The Scarlet Letter Symbolism

Symbolism at it’s best is limitless in conveying a feeling, mood, or atmoshphere that words alone can not define. It can trigger emotion, persuade the reader to question everything they know thus far, or inflict thoughts that, in the most twisted sense of the story, would seem barely justified. Symboloism reaches out to the reader … Read more

Liberalism How Hawthorne Joins the Fight

Liberalism, as a political philosophy, can be traced as the foundation to several theories that were circulating the American nation during the mid-nineteenth century. This political ideology embraces a strong repudiation for the laws, customs, and institutions of the time that were believed to foster the subordination of individuality, and is radical to the extent … Read more

The Scarlet Letter – Analysis

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s background influenced him to write the bold novel The Scarlet Letter. One important influence on the story is money. Hawthorne had never made much money as an author and the birth of his first daughter added to the financial burden (“Biographical Note” VII). He received a job at the Salem Custom House only … Read more

Hawthorne Swings, And Misses, The Scarlet Letter

Adultery, betrayal, promiscuity, subterfuge, and intrigue, all of which would make an excellent coming attraction on the Hollywood scene and probably a pretty good book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles, making it long, drawn out, tedious, wearisome, sleep inducing, insipidly asinine, and the end result is The Scarlet Letter. Despite all these things it … Read more

The Scarlet Letter – Scaffol Scenes

?The scaffold scenes are by far the most popular means of pointing out the perfect balance and structure of Hawthornes masterpiece. The first time we meet all the principal characters of the novel is in the first scaffold scene. The second of three crucial scaffold scenes appears exactly in the middle of the novel. Again, … Read more

Hawthorn Swings, And Misses

Adultery, betrayal, promiscuity, subterfuge, and intrigue, all of which would make an excellent coming attraction on the Hollywood scene and probably a pretty good book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles, making it long, drawn out, tedious, wearisome, sleep inducing, insipidly asinine, and the end result is The Scarlet Letter. Despite all these things it … Read more

The Scarlet Letter – Sins

The Four Sins in The Scarlet Letter Sin is a word that is definetely not universally defined. Sin is relative to a persons religion, or lack there of. Sin also provokes punishment, be direct (by law) or by a moral lesson. Severity in punishment is also conditional to the society in which the sin is … Read more

The Scarlet Letter – Themes

Nathaniel Hawthorne was a truly outstanding author. His detailed descriptions and imagery will surely keep people interested in reading The Scarlet Letter for years to come. In writing this book he used themes evident throughout the entirety of the novel. These themes are illustrated in what happens to the characters and how they react. By … Read more

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Crucible, by Arthur Miller

Often in exceptional works of literature, identities, personalities, and surroundings can be quite similar or distinct with characters in other works. Two works of literature that display both aspects are The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. Abigail Williams and Hester Prynne are two women with many similarities while they … Read more

Symbolism of the Scarlet Letter

Authors sometimes use symbols in their novels to represent different objects, people or ideas. One example is the S on Supermans uniform, which symbolizes him being supper. In The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne creates the symbolism of the letter A to have different meanings. As the novel unfolds, the meanings of the letter A on … Read more

Ethan Frome as a Psychological Novel

When Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote his novel, The Scarlet Letter, he was praised as being the father of the psychological novel. Since the completion of his landmark story, many other authors have taken their work in similar directions and have tried to reveal human psychology through their writing. Authors have been trying to convey truths about … Read more

But (Hester) – The Chief Actor

But (Hester) is not the protagonist; the chief actor, and the tragedy of The Scarlet Letter is not her tragedy, but Dimmesdales. He it was whom the sorrows of death encompassed….. His public confession is one of the noblest climaxes of tragic literature. This statement by Randall Stewart does not contain the same ideas that … Read more

The Scarlet Letter, the good versus evil theme

Adultery, betrayal, promiscuity, subterfuge, and intrigue, all of which would make an excellent coming attraction on the Hollywood scene and probably a pretty good book. Add Puritan ideals and writing styles, making it long, drawn out, tedious, wearisome, sleep inducing, insipidly asinine, and the end result is The Scarlet Letter. Despite all these things it … Read more

Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter

In Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne lives in seclusion with her daughter Pearl. Hester has been shunned from Puritan society and now lives in the shelter of the wilderness. The clear contrast between Puritan society and life in the wilderness intensify the all too similar fight between light and darkness and ultimately can … Read more

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter

True redemption of sin comes from suffering. When a person goes against what they judge as wrong, the only way to be freed of the guilt that their actions have caused is to feel the pain emotionally from the guilt of their sin. The guilt they feel on the inside and the shame they have … Read more

Hester Pryne In The Scarlet Letter

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the heroine is admired becuase of her strong will, and disregard for other’s views of her. Hester Pryne displays her best qualities when she stands up to Governor Bellingham and his gang, when they confront her about her daughter Pearl. Hester is a woman that is well ahead … Read more

Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter

The book The Scarlet Letter is all about symbolism. People and objects are symbolic of events and thoughts. Throughout the course of the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale to signify Puritanic and Romantic philosophies. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the … Read more

The Scarlet Letter and Cuckoo’s Nest

The Scarlet Letter and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: What Makes Up A Work Of Literature A work of literature may be defined as a classic because it promotes deep insight into human behavior. Both The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey give a reader … Read more

The Scarlet Letter: The Spiritual Growth of Hester Prynne

The character of Hester Prynne changed significantly throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan ways, committing adultery. For this harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. However, … Read more

Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter

Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book of much symbolism. Set in 16th century New England, the book starts with the public punishment of Hester Prynne, a convicted adulterer. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Hesters illegitimate daughter, … Read more

Scarlet Letter – Judgment

For as long as man has walked on earth, he has taken it upon himself to judge and punish. It has been recognized as something man does and it has been accepted among society. It seems as though every race, religion, action, and belief a person associates themselves with will be judged and will be … Read more

Scarlet Letter Chapter Summary

Chapter 1: Hester Prynne has committed adultery. Two years ago her husband in Europe sent her on ahead to America while he settled some business affairs. Alone in the small town of Boston, Hester has shocked and angered her neighbors by secretly taking a lover and bringing forth a girl child. The Puritans of Boston … Read more

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

People live with lies every day. Everyone from the President of the United States to the poorest beggar in New York City has told a lie. White lies, gray lies, and plain old dirty fat lies are strewn forth every day like water from a fountain. The only true difference between them is the amount … Read more

Analysis Of Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter is a novel that deals with the never-ending theme of sin. Throughout history, people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, people have been punished. However, the severity of a punishment is very difficult to agree on. Some people feel that sinners should be deeply punished … Read more

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter: Light and Darkness

Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter is one of the most analyzed and most discussed literary works in American literature and for good reason. Hawthornes ambiguity and his intense use of symbols have made this work incredibly complex and incredibly bothersome. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many symbols to give insight into characters and … Read more

The book The Scarlet Letter

In the book The Scarlet Letter we read about the sins the major adult characters commit, as well as the consequences of their vices. Hester Prynne commits adultery and is therefore doomed to wear the scarlet letter upon her breast for eternity. Being Hesters partner in sin Arthur Dimmesdale must cloak his guilt. Lastly, we … Read more

Light and Darkness in The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is one of the most analyzed and most discussed literary works in American literature and for good reason. Hawthorne’s ambiguity and his intense use of symbols have made this work incredibly complex and incredibly bothersome. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many symbols to give insight into characters and … Read more

The Scarlet Letter: Novel vs. Film

Films of this era are criticized for lacking substance and making up for this deficit with explosions and special effects. Books command a bit more respect from the general public. Many believe that devising a script is a juvenile form of writing, a shrub to the oak of a novel. Upon reading both the novel … Read more

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorn begins by dealing with Hester Prynnes crime and sentence. She shows herself to be a proud woman in how she embroiders her bright red A with golden thread to be displayed to her community. She is a skilled seamstress and she doesnt seem, despite her disgrace, to be afraid … Read more