The Child at the Brook Side
“She had flung it into infinite space! -… here again was the scarlet misery, glittering on the old spot…her beauty, her warmth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a grey shadow seemed to fall across her” (Hawthorne 166).
Analysis- Before Hester called Pearl to see the minister, she removed the scarlet letter from her bosom and the sun that used to hide from her once came upon her which signifies/suggests that nature (God) has forgiven. But she puts on the letter and the sun (nature- God) departs from her again because she has associated herself with sin (scarlet letter). On the other hand, pearl does not go back to her mother because she does not see the scarlet letter in her bosom, she is skeptical of why the letter is no more there. Pearl’s refusal to return to her mother suggests that sin, the scarlet letter, is a part of her mother’s identity and cannot just be thrown away, it can’t be run from. It ties to the puritan’s belief of predestination which means that your destiny is already foreordained by God. Hester cannot just throw away the scarlet letter because she once embraced it and it is now part of her. The only way that she can be free of it is if she explains to Hester why she is wearing the letter. Pearl is parallel with nature, they welcomed honesty and this is what Hester needs to do with pearl, she needs to be honest with her and that is how she is going to be free from the letter.
The Minister in a Maze
“Then flinging the already written pages of the election sermon into the fire, he forthwith began another, which he wrote with such impulsive flow of thought and emotion” (Hawthorne 176).
Analysis- in previous chapter, Minister Dimmesdale did not have a peace of mind, such can be seen where he punishes himself physically and emotionally because of his hidden seen, but not anymore. The meeting with Hester in the woods has changed him. The motion of him throwing away the old sermon that was written and begins to write a new one reveals that and his life, anew. This is similar the saying in the New Testament, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians). Dimmesdale is enlighten with his encounter with Hester and pearl and feels like he has being born again, like he has become a new creature. His only prayer is that Heaven accepts him, but still he is a hypocrite because he has refuse to join hand with the mother and daughter in public and he is still preaching as a sinner to a congregation.
The New England Holiday
“ But at that instant she beheld old Roger Chillingworth himself, standing in the remotest comer of the market-place and smiling on her; a smile which--across the wide and bustling square, and through all the talk and laughter, and various thoughts, moods, and interests of the crowd--conveyed secret and fearful meaning” (Hawthorne 183).
Analysis--- Chillingworth is at the climax of his revenge. Context clue provides the reader that Chillingworth already knows that the Minister knows about his secret and is about to reveal the secret of the Minister. This is very Ironic because as he reveals Dimmesdale secret, he will also reveal the secret of him being Hester’s former husband. This is what happens when the two biggest sinners in the community lives together, their sin feeds on each other. Chillingworth has been devoured by hate and the need for revenge (preyed on the soul of the minister because he blames him for his current predicament, but Hawthorne lets us know that Roger Chillingworth and Hester never had a reasonable connection as husband and wife). He is no longer what the puritans define as human. His secrets and lies in the service of righteous revenge have made him worse than Miss Hibbins who is a servant of the black man
The Procession
“They say, child, thou are the art of the linage of the prince of the air” (Hawthorne 189).
Analysis--- This has a lot of interpretation. First When pearl was born, she was conceived by the sin her mother, Hester did which was adultery and has been an outcast of the puritan society. In previous chapters, she has been associated by the devil ( the demon offspring/ the elf child) which was why the minister Wilson almost took her away from Hester, the fact that she is not accepted in the puritans society links her to the devil which is miss Hibbins tell her that her father is the prince of the air. Another interpretation would be that since Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale are sinners, and the puritan’s belief of predestination condemns them, there are not servants of the devil which her father will be the prince of the air. The prince can also be Dimmesdale because he is committing a bi(gger sin by not confessing his sin, but further more going to preach to the people of God. Miss Hibbins says she can always tell a servant of the Black Man, and that both Hester and Dimmesdale are such servants.
The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter
“A spell was broken ... her tears fell upon her father's cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor for ever do battle with the world, but be a woman towards it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl's errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled” (Hawthorne 198).
Analysis--- The revelation of Dimmesdale sin and the scarlet letter does not only free him from the prison that he built for himself and the destruction that was to come from Chillingworth, at the same time, Chillingworth also losses his chance for revenge. Dimmesdale confession also frees Pearl from the chains of the scarlet letter that once bound her from society. She was once called the child of sin (adultery and lust and ignominy), but she is now the child of passion and love. Dimmesdale confession couldn’t save his life, but it does save Pearl. It connects her to humanity (Puritans). The reader can infer that pearl is going to have a better life that they thought at the beginning of the book.
Conclusion
“All his strength and energy—all his vital and intellectual force— seemed at once to desert him…This unhappy man had made the very principle of his life to consist in the pursuit and systematic exercise of revenge; and when by "its completes! Triumph and consummation, that evil principle was left with no further material to support it, when, in short, there was no more Devil's work on earth for him to do” (Hawthorne 202).
Analysis--- The audience can now understand why Roger Chillingworth was called the black man and the leech. First he was called the black man because she acted and looked like him. Revenge is a sin and Chillingworth was driven by the sin that it became his food, his motives and action depended on the thought of revenge. His physical transformation also depicts why he is called the black man. The fact that Dimmesdale continued to get worse with Chillingworth by his side puts him in the position .The other reason that he is called the leech is because leeches feed on blood and the blood that he used to feed o (literary) was that of Reverend Dimmesdale and now that the man is dead, he does not have any one to feed off on so he (being the leech) dies. Roger Chillingworth depended on Dimmesdale sin to live and now that the sin has been confessed and he did not get his revenge, there is not work left to be done but to die. Chillingworth can be compare to the devil in John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy”. Chillingworth came to destroy Dimmesdale, his plan was part of the reason that Dimmesdale died.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Scarlet Letter Analysis 2
The Governor’s Hall
“On the supposition that Pearl, as already hinted, was of demon origin, these good people not unreasonably argued that a Christian interest in the mother’s soul required them to remove such a stumbling-block from her path. If the child, on the other hand, were really capable of moral and religious growth, and possessed the elements of ultimate salvation, then, surely, it would enjoy all the fairer prospect of these advantages by being transferred to wiser and better guardianship than Hester Prynne’s ” (Hawthorne 81).
Analysis— after puritans have judged and humiliate her, they are now consigned about the warfare of Hester and Pearl. This is an act of Puritan hypocrisy. It also tells of their life style. They believe that they can purify people’s life and make it better so that God can find favor in the sight of the person. Pearl is being condemned because they know that her mother is the sinner, but will still condemn her if they find out that she is the daughter of a religious man. In this chapter, Hawthorne talks about the hypocrisies of the Puritan society.
The Elf Child and the Minister
“I must tarry at home keep watch over my little Pearl, had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest and signed my name in the Black Man’s book” (Hawthorne 93).
Analysis- Here again the black man’s book refers to the book of the devil and Prynne has being asked to join the club that Mistress Hibbins has associated with herself. Prynne declines the offer saying that she has to take care of Pearl means that Pearl has saved her mother from another of the black man’s temptation, The first being the sin of adultery. An Anomaly seen in this text also is that, the society abandons Hester Prynne after they learnt of her sin and almost took her daughter away from her saying she was a demon, but yet the Miss Hibbins is being protected by the law even when it is publicly known that she goes to a witch gathering. Hawthorns imply that the ranking of one’s statue or the family in which they come from matters in the society of the puritans.
The Leech
“This purpose once effected, new interests would immediately spring up, and likewise a new purpose; dark, it is true, if not guilty, but of force enough to engage the full strength of his faculties” (Hawthorne 95).
“Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face, which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight, the oftener they looked upon him… the fire in his laboratory had been brought from the lower regions, and was fed with infernal fuel; …his visage was getting sooty with the smoke” (Hawthorne 101).
Analysis- Hawthorne reveals that Mr. Dimmesdale hides a secret and it is causing him pain by which he holds his chest, just as Prynne chest is marked with the letter A. Roger Chillingworth is up for revenge which is a sin hence his changing from good to bad as seen by the public. They both are keeping secrets; they both suffer inner and physical pain. In keeping secrets to hide their sins and conform to social pressure, they cause their bodies, their natures, to wither and die. Chillingworth’s motive is not to help the minister but to divulge his deepest secret; his motive is disastrous and he has already committed two sins which are planning evil thoughts and lying. The devil wants to destroy and kill so does Chillingworth towards Mr. Dimmesdale linking to being called the Black Man. What is really interesting is that at this scene Hawthorne puts the two worst sinners in the same room, sin feeding on sin and as a result, instead of being heal, one is dying and the other is being linked to the devil.
The Leech and his Patient
“Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother, or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!” (Hawthorne 107).
Analysis- Once again Chillingworth is being referred to as the black man who publicizes his motive. Pearl also is seen to be in favor with God as she said that the Black Man can not touch her but it can touch her mother, she has again protected her mother the devil’s harm’s way. In the other hand, Chillingworth had gotten hold of the minister and will make him suffer. This can be tried back to when Chillingworth visited Hester in her cell. She asked him if he hath come for her soul and he said no, but for another’s soul which would be the heart of his maliciousness. He now fulfills this evil promise towards the reverend: even the townspeople now regard him as the Devil come to tempt and torment their righteous reverend.
The Interior of a Heart
“I, who have laid the hand of baptism upon your children,—I, who have breathed the parting prayer over your dying friends, to whom the Amen sounded faintly from a world which they had quitted,—I, your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie!” (Hawthorne 114).
Analysis- Mr. Dimmesdale had become confused in cycle of abomination (sin of adultery and lying). He is a hypocrite because preaches to his congregation about sin as yet he has not confess his own sin, but let Hester continue to take the blame. As he preaches about sin, the puritans are fast to condemn a sinner, but they cannot identify one. Mr. Dimmesdale does not have the heart to confess what he has done and the only want for him to let it out is to preach about it in the church. He constantly punishes himself physically and emotionally, meaning that he has let his secret bring him down spiritually and physically. This has also led him to doubts and self- hatred (whipping and punishing himself). The secret that he kept from everyone to conserve his reputation is weaken him and making him a false preacher, it is also tormenting him.
The Minister’s Virgil
“the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there was the appearance of an immense letter,-- the letter A—marked out in line of dull red light” “come good sir my friend, I pray you, let me lead you home” (Hawthorne 123-124).
Analysis- It is clear that both Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale share the same sin because he goes to confess his sin privately where Hester has being humiliated publicly. Hawthorne use of nature (God) revealing the letter A and red light out of the sky in enough to gather evidence that Mr. Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl and has also committed the sin of adultery. This scene can be linked to the bible when John the Baptist Baptized Jesus, then there was a light that shined upon him and the dove which came from heaven. God was celebrating his son in that scene. Therefore, in this scene, nature is telling Mr. Dimmesdale to celebrate the scarlet letter just as Hester Prynne did earlier; she was proud (on the outside) and embraced it because it was her fault, but instead he decided to follow the man who has being linked as the Black man. Mr. Dimmesdale has therefore accepted and chosen sin over repentance, and the truth.
Another View of Hester
“It was due in part to all these causes, but still more to something else, that there seemed to be no longer anything in Hester’s face for Love to dwell upon; nothing in Hester’s form, though majestic and statue-like, that Passion would ever dream of clasping in its embrace; nothing in Hester’s bosom, to make it ever again the pillow of Affection” (Hawthorne 128).
Analysis- The public cannot accept Hester even though she had change because of their belief in predestination, she will always be a sinner and that was her identity. By withholding forgiveness, Puritanism makes it pointless for sinners to stop sinning. Also she is strike by Mr. Dimmesdale oddly behavior, should she help the man who caused her the burden of caring the letter and break the promise that she made to Chillingworth. She does not see the value of living if she cannot change he corrupt way in society.
“On the supposition that Pearl, as already hinted, was of demon origin, these good people not unreasonably argued that a Christian interest in the mother’s soul required them to remove such a stumbling-block from her path. If the child, on the other hand, were really capable of moral and religious growth, and possessed the elements of ultimate salvation, then, surely, it would enjoy all the fairer prospect of these advantages by being transferred to wiser and better guardianship than Hester Prynne’s ” (Hawthorne 81).
Analysis— after puritans have judged and humiliate her, they are now consigned about the warfare of Hester and Pearl. This is an act of Puritan hypocrisy. It also tells of their life style. They believe that they can purify people’s life and make it better so that God can find favor in the sight of the person. Pearl is being condemned because they know that her mother is the sinner, but will still condemn her if they find out that she is the daughter of a religious man. In this chapter, Hawthorne talks about the hypocrisies of the Puritan society.
The Elf Child and the Minister
“I must tarry at home keep watch over my little Pearl, had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest and signed my name in the Black Man’s book” (Hawthorne 93).
Analysis- Here again the black man’s book refers to the book of the devil and Prynne has being asked to join the club that Mistress Hibbins has associated with herself. Prynne declines the offer saying that she has to take care of Pearl means that Pearl has saved her mother from another of the black man’s temptation, The first being the sin of adultery. An Anomaly seen in this text also is that, the society abandons Hester Prynne after they learnt of her sin and almost took her daughter away from her saying she was a demon, but yet the Miss Hibbins is being protected by the law even when it is publicly known that she goes to a witch gathering. Hawthorns imply that the ranking of one’s statue or the family in which they come from matters in the society of the puritans.
The Leech
“This purpose once effected, new interests would immediately spring up, and likewise a new purpose; dark, it is true, if not guilty, but of force enough to engage the full strength of his faculties” (Hawthorne 95).
“Now, there was something ugly and evil in his face, which they had not previously noticed, and which grew still the more obvious to sight, the oftener they looked upon him… the fire in his laboratory had been brought from the lower regions, and was fed with infernal fuel; …his visage was getting sooty with the smoke” (Hawthorne 101).
Analysis- Hawthorne reveals that Mr. Dimmesdale hides a secret and it is causing him pain by which he holds his chest, just as Prynne chest is marked with the letter A. Roger Chillingworth is up for revenge which is a sin hence his changing from good to bad as seen by the public. They both are keeping secrets; they both suffer inner and physical pain. In keeping secrets to hide their sins and conform to social pressure, they cause their bodies, their natures, to wither and die. Chillingworth’s motive is not to help the minister but to divulge his deepest secret; his motive is disastrous and he has already committed two sins which are planning evil thoughts and lying. The devil wants to destroy and kill so does Chillingworth towards Mr. Dimmesdale linking to being called the Black Man. What is really interesting is that at this scene Hawthorne puts the two worst sinners in the same room, sin feeding on sin and as a result, instead of being heal, one is dying and the other is being linked to the devil.
The Leech and his Patient
“Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother, or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!” (Hawthorne 107).
Analysis- Once again Chillingworth is being referred to as the black man who publicizes his motive. Pearl also is seen to be in favor with God as she said that the Black Man can not touch her but it can touch her mother, she has again protected her mother the devil’s harm’s way. In the other hand, Chillingworth had gotten hold of the minister and will make him suffer. This can be tried back to when Chillingworth visited Hester in her cell. She asked him if he hath come for her soul and he said no, but for another’s soul which would be the heart of his maliciousness. He now fulfills this evil promise towards the reverend: even the townspeople now regard him as the Devil come to tempt and torment their righteous reverend.
The Interior of a Heart
“I, who have laid the hand of baptism upon your children,—I, who have breathed the parting prayer over your dying friends, to whom the Amen sounded faintly from a world which they had quitted,—I, your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie!” (Hawthorne 114).
Analysis- Mr. Dimmesdale had become confused in cycle of abomination (sin of adultery and lying). He is a hypocrite because preaches to his congregation about sin as yet he has not confess his own sin, but let Hester continue to take the blame. As he preaches about sin, the puritans are fast to condemn a sinner, but they cannot identify one. Mr. Dimmesdale does not have the heart to confess what he has done and the only want for him to let it out is to preach about it in the church. He constantly punishes himself physically and emotionally, meaning that he has let his secret bring him down spiritually and physically. This has also led him to doubts and self- hatred (whipping and punishing himself). The secret that he kept from everyone to conserve his reputation is weaken him and making him a false preacher, it is also tormenting him.
The Minister’s Virgil
“the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there was the appearance of an immense letter,-- the letter A—marked out in line of dull red light” “come good sir my friend, I pray you, let me lead you home” (Hawthorne 123-124).
Analysis- It is clear that both Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale share the same sin because he goes to confess his sin privately where Hester has being humiliated publicly. Hawthorne use of nature (God) revealing the letter A and red light out of the sky in enough to gather evidence that Mr. Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl and has also committed the sin of adultery. This scene can be linked to the bible when John the Baptist Baptized Jesus, then there was a light that shined upon him and the dove which came from heaven. God was celebrating his son in that scene. Therefore, in this scene, nature is telling Mr. Dimmesdale to celebrate the scarlet letter just as Hester Prynne did earlier; she was proud (on the outside) and embraced it because it was her fault, but instead he decided to follow the man who has being linked as the Black man. Mr. Dimmesdale has therefore accepted and chosen sin over repentance, and the truth.
Another View of Hester
“It was due in part to all these causes, but still more to something else, that there seemed to be no longer anything in Hester’s face for Love to dwell upon; nothing in Hester’s form, though majestic and statue-like, that Passion would ever dream of clasping in its embrace; nothing in Hester’s bosom, to make it ever again the pillow of Affection” (Hawthorne 128).
Analysis- The public cannot accept Hester even though she had change because of their belief in predestination, she will always be a sinner and that was her identity. By withholding forgiveness, Puritanism makes it pointless for sinners to stop sinning. Also she is strike by Mr. Dimmesdale oddly behavior, should she help the man who caused her the burden of caring the letter and break the promise that she made to Chillingworth. She does not see the value of living if she cannot change he corrupt way in society.
Scarlet Letter Analysis
The Prison Door
“The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness the might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison” (Hawthorne 41).
Analysis— Hawthorne lays out the main mission of the puritans in colony, to create a Utopia society that excluded sin. Puritans came from England because they wanted to purify the church, they came to New England to have a better society and be away from sin. They believe that people are born sinners and in the “Utopia” that they want to create, the puritans built a prison and a cemetery because they know that people are capable of committing sin and bad behavior. This way they are able to keep those who will stop them from purifying the community and getting in closer to God away from the “righteous” people. According to Hawthorns description of the jailhouse and people, in the puritan’s society, sin created a stain on the most divine trait of the human life. People who committed sin make the society a dark place. Sin links to cemetery which is associated with death.
The Market Place
“She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes!—these were her realities,—all else had vanished” (Hawthorne 50).
Analysis— the letter A stands for adulterer which (foreshadowing) is the sin that Hester Prynne has committed. The fact that she touches the baby and the letter afterwards lets the reader know that Prynne is surrounded by the symbols of sin and in question she asks herself if this is going to be her life. The baby, Pearl is the result of her being an adulterer and the scarlet letter puts her on the spot as a sinner. Reader can infer that the theme of this particular quote is sin because after she thinks about the life (past, present and future), Hawthorne directs her focus back to the symbols that are used to judge her, and in this case, it is the baby and the letter. Pearl is far the most important sin right now, but the townspeople are focus on the letter which leads to the failure of them to see the main consequences of Prynne’s action which is the baby because this child was conceived in sin.
The Recognition
“Speak, woman!” said another voice, coldly and sternly, proceeding from the crowd about the scaffold. “Speak; and give your child a father!” “And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!” (Hawthorne 57).
Analysis— there are two reason why would not talk about the father of the baby. First from the way Hawthorne describes Mr. Dimmesdale expression, he is highly suspect of being the father of the baby and Prynne does not want him to suffer the kind of prejudice that she is having right now and another reason is that she is scared just like the Kingston’s aunt from “No Name woman”. The puritans have a patriarchal society. Hester Prynne said that her child will seek heavenly father because she knows that even men that are associated with high statue in religion can fall to sin such as Mr. Dimmesdale who might be the father and Governor Bellingham. This way Hawthorne lets the reader know that Pearl instead of being a bad symbol in the community, she will blossom like the rose from chapter one since she is associated with heaven. Puritans, like the prison, are supposed to hate sin, but seem to thrive on it. All they want to do is watch sinners get punished and even executed which is the main reason they want her to divulge who the father of the baby is.
The interview
“Why dost thou smile so at me?” inquired Hester, troubled at the expression of his eyes. “Art thou like the Black Man that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?” ((Hawthorne 63)
Analysis— before this scene Chillingworth has forced Prynne not to reveal who he is and not to tell the mystery man about his presence, by doing this he has forced Hester to become the keeper of everyone’s secrets. Unlike Bellingham and Wilson, who are ignorant Chillingworth, seeks revenge and destruction, the way of the devil in John 10:10. His physical deformity mirrors his spiritual deformity. As Hester suggests, he is like the “Black Man,” because he lures others into sin. Hawthorne uses dramatic irony to let the reader know what the motives of Chillingworth are. Strangely the book describes him as an intelligent man, but also links him to the devil, it therefore emphases that knowledge without love is the greatest evil. The devil does not have compassion and so is Chillingworth who smiles at Prynne in her darkest moment and have already began to plot evil in his mind. This is the sin of deceit and envy.
Hester at her needle
“but it is not recorded that, in a single instance, her skill was called in aid to embroider the white veil which was to cover the pure blushes of a bride. The exception indicated the ever relentless vigor with which society frowned upon her sin” (Hawthorne 68).
Analysis— Hester chooses to live near the woods, on the border between forest and the town, is a metaphor that puts her somewhere between being a person or morality and immorality. She makes clothes for people, even dead people, but she can’t make clothes for marriage ceremony because she does show the example of being a married woman. The community did not want other women to emulate the actions of Hester so that the utopia community can survive. This action also lets the readers know that the society as a whole condemns her. She is not allowed to associate with beggars.
Pearl
“the talk of the neighboring townspeople; who, seeking vainly elsewhere for the child’s paternity, and observing some of her odd attributes, had given out that poor little Pearl was a demon offspring (Hawthorne 79).
Analysis— Hester has passed on her own defiant “sinful” spirit to her daughter. The Puritans condemn Pearl, an innocent child. Each time she interacts with Pearl, Hester is forced to reconsider the life she has chosen for herself. Pearl is both the sign of Hester’s shame and her greatest treasure. They have condemned pearl because she is the daughter of an adulterer, she was brought into this world be accident. But pearl is also linked as having a heavenly father which means that though she is rejected by the society, she is not rejected by God which means that a good will come from her. Jesus Christ came to redeem the people from sin and was rejected by his people, but him having a heaven father made him have an earthly propose that helped people. Pearl’s existence also suggests that out of sin comes treasure. This idea is reinforced by Hester’s needlework: out of necessity born of shame, luxury and beauty are crafted.
“The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness the might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison” (Hawthorne 41).
Analysis— Hawthorne lays out the main mission of the puritans in colony, to create a Utopia society that excluded sin. Puritans came from England because they wanted to purify the church, they came to New England to have a better society and be away from sin. They believe that people are born sinners and in the “Utopia” that they want to create, the puritans built a prison and a cemetery because they know that people are capable of committing sin and bad behavior. This way they are able to keep those who will stop them from purifying the community and getting in closer to God away from the “righteous” people. According to Hawthorns description of the jailhouse and people, in the puritan’s society, sin created a stain on the most divine trait of the human life. People who committed sin make the society a dark place. Sin links to cemetery which is associated with death.
The Market Place
“She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes!—these were her realities,—all else had vanished” (Hawthorne 50).
Analysis— the letter A stands for adulterer which (foreshadowing) is the sin that Hester Prynne has committed. The fact that she touches the baby and the letter afterwards lets the reader know that Prynne is surrounded by the symbols of sin and in question she asks herself if this is going to be her life. The baby, Pearl is the result of her being an adulterer and the scarlet letter puts her on the spot as a sinner. Reader can infer that the theme of this particular quote is sin because after she thinks about the life (past, present and future), Hawthorne directs her focus back to the symbols that are used to judge her, and in this case, it is the baby and the letter. Pearl is far the most important sin right now, but the townspeople are focus on the letter which leads to the failure of them to see the main consequences of Prynne’s action which is the baby because this child was conceived in sin.
The Recognition
“Speak, woman!” said another voice, coldly and sternly, proceeding from the crowd about the scaffold. “Speak; and give your child a father!” “And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one!” (Hawthorne 57).
Analysis— there are two reason why would not talk about the father of the baby. First from the way Hawthorne describes Mr. Dimmesdale expression, he is highly suspect of being the father of the baby and Prynne does not want him to suffer the kind of prejudice that she is having right now and another reason is that she is scared just like the Kingston’s aunt from “No Name woman”. The puritans have a patriarchal society. Hester Prynne said that her child will seek heavenly father because she knows that even men that are associated with high statue in religion can fall to sin such as Mr. Dimmesdale who might be the father and Governor Bellingham. This way Hawthorne lets the reader know that Pearl instead of being a bad symbol in the community, she will blossom like the rose from chapter one since she is associated with heaven. Puritans, like the prison, are supposed to hate sin, but seem to thrive on it. All they want to do is watch sinners get punished and even executed which is the main reason they want her to divulge who the father of the baby is.
The interview
“Why dost thou smile so at me?” inquired Hester, troubled at the expression of his eyes. “Art thou like the Black Man that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?” ((Hawthorne 63)
Analysis— before this scene Chillingworth has forced Prynne not to reveal who he is and not to tell the mystery man about his presence, by doing this he has forced Hester to become the keeper of everyone’s secrets. Unlike Bellingham and Wilson, who are ignorant Chillingworth, seeks revenge and destruction, the way of the devil in John 10:10. His physical deformity mirrors his spiritual deformity. As Hester suggests, he is like the “Black Man,” because he lures others into sin. Hawthorne uses dramatic irony to let the reader know what the motives of Chillingworth are. Strangely the book describes him as an intelligent man, but also links him to the devil, it therefore emphases that knowledge without love is the greatest evil. The devil does not have compassion and so is Chillingworth who smiles at Prynne in her darkest moment and have already began to plot evil in his mind. This is the sin of deceit and envy.
Hester at her needle
“but it is not recorded that, in a single instance, her skill was called in aid to embroider the white veil which was to cover the pure blushes of a bride. The exception indicated the ever relentless vigor with which society frowned upon her sin” (Hawthorne 68).
Analysis— Hester chooses to live near the woods, on the border between forest and the town, is a metaphor that puts her somewhere between being a person or morality and immorality. She makes clothes for people, even dead people, but she can’t make clothes for marriage ceremony because she does show the example of being a married woman. The community did not want other women to emulate the actions of Hester so that the utopia community can survive. This action also lets the readers know that the society as a whole condemns her. She is not allowed to associate with beggars.
Pearl
“the talk of the neighboring townspeople; who, seeking vainly elsewhere for the child’s paternity, and observing some of her odd attributes, had given out that poor little Pearl was a demon offspring (Hawthorne 79).
Analysis— Hester has passed on her own defiant “sinful” spirit to her daughter. The Puritans condemn Pearl, an innocent child. Each time she interacts with Pearl, Hester is forced to reconsider the life she has chosen for herself. Pearl is both the sign of Hester’s shame and her greatest treasure. They have condemned pearl because she is the daughter of an adulterer, she was brought into this world be accident. But pearl is also linked as having a heavenly father which means that though she is rejected by the society, she is not rejected by God which means that a good will come from her. Jesus Christ came to redeem the people from sin and was rejected by his people, but him having a heaven father made him have an earthly propose that helped people. Pearl’s existence also suggests that out of sin comes treasure. This idea is reinforced by Hester’s needlework: out of necessity born of shame, luxury and beauty are crafted.
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