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The scarlet letter

            
             The Scarlet letter is a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
             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 referring to the unknown or maybe even evil. They come to this conclusion mainly.
             because they really don't know what lies within the forest. It is an uncontrolled territory. It is.
             natural and nobody can control it. The Puritan church cannot control the forest so they say it is.
             evil. .
             Hester's house lies on the outskirts of town , yet at the edge of the forest. I think.
             Hawthorne did this very consciously. She lived in that spot because she felt somewhat free being.
             so close to the forest. She almost felt could live her without being part of the town, but yet a very.
             small part of her felt like she was controlled by them.
             Hester and Dimmesdale met in the woods once. Although they were so emotionally beat.
             down by everyone in the town, they felt free because of where they were. They were in the middle.
             of the forest and at that moment nothing else mattered. Nothing from the town mattered, nothing.
             in the past mattered, and nothing in the future mattered. All they cared about was their love for.
             each other and their pride and joy, Pearl. They again felt like the young lovers they used to be,.
             before she was convicted of adultery. They wouldn't be able to feel this way anywhere else but.
             where they were, the forest.
             The contrast of the wilderness to the civilization played a huge part in this novel. It.
             showed how the Puritans lived back then. It showed how they felt so confined and restricted from.


Essays Related to The scarlet letter

1. The Scarlet Letter - Symbol of the Letter "A"

... "hieroglyph" to refer to the scarlet letter. "Token" indicates that the sign is real evidence while "hieroglyph" implies art and mystery since the identity of the scarlet letter is revealed towards the end of the novel (Hawthorne 543). The letter "A" itself has many meanings contained within itself so therefore has different effects to Hester. The scarlet letter, "the burning reminder between the past and present", had many ... affected by her daughter, Pearl. Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne, is the symbol of the illegitimate relationship Hester had and is considered a sin in Purit...

  • Word Count: 1468
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography

2. A Letter

... if you have to instigate your own punishment then it is less severe in a physical sense. Over time though as people start to forget the actual meaning of the scarlet letter, its meaning begins to change. "The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her "so much power to do, and power to sympathize "that many ... iron. I shuddered, and involuntarily let it fall upon the floor.""(Hawthorne 21). Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. A red c...

  • Word Count: 1536
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Hester's Heroinism in The Scarlet Letter

... them. Person sees this as favorite subject of Hawthorne's as he recalls "Dimmesdale's temptation to blight a young girl's innocence with a single word" (123) and compares it to Hawthorne considering "The Scarlet Letter "a triumphant success" because it had such an effect on [his wife] Sophia that it broke her heart and sent her to bed with a grevious headache" (122). Whether or not Person ... is female, but why there are two different words to describe males and females in this realm is another essay. The reason why I feel empowered by Hester after reading The Scarlet Letter comes from t...

  • Word Count: 3565
  • Approx Pages: 14
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

4. A Letter

... if you have to instigate your own punishment then it is less severe in a physical sense. Over time though as people start to forget the actual meaning of the scarlet letter, its meaning begins to change. "The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her "so much power to do, and power to sympathize "that many ... iron. I shuddered, and involuntarily let it fall upon the floor.""(Hawthorne 21). Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. A red c...

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

5. Scarlet Letter

... and scream at them. With toys, Pearl always plays games in which she destroys everything. Hawthorne points out that the first thing Pearl saw in her infancy was the scarlet letter. As a baby she even reached up and touched the letter, causing her mother intense agony at the shame it generated in her. Pearl later played a game where she threw flowers at her mother and jumped ... then embroidered with gold thread. Hawthorne comments that, "the child's whole appearance...was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!" When the children in the town try to thro...

  • Word Count: 5572
  • Approx Pages: 22
  • Grade Level: High School

6. The Scarlett A

... of Hester's scarlet letter. Although the sense of the meaning "adulteress" is constant, the metaphoric, emotional, and moralistic meanings of the scarlet letter vary from positive to negative interpretations throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter. The Puritan community was a dark, strict society, feeling indifferent to the humanity of the woman standing before them on the scaffold, with her infant daughter against her chest. The beautifully embroidered letter does not glow in the eyes of the people. The letter shapes the way they look ... at Hester and the ... ...

  • Word Count: 1352
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Distortion in the Scarlet Letter

... for her sin. The effect that this distortion of the letter produces is that the audience is left to try to draw the conclusion from the story by following the themes and seeing how the distortion itself can heighten our responses to the actions of the novel. The Scarlet Letter is very distorted in its depiction of the appearance of the letter, the meaning of the letter, and the affect that the letter has on other people. The appearance of the Scarlet Letter is very mysterious ... so surreal in this story that it is almost bigger then life and means a lot to the story as a whole. The Sca...

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

8. Symbolism in the Scarlet Letter

... or a consequence for Hester, but also is the un-flawed character in the novel. Finally, the letter "A" is the consequence of Hester's sin of adultery which stays with her throughout the novel. Blatantly the most obvious of the three symbols, the scarlet letter "A" contains the most power, as it is the basis for the theme of the book, which is sin and its consequences. Although Pearl was a consequence, the scarlet letter which Hester wore upon her bosom became ... part of her personality and identity. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, there are many symbols, but the forest, Pearl, and the a...

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

9. The Scarlet Letter

... , Hester must wear the Scarlet Letter "A" on her bosom for the remainder of her life. Hawthorne also uses many literary elements in The Scarlet Letter, such as symbolism and irony. The Scarlet Letter, pearl, and sunshine are examples of symbolism. What is ironic about The Scarlet Letter is that Hester holds both the role as sinner and saint. Hester Pyrne, after being found guilty of committing adultery, must wear the Scarlet Letter "A" on her bosom ... birth to her daughter, Pearl. Pearl's name is also an example of symbolism. Her name means she came of great cost; all Hester had. Pearl ...

  • Word Count: 634
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

10. Criticism of the Scarlet Letter

... be simplified with other words more commonly known to others. The importance of shorter words can make the reader appreciate the Scarlet Letter more. Because of Hawthorne's complex language The Scarlet Letter cannot be read by the person. If the average person is able to read the Scarlet Letter they miss out on some of the key allegorical and symbolic concepts because of the language barrier. The Scarlet Letter is a great story and should be able to be ... understood by everyone not just a select few. In conclusion, the Scarlet Letter's lack of details, excessive complication, and uncle...

  • Word Count: 424
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

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