choices. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the story about Hester Prynne, a woman who commits adultery and is filled with many feelings, including pride, surrounding that sin ... 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 the...

• Word Count: 1002
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• Grade Level: High School

... the poor and brings them food and clothing. By the end of the novel the "a" changed meanings from adultery to able. The shame attached to her scarlet letter is long gone. Throughout The Scarlet Letter Hester is portrayed as an intelligent, capable, but not necessarily extraordinary woman. It is the extraordinary circumstances shaping her that make her such an important figure. Dimmesdale ... even more of an icon than he was in life. Many believe his confession was a symbolic act, while others believe Dimmesdale's fate was an example of divine judgment. The Scarlet Letter defines the rel...

• Word Count: 968
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Analysis - Roger Chillingworth In Nathaniel Hawthorne"s The Scarlet Letter, a character by the name of Roger Chillingworth had committed the worst sin of all; he basically killed another character, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Everyone has been in a position where they have ... days later, Chillingworth found Dimmesdale asleep in a chair. Chillingworth silently moved in on Dimmesdale. Once Chillingworth had reached Dimmesdale's body, he swiftly removed Dimmesdale's church robe and saw the scarlet letter on the chest before him, which ended Chillingworth's search for the father of Pearl....

• Word Count: 576
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... Dimmesdale has a difficult time finding a way to relieve his sin. The Scarlet Letter's scaffold holds more importance than just somewhere to condemn prisoners, and, for Dimmesdale, it is a place to find peace. It is the one place where Dimmesdale felt liberated to say ... Puritan culture, the scaffold is used to humiliate and discipline prisoners, be it witches at the stake, thieves in the stocks, or a murderer hanging from the gallows. In The Scarlet Letter, the scaffold was viewed more as a place of judgment, "Meagre, indeed, and cold was the sympathy that a transgressor might look f...

• Word Count: 723
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School