The Scarlet letter is a book that is filled with enriching historical reference. The book portrays the life of an adulterer in the 1800’s. The consequences that Hester had to live with on a daily basis are very different than the consequences that an adulterer has in today’s society. Some differences that occur between Hester’s time period in the 19th Century and today’s society in the 21st Century are the expectations within the town and family about marriage commitment, the frequency of broken marriages and adultery, and the affliction and punishment of adultery. The Scarlet Letter is important for kids to read today because it takes Hester adultery, a real life issue that people face today, and shows us how we as a country used to respond to the issue in a different time period. The book is also good because it includes in the book some of Hester’s thoughts and gives the readers a pretty good idea of what Hester might felt. All of these qualities of the book help argue that The Scarlet Letter is in fact a classic. A classic book must maintain its popularity over time, it must contain applicable situations, and timeless truths. The Scarlet Letter is considered a classic because it was written so long ago and is still relevant today.
In the 19th Century the family atmosphere was valued much higher. The sense of community was a big part of what differentiates today from our past. A big influence in 19th Century towns was the commitment to the church, nearly everyone attended church. The church set and enforced the rules, so the citizens were expected to live according to what the bible says. The bible says “do not commit adultery” so it was a very rare to see adultery in the 19th Century. Although family has taken a toll in today’s society and is not as important as it used to be, family is still something that people grasp today.
Another thing that separates our time period from that of Hester’s time is the consequences of sins. In Hester’s time period people were shunned from the church if they did something really bad. Because the church was such a large part of the community if you were shunned from the church, it was a big deal and everyone in town knew. Today the act of committing adultery is much more common. In some places people don’t even give it a second thought. It is really sad to think that our nation has gotten so accustom to sin that we don’t even think twice about it. By reading The Scarlet Letter it can put the sin of adultery back into perspective and give its readers a glimpse into our past as a country.
The book The Scarlet Letter is the story of Hester Prynne, who was sent to the new world to wait for her husband, Mr. Chillingworth, to come along later. After years of waiting, Hester assumed that her husband had died at sea. Hester fell in love with the town minister, Mr. Dimmesdale, and had a sex with him. The Scarlet Letter talks about the trial, consequences, and feelings that Hester had after she became pregnant and gave birth to her daughter Pearl out of wedlock. During Hester’s trail her husband came to town but disguised himself as a doctor. He found is in search of the man that Hester, his wife, had sex with because he wants to get revenge. The story talks about the feelings that each character has throughout the story as well as the consequences of each character’s decisions. The affliction that Hester goes through is so much harsher than anything that people in today’s society go through today. The Scarlet Letter is a sometimes hard to read, because it is so descriptive, but it is a really good read because it gives its readers a perspective of where our country has come over the last two thousand years.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Scarlet letter blog 8
“If in all these past seven years,” thought he, “I could recall one instant of peace or hope, I would yet endure, for the sake of that earnest of Heaven’s mercy. But how, - since I am irrevocably doomed, - wherefore should I not snatch the solace allowed to the condemned culprit before his execution?"
The previous statement is of Mr. Dimmesdale after he got reacquainted, with Hester, after seven years. This sentence really shows Mr. Dimmesdale’s conscious. He feels bad knowing that for the last seven years he has avoided the punishment he rightfully deserved. Hest had been alone, suffering ever since the time that she got pregnant with pearl, seven years previously. Mr. Dimmesdale the town minister, was never caught in is adulterous act and therefore got away without having to pay any of the punishment he deserved. As seen in the quoted sentence, Mr. Dimmesdale had been tortured by his conscious. As he lets himself get clost to Hester again his conscious gets worse. For the previous years Mr. Dimmesdale had been avoiding Hester and any thoughts or feelings he had toward her. But now that they had rejoined their friendship he had been questioning his decision to stay hidden from the authorities. After all didn’t he deserve to be punished just as much as Hester did? If that wasn’t enough torture, he knew he owed it to Hester to stand through the humiliation with her. Instead he was facing the regret of knowing that he left her all alone to deal with the affliction as well as raising their little girl all by herself. He knew deep down that he needed to confess to the town that he, their minister that they respected, was the father of Hester’s child.
This sentence is a leading thought into Mr. Dimmesdale telling the authorities and community that he is to blame for adultery with Hester Prynne. His conscious had been pressuring him to tell, so this sentence is one of Mr. Dimmesdale’s final conclusions before telling that town of his sin.
The previous statement is of Mr. Dimmesdale after he got reacquainted, with Hester, after seven years. This sentence really shows Mr. Dimmesdale’s conscious. He feels bad knowing that for the last seven years he has avoided the punishment he rightfully deserved. Hest had been alone, suffering ever since the time that she got pregnant with pearl, seven years previously. Mr. Dimmesdale the town minister, was never caught in is adulterous act and therefore got away without having to pay any of the punishment he deserved. As seen in the quoted sentence, Mr. Dimmesdale had been tortured by his conscious. As he lets himself get clost to Hester again his conscious gets worse. For the previous years Mr. Dimmesdale had been avoiding Hester and any thoughts or feelings he had toward her. But now that they had rejoined their friendship he had been questioning his decision to stay hidden from the authorities. After all didn’t he deserve to be punished just as much as Hester did? If that wasn’t enough torture, he knew he owed it to Hester to stand through the humiliation with her. Instead he was facing the regret of knowing that he left her all alone to deal with the affliction as well as raising their little girl all by herself. He knew deep down that he needed to confess to the town that he, their minister that they respected, was the father of Hester’s child.
This sentence is a leading thought into Mr. Dimmesdale telling the authorities and community that he is to blame for adultery with Hester Prynne. His conscious had been pressuring him to tell, so this sentence is one of Mr. Dimmesdale’s final conclusions before telling that town of his sin.
Scarlet letter blog 7
After many years of suffering alone, staying hidden from Mr. Dimmesdale, Hester finally met with him a the woods. Right after Hester met with Mr. Dimmesdale alone she was filled with confused feelings towards him. Up until this point in her long journey of punishment Hester did not feel any obligation to Mr. Dimmesdale. However, after meeting with him in the woods she felt obligated to Mr. Dimmesdale in a new way. “Hester Prynne did not now occupy precisely the same position on which we beheld her during the earier periods of her ignominy.” This quote shows the readers how much Hester had succeeded in avoiding thinking and seeing Mr. Dimmesdale. The strong feeling of an emotion or connection towards him after seeing him just one time shows the readers the true passion that Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale had from each other.
This sentence also implies that Hester was in complete denial about Mr. Dimmesdale. Earlier in the book Hester refused to tell the authorities who the father of her child was. This act showed how loyal Hester was to Mr. Dimmesdale. Hester did not even hint at the effection that she still had towards Mr. Dimmesdale as seen in their meeting in the woods. The sentence implies that Hester was dealing with her feelings toward Mr. Dimmesdale well between the time that she got pregnant and her meeting with Mr. Dimmesdale in the woods. Although she was not proud of her scarlet letter, Hester had made it her own by embroidering some unique touches into it. The scarlet letter that Hester carried became a part of who she was. This along with raising her daughter Pearl kept her busy and kept her mind off of the man that she really loved.
The sentence quoted above is a sentence gives a inner picture of Hesters feelings throughout her punishment. It helps the readers understand how Hester learned to cope with her decision and punishment. This is a key part of the story because it gives the readers a biew of Hester’s emotions towards Mr. Dimmesdale.
This sentence also implies that Hester was in complete denial about Mr. Dimmesdale. Earlier in the book Hester refused to tell the authorities who the father of her child was. This act showed how loyal Hester was to Mr. Dimmesdale. Hester did not even hint at the effection that she still had towards Mr. Dimmesdale as seen in their meeting in the woods. The sentence implies that Hester was dealing with her feelings toward Mr. Dimmesdale well between the time that she got pregnant and her meeting with Mr. Dimmesdale in the woods. Although she was not proud of her scarlet letter, Hester had made it her own by embroidering some unique touches into it. The scarlet letter that Hester carried became a part of who she was. This along with raising her daughter Pearl kept her busy and kept her mind off of the man that she really loved.
The sentence quoted above is a sentence gives a inner picture of Hesters feelings throughout her punishment. It helps the readers understand how Hester learned to cope with her decision and punishment. This is a key part of the story because it gives the readers a biew of Hester’s emotions towards Mr. Dimmesdale.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
The Scarlet Letter 6
“Such a spiritual seer might have conceived, that, after sustaining the gaze of the multitude through seven miserable years as a necessity, a penance, and something which it was a stern religion to endure, she now, for the last time more, encountered it freely and voluntarily, in order to convert what had song been agony into a kind of triumph.” Two things brought my attention to this sentence. The first thing that caught my attention was that it shows Hester’s victory over her pain. Hester had been dealing with affliction for so many years and now she finally had found a way to be free herself from the misery. Hester did not necessarily free herself from the consequences, but she found a way to stand up in spite of them. The second thing that caught my eye about this sentence was that Hester had been in misery for seven years. It talked earlier in the book about what Hester had to do as a result of having adultery, but to think about being humiliated and alone for 7 years is a depressing thought. If I am fighting with my parents for even just a few days I start to feel depressed like no one cares for me. I cannot imagine feeling that way for such a long period of time.
The Scarlet Letter is notorious for run-on sentences. This sentence is a perfect example. I have acquired a new appreciation for correct writing. This sentence is very confusing because it is so long without commas to help emphasize. Although I cannot promise that I will never write another run-on sentence, I now have a better grasp for how annoying it can be!
The Scarlet Letter is notorious for run-on sentences. This sentence is a perfect example. I have acquired a new appreciation for correct writing. This sentence is very confusing because it is so long without commas to help emphasize. Although I cannot promise that I will never write another run-on sentence, I now have a better grasp for how annoying it can be!
The Scarlet Letter Blog 5
The preacher, Roger Chillingworth, in The Scarlet Letter stated “Wouldst thou have me to believe, O wise and pious friend, that a false show can be better – can be more for God’s glory, or man’s welfare – than God’s won truth? Trust me, such men deceive themselves!” This sentence talks about the inner battle between doing what is right in God’s eyes and doing what is right in the eyes of the World. In this statement, Roger Chillingworth was talking about the choices that people make, especially the choice that Hester was facing. Everyone has a choice to do what is right or not to. Often times instead of doing things that are right people choose to do things that only help themselves. In the story, Hester had a choice to make about whether or not she was going to keep her daughter. This choice is a good example of how Hester wanted to do what seemed best to her, not what was best for her daughter.
This is also a very good example of the kind of confusing language that Hawthorne used when describing his story. This language also sets the picture for the setting. If people today said words like “woulst” or “thou” everyone would look at them funny! Although we don’t use words like that today, when we other people use such elegant words we are reminded of the culture of our history, such as that of the 1850s. The Scarlet Letter does a very good job of the getting its readers into the mindset of the book.
This is also a very good example of the kind of confusing language that Hawthorne used when describing his story. This language also sets the picture for the setting. If people today said words like “woulst” or “thou” everyone would look at them funny! Although we don’t use words like that today, when we other people use such elegant words we are reminded of the culture of our history, such as that of the 1850s. The Scarlet Letter does a very good job of the getting its readers into the mindset of the book.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Scarlet Letter Blog 4
“’I have thought of death,’ said she, -- ‘have wished for it, -- would even have prayed for it, were it fit that such as I should pray for anything.’” This shows the amount of affliction was placed on Hester after her trial. She was the disgrace of the whole town and because of that she was shunned. Hester spent her life alone from that day onward. Hester had her daughter Pearl’s company but that was all. Pearl, Hester’s daughter, would face much affliction because she was the result of Hester’s poor decision. Hester was afraid for her daughter because she knew that Pearl would be made fun of and rejected. Hester wanted nothing more than to be with her daughter for the rest of her life, but Hester also knew that she could not expect her daughter to stay with her forever. As much as Hester needed her daughters love, she loved her daughter and wanted the very best for her. As you can see by the quote above, Hester’s life was very depressing. I don’t think that this is the kind of life that Hester wanted for her daughter, or anyone else. The affliction that Hester received from her decision to have sex with a man that was not her husband, even though she had not heard from her husband in over 2 years, was very hard on her. Everyone in the community looked down upon her as being among the lowest. She was the symbol of a bad woman in her community and time period.
The Scarlet Letter Blog 3
“Throughout them all, giving up her individuality, she would become the general symbol at which the preacher and the moralist might point, and in which they might vivify and embody their images of woman’s frailty and sinful passion.” In order to fully understand “throughout them all” some background information is needed. In the sentence leading in to this one, Hawthorn talks about the toil, burden, misery, and shame that Hester is dealing with as a result of her consequences. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester, the main character, is put on trial for having a baby with someone that she is not married to. Although this action is frowned upon in today’s culture, having sex with someone who is not your husband was treated very harshly in the 1850’s. Hester’s actions became a disgrace to the whole community. The members of the church and community shunned Hester for her poor decisions. As a result Hester had a scarlet letter placed on her chest announcing that she had participated in sex outside of her marriage. The sentence, “throughout them all...,” comes from Hester’s perspective which talks about the disgrace, separation, and shame that Hester feels. The consequences and effects of Hester’s punishment, to have a scarlet letter on her chest, has scared Hester for life.
One of the things that struck me about this sentence was the fact that Hester became the symbol of “woman’s frailty and sinful passion.” This is really hard on Hester. I can’t imagine having all of that weight put on me. The guilt that Hester had placed on her was constantly brought to her attention. I am glad that things have changed throughout the years. Today we are given another chance. If I were punished for every little thing that I did wrong, with the intensity of the 1850’s, I would struggle greatly.
One of the things that struck me about this sentence was the fact that Hester became the symbol of “woman’s frailty and sinful passion.” This is really hard on Hester. I can’t imagine having all of that weight put on me. The guilt that Hester had placed on her was constantly brought to her attention. I am glad that things have changed throughout the years. Today we are given another chance. If I were punished for every little thing that I did wrong, with the intensity of the 1850’s, I would struggle greatly.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
