Cody Didas STAARS for The Scarlet Letter

Note: It would not let me underline the names of books, therefore I italicized them.

S-Sinning

T-Although it may be difficult to admit to a sin, once admitted it can become an actual good thing as society may earn the respect back.

A-foreboding, harsh, critical

A-This would be directed toward anyone who has ever committed a sin and not opened up about it.

RS-Symbolism

Textual Evidence- "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. It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore..." (page 55). "We impute it, therefore, solely to the disease in his own eye and heart, that 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." (page 161)

Our class recently read The Scarlet Letter, a historical fiction book by Nathaniel Hawthorne that was 225 pages long. Hawthorne explains that although it may be difficult to admit to a sin, once the sin is admitted to then it may become a good thing as society may earn the respect back. He successfully uses symbolism throughout the book to explain this theme. "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. It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel which she wore..." (page 55). This quote is the narrator explaining the letter on Hester's bosom in the very beginning of the novel. Throughout the novel the letter is used to symbolize various things such as adultery, able, and eventually as a symbol of strength. In the beginning of the novel it is looked at as a symbol of adultery by the townspeople as they scorn Hester Prynne for her sins. While Pearl Prynne is growing up, Hester lives secluded from society, yet is very involved within the community as she does community service and is the main seamstress within the community, turning the symbol of the letter into able. Eventually once the townspeople begin to respect Hester they look to the letter as a sign of Hester's strength, for overcoming everything she has been through. Another object symbolized is the meteor that is seen by Dimmesdale while on the scaffold. "We impute it, therefore, solely to the disease in his own eye and heart, that 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" (page 161). Dimmesdale immediately interprets this as if he needs to wear a scarlet letter of his own as he believes that he is the equivalent of Hester, as he is the man she committed the adultery with. The few townspeople who see the meteor interpret it as a sign that the recently deceased Governor Winthrop has been taken by an angel to heaven. This shows how a certain object can symbolize different things for different people. Hawthorne's main intention was for the meteor to humble Dimmesdale and feel remorse for his sin.



Nathaniel Hawthorne says that although admitting to a sin maybe difficult, in the end you may benefit in The Scarlet Letter which is a historical fiction novel. "We impute it, therefore, solely to the diseas in his own eye and heart, that 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" (page 161). The symbolism of the meteor enhances this passage because the reader can feel the way Dimmesdale feels as he realizes that he has remorse for what he has done. The Scarlet Letter, is alike The Crucible because they are set in the same time period and place and both deal with covered up adultery, in The Crucible John Proctor tries to keep his affair with Abigail out of the public eye for as long as possible, the same occurs in The Scarlet Letter between Dimmesdale and Hester.


Question: How come Hester does not allow Pearl to go and give her kiss to Dimmesdale in the crowd?