The last two chapters of this novel left me pleasantly surprised. As most of the story led me to believe that the ending would be ambiguous and displeasing to readers, since that is what most of the novel seemed to consist of. I believe that Hawthorne’s rich ending makes the whole novel almost well worth it as it provides a lot of detail. I was relieved to find that Dimmesdale confessed to his sin before he died. Also, it was appropriate for Hawthorne to write in for Dimmesdale to die, as he no longer is able to support Hester and he has rid himself of the guilt that has plagued him for years. This is also true with Chillingworth because without the ability to torture Dimmesdale, he no longer has any purpose in his life. I feel that these chapters embody what this novel is truly about because Hester, having embraced her sin from the start, was able to move on and eventually live her life in the most normal way possible. Dimmesdale, however, buried his sin from the start and tortured himself in secret, which ultimately led to his downfall as seen in these chapters. This is key to a theme in this novel which is embracing one’s sin allows for healing and mending of oneself. The part of these chapters that stood out the most to me was the sense of closure between Dimmesdale and Pearl. She has never been extremely fond of Dimmesdale, even when he showed compassion toward her in the forest, but now that he has openly expressed his sin as a sign of his love, passion, and respect for Hester and Pearl she has accepted him as her family and gives him a final kiss before he passes.
One quotation I found to be ironic in these chapters is on page 222, which says, “According to their united testimony, never had a man spoken in so wise, so high, and so holy a spirit, as he that spake that day; nor had inspiration ever breathed through mortal lips more evidently than it did through his.” This is ironic because moments later Dimmesdale reveals his long-buried sin to the entire congregation, but in this moment the entire colony believes him to be the most holy man in the settlement. Another quotation in this set of chapters goes along with the motif we have discussed as a class regarding sunlight and darkness. “The sun, but little past its meridian, shone down upon the clergyman, and gave distinctness to his figure, as he stood out from all the earth, to put in his plea of guilty at the bar of eternal justice,” (227). This shows that by confessing his sin he has finally once again become worthy of the sunlight and is able to escape his dark cave of agony. A final quotation that is pivotal to the novel is on page 229, which says, “Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a part, had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father’s cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl’s errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled.” This paragraph is critical because it shows that regardless of what reason Pearl was sent for originally, she is now human and capable of human compassion and her days of torturous reminders towards Hester and Dimmesdale are over.
My gossamer thread for these chapters comes from the Disney Pixar movie Finding Nemo. In this movie Nemo is a young clownfish who just wants to get out and experience the world. His dad, however, having lost everything is paranoid and anxious about everything outside of his home. For this Nemo is somewhat rebellious and defiant toward his dad. For example, when he swims out off of the reef and “touches the butt” he has no respect for his father blatantly telling him to return back to the reef. This is like when Pearl is in the forest with Hester and Dimmesdale and will not reciprocate his kiss on her forehead. At the end of Nemo’s journey after returning home, he has a newfound love for his father once he realizes that he is not a coward, but crossed the entire ocean in order to save him. While leaving with his class to go to school he asks his teacher to wait one minute and rushes back to hug his dad and tell him how much he loves him. This compares to the moment in the text when Pearl gives Dimmesdale the kiss which she first withheld from him in the forest. Finding Nemo Final Scene (1:16:00)
These last chapters were really interesting to me. I have not been a huge fan of the book. In fact, I feel like im going to need a significant amount of review because I found it hard to follow Hawthorn's writing. Often times my mind would start to wander and I found myself taking alot more time reading this book than anything else I have read before. Although, these last two chapters were very interesting and had quite the twist, which I admired significantly. I especially liked what happened to Pearl and Chillingsworth. I found that these chapters wrapped up all of our suspicions about the characters. The book ended without me wanting their to be a sequel which was good in my opinion. I like how Hawthorn also wrapped up our suspicions on page 229, where he said "Pearl's errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled". It explains explicitly why Pearl was brought into this book, and why she was the way she was (creepy, demonic, and all-knowing). I was surprised by the death of Dimmesdale as well. The way Hawthorn displayed it in the mood and the way I saw it in my head was almost that Dimmesdale died from exhaustion. It was an interesting way to address his grief and to conclude the book and I was not expecting it to end that way. I also applaud Hawthorn for how he dealt with Chillingsworth. I had constant suspicions about whether Chillingsworth was the devil or not, and It does not address that in exact words. But, the book does go on to say that the whole reason Chillingsworth was even in the town was to bring anguish to Dimmesdale (pg.232), which sheds some light on who Chillingsworth REALLY is. Overall, I would give the book a 5 out of 10 for keeping my attention (aside from these last two chapters). Although, I did really like the religious symbolism as well.
For my gossamer thread, I wanted to compare Reverend Dimmesdale and King David from the 9th century B.C. As David grew up, he grew into a strong, and powerful man. After being in battle with a friend of his, he was proclaimed the king of Judah. Much like Dimmmesdale, David spoke for God and worked for His glory. David even was considered a "Man after God's own heart". But just like all great individuals, they have their flaws. During David's kingship, he committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba who lived outside of the palace courts. David went through everything to try and hide his sin, including purposely send her husband to the front lines during battle so he would be killed. Much the same, Dimmesdale went through lots to try and hide his sin with Hester. Although they were both praised by the people around them, they both fell short and committed adulatory. In both situations, their was someone who was also aware of their sin, other than God himself. Hester was strongly aware of the sin she committed with Dimmesdale, and although David did everything he could to hide his sin, the Prophet Nathan still found out about it and confronted him. In each situation, both were great leaders and teachers. On page 222 of The Scarlet Letter, David delivers a most incredible message to the puritans of the area. He is looked up to, talked about, and admired, yet secretly has an indwelling sin among him that has been building up for years.
The last two chapters of this novel have left me with many mixed feelings about the novel and how it ended. The first of the two chapters mainly focuses on the end of the Dimmesdale and the impact that he leaves on the puritan society in his final hours. The final chapter of The Scarlet Letter was perhaps one of the most unsatisfying yet one of the most completing culminations of a novel that I have ever read. In Chapter 23 Dimmesdale gives one last sermon written from his heart telling people about the relations of God and mankind. He leaves the people of the town in awe with the holy spirit he seemed to possess while giving this speech. Once he emerges again after the parade, all of the townspeople see that he really is dying and has grown very weak. He gives a few more heartfelt words admitting his guilt but asking for forgiveness, not only for himself but for Hester and Pearl before dying on the scaffold in front of the town. When I first read about the events leading up to his death it reminded me of a cheesy ending to a tragic romance that would leave most people who were looking for a happily ever after, with a bitter aftertaste that would make even the most open-minded and willing of readers want to scream in frustration.
It was a good thing I did not stop there because the final chapter of the novel answered many questions I had while leaving a few more that I would have liked to be answered. The concluding chapter glazed over the rest of Hester Prynne's life in a matter of five pages. The narrator has a more personal voice in the ultimate chapter. The narrator gives his opinion on the message of the novel, and a summery on the rest Hester's life. After Chillingworth dies, about a year after Dimmesdale, he leaves his estate to Pearl, earning her a substantial amount of respect in the Puritan community. Soon thereafter, both Pearl and Hester leave the society and travel to some unknown places until Hester as an older woman return to her cottage after many years. We learn that Pearl has married a rich man and has started a family of her own, while still staying in touch with her mother from a foreign land. Hester herself continued to live on the outskirts of the village, still wearing the scarlet letter, on her own free will. In the end when Hester dies the narrator explains how she is buried next to an older grave, with both of the graves sharing a single tombstone reading "ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES." In heraldry sable is the color black and gules is the color red. This leaves me with one final question: while the the red letter can most likely be assumed to be Hester, who is the one that is described as the black field? Could it be Dimmesdale, the one who was always dresses in black, or could it be Chillingworth, who had been referred to as the black man at a few points in the novel? This major piece of missing information has left me feeling unsatisfied with the novel's ending. Even though I actually likes the novel as a whole, I want more. I want to know who it was that she was buried next to. I want to know if she was put to rest by her husband, or by the man that she loved.
The first of the two quotations that I plan on discussing is on page 234. "But there was a more [...] with reverence, too." (Hawthorne 234). This quotation was one of the most profound quotations in these chapters because I think it accurately portrays the development of the scarlet letter. It starts out as a mark of scorn and shame and slowly changes badge of respect. People stop looking at Hester in scorn and start seeking her counsel for their worries and how to fix them. These few sentences show how Hester's refusal to wear this as a mark of shame has changed the perspectives of those around her to that of a badge of knowledge, and wisdom.
The other quotation I want to bring up is on page 228. "'It was on him [...] won a victory." (Hawthorne 228). Dimmesdale in his final hour is admitting to his sins and acknowledging that he also has sinned. What I found most interesting about this passage was that he says that both God and the Devil see his sins. He is finally taking all of the blame away from Hester and her scarlet letter by showing his own on his chest. The moral of the novel according to the narrator is to be free and show your worst, or to show enough for people to be able to guess the worst in you. He does exactly this by showing his own mark of shame that is on his chest. The mark that was hidden under his clothes. a mark that he had been carrying by himself for the last seven years.
The gossamer thread that I will be discussing today is the song "Take Me To Church" by Hozier. During an interview Hozier was asked to discuss the meaning of the song and how is critiques oppressive institutions. Hozier replies to the question by saying: "Take Me to Church" is essentially about sex, but it's a tongue-in-cheek attack at organizations that would … well, it's about sex and it's about humanity, and obviously sex and humanity are incredibly tied. Sexuality, and sexual orientation — regardless of orientation — is just natural. An act of sex is one of the most human things. But an organization like the church, say, through its doctrine, would undermine humanity by successfully teaching shame about sexual orientation — that it is sinful, or that it offends God. The song is about asserting yourself and reclaiming your humanity through an act of love. Turning your back on the theoretical thing, something that's not tangible, and choosing to worship or love something that is tangible and real — something that can be experienced. But it's not an attack on faith. Coming from Ireland, obviously, there's a bit of a cultural hangover from the influence of the church. You've got a lot of people walking around with a heavy weight in their hearts and a disappointment, and that [stuff] carries from generation to generation. So the song is just about that — it's an assertion of self, reclaiming humanity back for something that is the most natural and worthwhile. Electing, in this case a female, to choose a love who is worth loving." (source)The final line of the interview says that the song talks about being "assertion of self". I think that this properly sums up the main message of the novel, that people should be true to themselves. What Dimmesdale in the end of his life tried to do, and what Hester also did by returning to the Puritan society and refusing to take the label of shame the others tried to keep on her.
When reading these chapters, I was
surprisingly pleased by the way Nathaniel Hawthorne wrapped up this novel.
Throughout the course of the story, I assumed that the ending of the novel
would be very vague and unclear; however the rich ending was quite the
contrary. When Hawthorne wrote in that
Dimmesdale died, I thought it was appropriate, because it led to a clear
relationship between acknowledging a sin, versus hiding it. As shown through
the rest of Hester’s life, she lives normally; going through her daily tasks
and has grown as a person from her experience. People knew about her sin, and
although it was difficult at first because she was shunned from the Puritan
community, it ultimately benefited her. As for Dimmesdale, since he kept his
sin a secret for seven years, he was never able to develop this change of
character, and he also was not able to see what it was like to be an outcast
from the Puritan society, and then over the course of time be let back in.
Dimmesdale kept his secret hidden, and therefore the guilt ate away at him for
those seven years, until it ultimately killed him. The idiom “eating away at
me” relates highly to this situation with guilt and Dimmesdale. The guilt ate
away at Dimmesdale until he was unable to handle it anymore and it eventually
killed him. Also, when Hawthorne wrote that Hester returned to her cottage and
New England I felt that this was a surprise, but I think it was completely
necessary. As the saying goes, people usually “return to the scene of the
crime” in this case, Hester back to the scene in which she committed her sin. I
feel as though if Hester had never returned to the cottage after leaving with
Pearl, she would have never gotten closure with the situation with Dimmesdale.
I feel like Hester needed to leave the area for awhile, recollect her thoughts and
then was able to revisit New England for closure with the situation between
Dimmesdale and her. Lastly, I think the way Hawthorne ended Pearl and
Dimmesdale’s relationship is one of closure as well. Throughout the novel,
there has never been a strong bond between Dimmesdale and Pearl, since she has
always been skeptical of him, because of her supernatural-like powers to know
that he is her father, even though he does not admit it. This strong closure
between them, and the moment they share before Dimmesdale’s passing, is exactly
the way a perfect fairy tale story would go. Even though the rest of the novel
is far from fairy tale-like, this ending allowed the hope that Pearl and the
rest of the characters, not Chillingworth since he was the villain, would have
a happily ever after, even though these past seven years have been more like a
horror film.
One of the quotes from these chapters that I wanted to
highlight was when the sunlight beams down on Dimmesdale, right before he says
his final goodbyes. Hawthorne writes this as, “The sun, but little past its
meridian, shone down upon the clergyman, and gave a distinctness to his figure,
as he stood out from all the earth to put in his plea of guilty at the bar of
Eternal Justice” (Hawthorne 227). Throughout the course of the novel, light and
dark has been a constant motif. Here, the motif is present again, in
relationship to Dimmesdale, and professing his sin. Sunlight is a symbol for
vulnerability, so the sun shines here because this is the most vulnerable
moment for Dimmesdale. His is vulnerable as to admitting his sin finally after
withholding it for seven years, and the sunlight signals this. Hawthorne takes
the time to include this minuscule detail, because on a literary level it is
more powerful than just the sun appearing.
Another noteworthy point of these chapters is the essence of music in relation to the action. As we have looked at previously in Death of a Salesman, music signals Willy to go back into one of his delusions. This idea is not the same, however it is important to mention Hawthorne’s attention to music. He writes, “Now was heard again the clangor of the music, and the measured tramp of the
military escort, issuing from the church-door” (Hawthorne 223) and again writes, “The minister here made a pause; although the music still played the stately and rejoicing march to which the procession moved. It summoned him onward,—onward to the festival!—but here he made a pause” (Hawthorne 224). In both these incidents with music, a change of feeling is occurring, as with Willy and his change of mind. On page 223, music is heard when the crowd begins to roar about Dimmesdale after he has made his speech. This shows the crowd’s excitement because the energy in the crowd is increasing as the music plays. Also, in the second mention of music on page 224, the action and excitement of the crowd builds even more until Dimmesdale is standing on the scaffold, with Pearl and Hester, about to confess his sin. Unlike in Death of a Salesman, when the music symbolizes a delusion or simpler time, in the Scarlet Letter it symbolizes excitement, or increased energy. This is similar to movies, because the music is always a dead giveaway about what is going to happen and
causes suspense. The music is causing the suspense between the reader and Dimmesdale, since his confession of sin is building inside of him just waiting to burst out.
To relate
to chapters 23-24, my gossamer thread is connecting Pearl to the Beast, from Beauty
in the Beast. One the surface, these two characters seem completely
different; the beast is a gruesome, eerie, and horrifying figure of fictional
literature, and Pearl, a small, childish little girl. How is it possible that
these two could be related? Well, when looking deeper, it can be shown that Pearl
and the Beast both represent evil, or the devil, in their respected fairy tales.
The Beast has been held in the secluded castle, hiding, and growing angrier
every day that he is not able to be in contact with humans and that nobody
likes him. This is because he has been transformed into a beast, and no one
wants to befriend him, let alone love him. The same occurs with Pearl. She is
secluded in the cottage in the woods with her mother. Also, no one wants to
befriend her because she is the product of adultery, and both her mother and
father are now receiving unless amounts of guilt. Pearl also grows more evil as
the days without much human contact continues. Lastly, Pearl and the Beast both
are wealthy, or become wealthy. The Beast has received his money from being a
prince, as he was before he became a beast, and Pearl who now has acquired the
land left to her from Chillingworth, makes her the youngest heir to a lot of
money. So, both these characters withhold money which can be power for them,
but yet are still outliers and their money does not generate anyone to love or
befriend them. Pearl development of increasingly evil is one that arose
throughout the novel, not in these specific chapters. Here, in these chapters, the
main relationship between Pearl in the Beast is the passage about Dimmesdale
and Pearl’s kiss. Hawthorne writes at the end of chapter 23, “"Pearl
kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the
wild infant bore a part, had developed all her sympathies; and as 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 in
it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl’s errand as a messenger of anguish was all
fulfilled” (Hawthorne 229). This scene, of when Pearl kisses Dimmesdale relates
to the scene of when the Beast kisses Belle. Here, when Pearl kisses
Dimmesdale, she is transformed, and no longer withholds her prior evil. Hawthorne
writes that she has become a woman, and the spell broke, which means that she
is no longer the devil child she was before, with her supernatural powers. Now,
Pearl is a beautiful woman, with no powers, but is still able to live a good
life without them. Pearl is able to move away, find a man, and develop a normal
life full of possibilities. This relates to the kiss between Belle and the
Beast. The transformation that occurs with the Beast is definitely more drastic
than the transformation with Pearl, especially because it was physical. As the
story goes, Gaston, the villain, stabs the Beast in the back in order to kill
him because he beholds mystical powers including the mirror and the rose. So,
when the Beast is stabbed, he says his final goodbyes to Belle, who loves him. When
she professes her love for him and her tears fall to his cheek, similarly to
Pearl’s “as her tears fell upon her father’s cheek” (Hawthorne 229) it allows the
Beast to come back to life and be transformed into him prior human self. This
transformation is one that permits “a spell was broken”, just as Pearl. Belle
professed her love to the Beast and caused this transformation to occur, just
as when Pearl kissed Dimmesdale. The kiss was a symbol of love for him,
although she did not say it out loud, it was understood that since she kissed
him, she did really love him. These too transformations are similar in the way
they come about, and how love can transform evil into good.
Overall, chapters twenty to twenty-two are interesting as the days are counting down to the departure of Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale to England. The tensions seem to be growing with escape from the Puritan community so near but Chillingworth refusing the leave Dimmesdale alone. This leads the reader to wonder what Hester and Dimmesdale will do, since they are not able to escape from everyone who knows of their sin and start a clean slate together. However, the part of these chapters that intrigued me the most was chapter 20, more specifically speaking Dimmesdale change in character as his thoughts became more corrupt and sinful.
After Dimmesdale leaves the forest, “[...] he was incited to do some strange, wild, wicked thing or other, with a sense that it would be at once involuntary and intentional; in spite of himself, yet growing out of a profounder self than that which opposed the impulse” (Hawthorne 195). Dimmesdale is becoming more prone to sin after meeting Hester in the forest; to him, his luck has grown and if all goes well, he will be sailing to London with his family in four days. The good fortune he has in this situation and his decision to abandon his position as an authority figure in this small society to pursue happiness put him in a mindset outside of the Puritan values. Unaccustomed to this new way of thought, Dimmesdale, who has sinned not only for committing adultery but also for wanting to forsake a community dependent on him to live happily, wants to inflict harmful thoughts and advice onto others. Throughout his four meetings with his followers and other townspeople, Dimmesdale faces the temptation to taint their thoughts, but also valiantly tries to resist this temptation. I feel like Hawthorne was trying to criticise Puritan society with Dimmesdale’s change in character. Dimmesdale is put on a pedestal for being one of the most influential figures in this community, and the people think he is free of sin. This puts an enormous pressure on him to act perfect; if the townspeople find out that he does something wrong, the community will crumble. In the previous chapters of the novel, Dimmesdale pretends that he has done nothing wrong and continues to do his duties as Reverend while suffering inside. However, when he actively decides to sin and run away with Hester and Pearl, he begins to feel like he wanted to inflict others with wickedness, yet he is happy, full of energy, and healthier. I feel like this is Hawthorne’s criticism of this society, and how happiness and passion and being free of sin and temptation cannot coexist in a society as strict and harsh as this one.
In addition to the change in characters, an emphasis on the importance of different sceneries and settings is also highlighted in these chapters. During the procession, Dimmesdale had a different aura around him; he was more confident and remote, making him seem like a different person. In the marketplace, Pearl asks Hester if Dimmesdale is the same minister that kissed her forehead at the brook, to which Hester replied, “‘Hold thy peace, dear little Pearl! [...] We must not always talk in the market-place of what happened to us in the forest’” (Hawthorne 215). Hester’s response to Pearl’s curiosity demonstrates how in the marketplace, or more generally speaking in the town, one has to act a certain way to be accepted by society. In the forest, Hester is free to act however she wants, as no one is watching or judging her actions, and she is happier and more carefree. She is free to be with Dimmesdale as a lover, which would be frowned upon in the Puritan community due to the adultery. However, the acts Hester and Dimmesdale did in the beginning of the novel were out of passion; they have feelings for each other. In the marketplace, Hester has to suppress her feelings and desires and cannot express herself. Additionally, though people say that the Black Man, or Devil, comes out of the forest, the forest is the one place where Hester feels free and is possible to be with Dimmesdale. It is ironic how a place associated with the Devil can be full of happy memories and love whereas a place supposedly free of sin and is doing God’s work can be so restrictive and harsh.
The gossamer threads I am relating these chapters to are gay people, more specifically speaking, closeted gays. Although there is nothing wrong with not being attracted to people of the opposite gender, society makes it seem taboo and outrageous. Thus, many gay people will not disclose this information about themselves, in fear of peoples’ reactions. This is similar to Hester and Dimmesdale in the way that they cannot reveal that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father, even though Dimmesdale and Hester do care for each other and there should not be anything wrong with their relationship. There may be a place or people that the above mentioned people can act like themselves (in the case of someone still mostly in the closet, perhaps with very close friends or online, while for Hester and Dimmesdale, in the forest). However, in society, they must hide who they are and their actions in order to be accepted and that becomes repressive. In conclusion, whether someone loves a boy, a girl, someone who is genderfluid, someone who is transgendered, someone who is cisgendered, someone who is a minister, or any other sort of person there possibly could be, that love should not have to be hidden and only displayed in one area.
While reading these chapters I had many mixed emotions. Certain aspects of the novel came to a close such as Dimmesdale's transformation, however my distaste for Chillingworth developed more as I completed these chapters. Overall, I have enjoyed reading The Scarlet Letter thus far. I enjoy the way that Hester's dark passenger has developed throughout the coarse of the novel, as each chapter has progressed it has become more and more subtle to society yet more so apparent to her and Pearl. Pearl's on going persistence to the significance to the letter is interesting because I am curious as to how Nathaniel Hawthorne is going to reveal it's ugly face to her. I also found it interesting as to how as soon as it appears that Hester is going to find closure by moving to Europe where she can start again, Hawthorne reveals that Chillingworth will be accompanying them, the one member of society who knows the truth of Hester and Dimmesdale.
I found a lot of aspects of these chapters interesting, however one aspect that stood out to me was the imagery and symbolism that is apparent between the light of day and darkness. The idea of darkness has been present throughout the novel with the notion of the black man and the darkness inside everyone. These dark images contrast sharply with the lightness apparent while in the public eye where truth is often disguised. A spot in the novel where truth is hidden by the apparent darkness is when Hester and Pearl see Dimmesdale in the market place, it says "'Mother,' said she, 'was that the same minister that kissed me by the brook?' 'Hold thy peace, dear little pearl!' whispered her mother. 'We must not always talk in the market-place of what happens to us in the forest"'(Hawthorne 215). Secrecy is evident in the previous passage where Hester begins to emulate to Pearl that what is said in darkness should remain in darkness. I found this interesting because Pearl continues to inquire about the evident darkness in her life, however she cannot seem to get a solid response from her mother and I think Pearl is becoming suspicious as to why the truth can only be spoken of far away from civilization. This shows how the forest represents Hester's darkness and the forest also gives off a sense of security because it is the only place where it is safe enough to talk about the truth. This passage further illustrates the notion that has been evident throughout the novel that truth can only be found within darkness but when the clouds part and you are in the public eye everyone reverts to lies and secrecy. Another quote that stuck out to me was at the end of chapter 21 when pearl sees Roger Chillingworth across the market-place. This moment and the events leading up to it caused me to develop an even further dislike for Chillingworth because his plot to hatch revenge on Hester and Dimmesdale has completely consumed his whole life. It is like Roger has turned into a different person and may be carrying a dark passenger of his own, everyone has one but his is more significant than before. I found it interesting how Hawthorne decided to have Chillingworth go on the boat to Europe with Hester and Dimmesdale. As a reader your expecting for Hester to find that closure and that is ultimately what you want at this point especially for Pearl. Hawthorne throws the idea at the reader that Chillingworth may be more persistent and have more of a dark passenger than we the readers may have initially thought. The negative aire towards Chillingworth is evident when Hawthorne says "Nothing further passed between the mariner and Hester Prynne. But, at that instant, she beheld old Roger Chillingworth himself, standing in the remotest corner 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 210). The transformation and gradual sneaky, sinister, evil persona that Chillingworth has developed throughout he coarse of the novel comes to a head at the end of chapter 21. I think that by describing Chillingworth in this way, Hawthorne is ruining some of the hopes for the reader that maybe finally Hester will put her sins and past behind her and in this regard it could limit her from going to Europe and finally breaking off from the puritan society that is seems she has found herself lost in.
The gossamer thread from the world today that I chose to connect to this book was the scandal that transpired over the past summer with Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Since Rice has entered the league, he has established himself as one of the most consistent and dominant half backs while earning his spot on the roster for 3 pro bowls. Over the past summer, Rice's heroic status was shot down when a video was released of him one punching and knocking out his fiancée after she spit on him. This is very similar to The Scarlet Letter because this caused Rice to be shunned and thought down off as the bottom of society for committing such an act. Similarly to Hester, Rice was the talk of the town so to speak and it appeared that there would be no light at the end of the tunnel for the young running back. Another way that Rice is similar to the novel is that when news came out of the incident, Rice was at serious risk of losing his job. Had the information about Hester and Dimmesdale come out then Dimmesdale would be in the same shoes as Ray Rice where his job would be on the line. The last way that Rice's scandal relates to The Scarlet Letter is the idea that time heals all wounds. Ray Rice is no longer the talk of the town and his name and his issues are no longer brought up. Similarly to how after Hester secluded herself, people began to talk of her less and less to the point where it no longer came up. Rice has since re entered the league and will continue to be a dominant force across the field where he is regarded as one of the nations top running backs.
Having read up through the end of chapter 21 in The Scarlet Letter I have had several
mixed opinions about the text. I have enjoyed the main basis of the plot
because it involves an interesting problem with no seemingly clear solution and
it contains several problems on the side that appear as if they will make the
book even more interesting in the following chapters.What I mean by this is that the main problem
of dealing with the rejection of the puritan society for an atrocious sin is
interesting in and of itself.It seems
that there is no way for Hester to rid herself of the consequences and I
personally enjoy reading the novel just to see if she finds something to live
for in her seemingly ruined life.The
reader is also kept in constant anticipation of the impending doom in
Dimmsdale’s future.While the characters
struggle with their sin to make up the main part of the plot in the first half
of the book, other element are added to make it more interesting.For example the presence of Chillingworth and
his hunt for the father of Hester’s baby keeps the reader invested in the early
chapters, and later on the reader is interested in how Chillingworth will exact
his revenge and if it can be prevented.I think the most intriguing side story is that of Pearl.As the story line develops, the reader can’t
help but notice that Pearl is not a normal child, but it has so far been
unclear as to how deviant she is from normal and how this will affect the other
characters. In chapters 20 through 22 these several story lines all begin to
converge into one and I am interested to see how they will all connect.
I have a
couple criticisms on the novel as well.One of these is that I dislike the way in which Hawthorne injects
himself into the text and brings the reader along as well. There are many areas
in which Hawthorne includes his own opinions and ideas in the narration of the
story. At other points he even includes the reader in his opinionated
statements using statements with “us” in which the reader is then being told by
Hawthorne that they share his same opinion and outside view of this story.For me, this makes it hard to tell if I am
supposed to be reading the story and interpreting the plot for myself, or if I
am supposed to be analyzing this story from an outside point of view, not as an
actual story but more like a piece of data. My other criticism takes me to one
of the topics I wish to discuss in class, this being the sudden switch from the
realistic world to the world of fantasy.Up until chapter 16 or 17 the story seems believable.Even if some small elements seem to be a
little over-dramatic such as the timing of Chillingworth’s appearance, they are
still humanly possible and imaginable.However the novel quickly begins to tie into its legendary roots and
loses some of my respect.At first it
just begins with Pearl and her truly inhuman behavior. But then the entire
setting becomes less rooted to reality.At
the end of chapter 22 Hester finds herself in this seemingly unreal
scenario.She had just listened to this
music that seemed otherworldly and it had strange effects on here conscience.
Then she finds herself surrounded by a strange crowed of people including
Majestically dressed native Americans, unknown foreigners, and even a crew of
the Spanish Main, who are described as pirate-like.All of these people seem to be drawn to the
scarlet letter like they have never been before. Some characters such as
mistress Hibbins all of a sudden possess mythical powers of perception, and the
rumors mentioned earlier of witches and other kinds of magic from the woods are
now more than rumors.In conversation with
Pearl mistress Hibbins says, “They say, child, thou art of the lineage of the
Prince of the Air! Wilt thou ride with me, some fine night, to see thy father?”
(Hawthorne 217)At this point the reader
is questioning the true origin of Pearl. Is she literally some creature of the
devil or some imp as suggested by her mother earlier in the novel? I personally
dislike this inclusion of mythical sense in the plot. I find that it makes the
themes of the novel less applicable to the reader.I feel like I am no longer reading a story
about people, but a fairytale.I wish to
discuss with the class Hawthorne’s motives for this sudden inclusion of a
mythical sense.I specifically want to
analyze this new information about Pearl. I am fairly certain that “The Prince
of Air”, referred to by mistress Hibbins, is the devil. Satan is sometimes
referred to as a Prince in the Bible and he is said to have power over the air
with his evil spirits.I however, am not
sure what a visit to this prince would entitle, and I wish to discuss this with
the class.
Another
topic I wish to discuss with the class is the sudden transformation of
Dimmsdale upon departing from the forest.As he journeys home from the forest he has urges to sin and even to
preach sin to the people around him. Near the end of his journey home Dimmsdale
wonders to himself, “‘What is it that haunts and tempts me thus? …Am I mad? or
am I given over utterly to the fiend? Did I make a contract with him in the
forest and sign it with my blood?”’(Hawthorne 198) Once again this theme of a
deal with the devil is brought up. I believe Dimmsdale is partially correct in
his beliefs, however I don’t think he just made the deal with the fiend in the
forest.I believe that He made the deal
with the fiend when he began his relationship with Hester over seven years ago,
but now, after committing to renew this relationship with Hester in the woods,
he is finally acting on his part of the deal and the devil seems to be
immediately acting on his side as well. Now that Dimmsdale has fully given in
to his sin he seems to have little control over himself, he also seems to be
blessed with strength but I believe this is strength from the devil and not
from his god.
As I read these chapters, I could not help
but notice the similarities between reverend Dimmsdale and Darth Vader or
Anakin Skywalker. From a young age, both of these characters were viewed as
young powerful leaders of the up and coming generation:Dimmsdale a renowned minister for his young
age, and Anakin with incredible power in the force as a child.Both of these men were trained in their
fields to bring good to their people. Dimmsdale learned to avoid sin and to
preach and save others from the grasps of hell.Anakin, in his Jedi training, was taught to be spiritually clean as
well.Both of these men were to avoid
relationships and passionate sins, however, they both failed.Dimmsdale’s relationship led him to a life of
torture and poor physical health.Anakin’s relationship turned him into a desperate crazed maniac and
ultimately left him dying and limbless and then confined to a robotic body.Now, as Darth Vader, Anakin was taught to use
his passion and his anger to his strength. He became incredibly powerful
physically and was fueled by evil.It
appears that Dimmsdale may be undergoing a similar change.There is also a disturbing similarity between "the black man" and Emperor Palpatine. Finally, I am interested to see if the
similarities continued.Darth Vader,
nearing the end of his life, made a change back to good again to save what was
truly important to him.I am interested
to see if some similar scenario plays out with Dimmsdale.
The plot truly begins to progress
during chapters 16 – 19 as Hester and Dimmesdale make their plans to leave the
colony and travel to back to England where they can be together with Pearl. While
the plot became more interesting, the chapters themselves were just as
difficult to read as before. While during the previous chapters, I felt happy
that Hester was finally being forgiven by society, the way she completely
discarded her sins by throwing the letter away after just having refusing to
remove it in chapter 13 irked me a little. Despite this, I liked the way the
story was beginning to take a more interesting turn.
“But
Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for so long a
period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society, had habituated herself
to such latitude of speculation as was altogether foreign to the clergyman. She
had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness. . . . The scarlet
letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame,
Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers,—stern and wild ones,—and they
had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.”
This quote from chapter 18 has to do
with the theme of sin and knowledge that is so prevalent throughout the course
of the novel. This passage from the text appears right after Hester and
Dimmesdale decide to leave the colony and go to England. In this passage, the
author is stating how Hester’s alienation by society has allowed her to truly
understand freedom in all its parts. This can be seen as being due to the
scarlet letter she wears forcing her away from society and also forcing her to
wander in a “moral wildness” as she develops her own approach to life, independent
of that of the puritans around her. This passage also reveals one of the author’s
main criticisms of the society. While the intended purpose of punishing Hester
with the A, as is true with all punishments, was reprimand her for going
against the rules of the society and the reintegrate her back into it, it had
the unforeseen effect of making her an outcast. This, as is stated in the
passage, forces her to create and follow her own path which ends up being very
subversive to puritan beliefs as is shown in this scene where she plots to
escape with Dimmesdale. The irony between the intended effect for the letter
and the actual effect is one of the main messages of the novel.
“Mother,” said little Pearl, “the
sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid
of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing
on my bosom yet!”
This quote from chapter 16 shows both
the significance of the scarlet letter and the role of Pearl in the novel.
Throughout the novel, Pearl has been shown to be extremely perceptive of
secrets. In this case, Pearl connects the scarlet letter on her mother bosom to
the literal and metaphorical lack of sunshine in her life that has come about
as a result of her wearing it. By continuously asking pointed questions such as
these, Pearl continuously reminds her mother of her sin despite most people
having forgiven her for it. This concept is explored later in this section of
chapters when Pearl essentially forces her mother to put the scarlet letter
back on after she discarded it. After saying this, Pearl states that despite
her not wearing a letter at that moment, it will come to her with age. While
one may assume that this is due to Pearl believing that all grown women are
like her mother and wear the letter, it must also be noted that Pearl has most
likely seen that other women do not wear it. This brings about a different
meaning for this line in that Pearl appears to be insinuating that all grown
women wear a letter, or have sinned. This is also consistent with the fact that
Pearl is adept at seeing the secrets of those around her.
My gossamer thread connection is to
Tiger Woods, a professional golfer. A few years ago, there was a scandal involving
Tiger Woods and his infidelity just as there was with Hester in the Scarlet
Letter. After his admitting to his infidelity, Woods took time off of
professional golf in order to deal with his marital problems that arose as a
result of his affair. This is similar to how Hester is currently dealing with
the problems that arose as a result of her affair since in the novel since she
tells Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband and that their affair was the cause of Chillingworth's torture.
These chapters were not brutally painful for me, which is a very good review for this book. In the later chapters the idea I have been anticipating throughout the entire novel surfaces. The idea to flee back to Europe. Why it has taken so long for Hester to raise this idea has confused me greatly, as it seems like such a simple plan, almost like common sense. the only way in which I can see why it has taken her so long to devise this is due to the Puritan way of thinking. Puritans tend to think a very specific way and just go along with the rules of society, this idea goes against that way of thinking in a sense, as it is cheating the system in a way.
These chapters consist of multiple moments in the text that stood out to me. Multiple times, a passage that stood out to me had to do with Pearl. Although I will not be analyzing this passage there is a passage on the bottom of page 165 where Pearl points out to Hester that the sunshine does not shine on her and hints tat it is because of the scarlet letter. I found this very interesting, how Pearl constantly reminds Hester of her sin, and of the scarlet letter sewn to her bosom. Another passage in these chapters in which Pearl seems as though she is trying to shame Hester comes while they are still walking in the woods. Pearl says, "'I am not aweary, mother,' replied the little girl. 'But you may sit down, if you will tell me a story meanwhile.' 'A story, child!' said Hester. 'And about what?' 'Oh, a story about the Black Man,' answered Pearl, taking hold of her mother's gown, and looking up, half earnestly, half mischievously, into her face. 'How he haunt this forest, and carries a book with him, -a big, heavy book, with iron clasps; and how this ugly Black Man offers his book and an iron pen to everybody that meets him here among the trees; and they are to write their names with their own blood. And then he sets his mark on their bosoms! Didst thou ever meet the Black Man, mother?'"(167). I found that this quote was very interesting on two levels. In one sense Pearl is shaming her mother and reminding her of the scarlet letter and her affair with Dimmesdale, which Pearl seems to do frequently. On another note, this brings up questions about the rest of the town. Pearl is just a young girl but she is still able to figure out who her father is, but yet the rest of the adults in the town can't. Is the rest of the town truly not picking up on the hints of connection between Hester and Dimmesdale, or do they simply not want to believe that Dimmesdale could commit such a sin as the minster of the town. A second quote that stuck out to me did not display Pearl shaming Hester, it depicted how the letter had changed Hester in a way, It says, "But
Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for
so long a period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society,
had habituated herself to such latitude of speculation as was altogether
foreign to the clergyman. She had wandered, without rule or guidance,
in a moral wilderness. . . . The scarlet letter was her passport into
regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude!
These had been her teachers,—stern and wild ones,—and they had made
her strong, but taught her much amiss"(180). This passage shows how the letter has changed Hester in a way that I think is positive. It shows how the letter has cast Hester out of society, causing her to escape the worn down way of thinking within the Puritan society. I think that Hester being able to think outside of the box in a way, leads to the idea of fleeing to Europe with Pearl and Dimmesdale.
A gossamer thread that connects this book to the world today is the rise and fall of Michael Phelps. Michael Phelps is the single-most decorated athlete in Olympic history. Over his career he broke countless records, including winning an unprecedented eight gold medals in the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing. Although Phelps never cheated in any sense and passed every test for performance enhancing drugs he ever took, his gold reputation was stained. In February of 2009 a photo of Phelps went viral, in which he was smoking weed, and in. This relates directly to Hester and her scarlet letter. Although Hester was originally shamed by the whole town for committing adultery, her sin became less significant to people over time. The same scenario applied to Phelps, immediately after the photo went viral he received a large amount of criticism from people all over the world, and his name could not be mentioned without someone mentioning that he smoked pot. However, today that image of Phelps smoking is rarely mentioned when he is brought up in competition today, most of the time he is simply regarded as the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, regardless of the decisions he made in his personal life.
Phelps on the Sports Illustrated cover with his eight gold medals after the 2008 Olympics
In the chapters leading up to chapters 16-19, they have been about Hester and how she has changed in society. For example, how people believe she is marked by a letter of "able" now instead of adulterer. For seven years she has kept the secret identity of Chillingworth and Dimmesdale which personally I thought she would never give out. After reading these chapters, I found them to be interesting and plot twisting. Having Hester physically go into the woods and meet Dimmesdale on his way back from meeting with the Indians puts an urgency on their meeting. This built up suspense as I read. As Hester and Pearl were on their way, I was thinking about how Dimmesdale would react to this news. Also bringing Pearl along was no surprise since Hester takes her everywhere, but I kept wondering how Pearl would feel if she heard the news of Chillingworth and also the news about Dimmesdale being her father. Once Hester told the secret of her husband to Dimmesdale, I became upset with him for yelling at Hester and blaming his suffering on her. This annoyed me because I personally would have liked the scene better if Dimmesdale would have made the connection to why the physician was torturing him but then be compassionate towards Hester about their trouble. I was surprised when, in the woods, Dimmesdale contemplates about, "... between fleeing as an avowed criminal, and remaining a hypocrite, conscience might find it hard to strike the balance; that it was human to avoid the peril of death and infamy, and the inscrutable machinations of an enemy; that finally, to this poor pilgram on his dreary desert path, faint, sick, miserable, there appeared a glimpse of human affection and sympathy, a new life... (181)." Speaking of travelling back to England where they can create a new life for themselves and Pearl doesn't seem easily attainable for them. This scene made me enjoy these chapters because of the hope they both had. They knew what they had done was a horrible sin but yet they want to be together again and change the direction of their lives. I feel indifferent because knowing Dimmesdale's high rank in society, it doesn't seem plausible for the two lovers and Pearl to run away together back to Europe as much as I would want them to. Also, after Hester takes off the scarlet letter she feels a deep guilt when seeing it on the ground. From the beginning she believed since Boston was where her sin occurred, that is where her punishment must take place. This guilt shows how Hester doesn't think her punishment has done its job yet.
After reading chapter 19, it illustrated to me how devious Pearl actually is. After her mother took off the scarlet letter, she refused to come when she called her over. Only after Hester put the letter back on she obeyed her mother. Then she kissed the scarlet letter almost to mock her mother. This makes Hester angry with the child then Pearl is sent into contortions resembling an exorcism described in the passage, "But Pearl not a whit startled at her mother's threats any more than mollified by her entreaties, now suddenly burst into a fit of passion gesticulating violently and throwing her small body into the most extravagant contortions. She accompanied this wild outbreak with piercing shreiks, which the woods reverberated on all sides; so that, alone as she was in her childish and unreasonable wrath, it seemed as if a hidden multitude were lending her their sympathy and encouragement (189)." This frightens Dimmesdale telling Hester not to let Mistress Hibbins, the witch, know of these demonic outbursts. Seeing this occur must have been unique and frightening for him leading Hester to tell him more about her impish child. Ever since the beginning of the book, Pearl has acted demonic before but we have never seen Pearl have contortions as this which brought me to believe the devil inside of Pearl is erupting. I believe this is because she is in close proximity to Dimmesdale. I think Hawthorne is foreshadowing Pearl's resemblance to a devil in this scene and ensuing that she will turn evil in the near future. I reacted this way to this scene because of the secrets that Hester has told Dimmesdale and how these secrets may lead to their downfall if the society knew the truth. Also the demonic character of Chillingworth can connect to Pearl in a way since they both have evil inside of them.
My gossamer thread connects Pearl to the baby in the movie, "The Incredibles," Jack-Jack. In the movie the Incredibles, the Incredibles are a family of super heroes trying to blend in with society after their days of fighting crime are over, or so it seems. They have to work hard at keeping the secret of their true identity from the world which isn't easy for the family. When called on an unexpected mission, the parents have a babysitter watch their baby. Unknowingly the baby has very strange powers; he can put himself on fire, teleport through his house, float through the air, and shoot laser beams out of his eyes. Having these wacky powers makes Jack-Jack different from other babies. Pearl was not born from super hero parents but has some sort of mystical power that makes her different from the other children in her society. When Hester finds out her child acts demonically she at first is scared and worries about her future. Then in chapter 19 when watching her child have contortions, she has become accustomed to her impish child. Jack-Jack surprises his babysitter with his newly received powers which frightens her causing her to try and call the parents. After the night of blowing out his flames with a fire extinguisher and redirecting the laser beams from his eyes, she becomes used to his strange tendencies just as Hester did. Also, Jack-Jack's mother has the same problem that Hester encounters in these later chapters with keeping the secret of her child's identity. Having a child with mystical powers can lead to societies outing that child for being different and harmful. This scares both of these mothers because each of them have been shamed by their society. Mrs. Incredible was shamed after super heroes failed to come out on top and were not necessary anymore which caused her to hide her true identity. Hester was shamed for having a child with someone who wasn't her husband. Each child and mother have similarities in their lifestyles of keeping secrets and taming strange, mystical behavior.
Personally, I
enjoyed reading Chapters 13-15. They offered a unique insight on Hester’s
situation. I found myself reading through the dialogue in Chapters 14-15
relatively quickly, as I would read an enjoyable novel. In Chapter 13, I
pondered thoroughly about Hawthorne's musings on Hester and how society perceived
her. In the broad context of the section of the novel we have read so far, I
found these chapters the most interesting to read.
In Chapters 13-15,
Hester is in a drastically different situation than when she was first accused
of adultery and placed on the scaffold. Through charitable work, Hester is
gradually accepted as a participant in society rather than a sinner to be
looked down upon. In this portion of the novel, Hawthorne cogitates about the
human nature and how it can gradually overcome even the most instilled cornerstones
of society. I was interested in the generalizations created by Hawthorne and
the individual analysis of Hester’s case. He claims that it was due to Hester’s
willingness to remain silent through the discrimination that allowed her deeds
to speak for her and change her social standing. Her submission, however, led
to an adverse change in personality. This inherent change is from a passionate,
kind woman to one of bold character, though outwardly portrayed as humility. It
was her bold character which allowed Hester to remain silent, and socially
humble, while retaining her inner strength and ideals. This brings me to her
defining symbol, the letter A. Hester used this letter to her own benefit. To
her, it served as a symbol of pride, whereas to society, it was redefined as a
symbol of Hester’s ability to follow a socially acceptable path and repent for
her sin through kind acts. However due to her original status as an outsider,
and her willingness to remain an outsider, Hester began to adopt a liberal,
free-thinking point of view. Hawthorne states, “She assumed a freedom of
speculation, then common enough on the other side of the Atlantic, but which
our forefathers, had they known of it, would have held to be a deadlier crime
than that stigmatized by the scarlet letter” (Hawthorne 149). The ability of
Hester to question the morals of society was the reason for her perseverance,
even though she did not dare to publicly address it. The effect of all of this
was an air of coldness about her. “All the light and graceful foliage of her
character had been withered up by this red-hot brand, and had long ago fallen
away, leaving a bare and harsh outline, which might have been repulsive, had
she possessed friends or companions to be repelled by it” (Hawthorne 148). It
is clear that her distance from society has incited a tremendous transformation
in Hester’s character. In
Chapter 14, Hester meets Roger Chillingworth as he is collecting herbs for
medicine. She has not talked to him in private since their initial confrontation
at the jail cell. Through his dialogue, I got the impression of Chillingworth
as a character who is even more cunning than he was at the jail. Chillingworth is
bent towards the revenge of Hester’s sin, taking it out on Dimmesdale. He is on
the edge of insanity, and his only goal is to bring Dimmesdale down.
Chillingworth acknowledges that he no longer contains the human trait of
compassion when he states “But it was the constant shadow of my presence!—the
closest propinquity of the man whom he had most vilely wronged!—and who had
grown to exist only by this perpetual poison of the direst revenge! Yea,
indeed!—he did not err!—there was a fiend at his elbow! A mortal man, with once
a human heart, has become a fiend for his especial torment!” (Hawthorne 155). Chillingworth
conveys to Hester that, despite her appeals, he will continue to ask questions
and bother Dimmesdale. This conversation was pivotal in completely defining the
character of Chillingworth. Initially, I did not see him as a character
incapable of any compassion, but after reading the chapter, I have begun to
view him as the living embodiment of vengeance. After
reading Chapter 15, I began to completely understand the perspicacity which Pearl
possessed. To understand the nature of her mother’s letter A, Pearl devises a plan
to instigate questioning. She formed an A on her own chest from seaweed, and
approached Hester with the symbol, obviously prompting immediate questioning.
Hester responds by asking “But dost thou know, my child, what this letter means
which thy mother is doomed to wear?” (Hawthorne 161). This point is exactly
what Pearl intended to converse about. Upon being asked why Hester wore the
letter, she referenced Dimmesdale action of keeping his hand over his heart. In
this response, Pearl shows a great deal of intuition. It seems as if she has
already recognized the connection between Hester and Dimmesdale. Hester
realizes that Pearl is more than simply a wild child who asks inquisitive
questions. She could, in fact, be an ideal companion of sorts, a confidant that
would listen to Hester’s sorrows. A clear progression in the abilities of Pearl
is beginning to be shown, and this could play a factor in the later stages of
the novel. Because Hawthorne enjoys generalizing, “The Scarlet Letter” is applicable in many situations, even today. My gossamer thread connects to LeBron James, a universally known basketball player. In 2010, after failing to win a championship on the Cleveland Cavaliers, James decided to leave his home state to form a “Big Three” on the Miami Heat with NBA stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. However, after James televised his decision, he was placed under public scrutiny for leaving the team that had fostered his growth as a player. He was immediately ostracized from Cleveland, with numerous fans burning his jersey and posting videos online. Even the owner, Dan Gilbert, wrote a scathing letter, apologizing to fans for LeBron’s “betrayal”. Instead of engaging in verbal warfare, James decided to allow his play speak for his legitimacy as a player. He led the Miami Heat to four straight Finals appearances, winning two of them. Soon enough, after four years, the Cavaliers welcomed him back to the team. LeBron’s shift from a fan favorite to an outcast, and back as a member of the Cavaliers mirrors Hester’s changes with respect to the societal perspective. Another similarity is their willingness to be independent. LeBron only signed a short contract, showing that he would do only what is in his best interest rather than follow the rules of the Cavaliers. In the case of LeBron James, his situation can be connected to Hester’s situation in “The Scarlet Letter”.
Chapters thirteen through fifteen reveal a lot of new information, particularly regarding Hester and Chillingworth. Both of these characters have undergone changes. Hester is now more accepted by the community and is treated more as an involved member of society than an outcast. However, over the past seven years her personality has changed and she has lost her passion in order to cope with the stress of being looked down upon for her sin. Hester is also less concerned with Chillingworth and keeping his secret now. Chillingworth has also changed, specifically physically. He appears more devil-like and constantly has a fierce, yet guarded, look in his eyes. These chapters were interesting to me because of Hester’s transformation in particular. Hester seems to no longer be completely characterized by her scarlet letter and her sin. She has moved on as much as she can while still wearing the letter. People in the town do not think of her as just an adulterer anymore. This is drastically different from how she was looked at during the beginning of the novel when she was completely judged and noticed for the A she wears. These changes in Hester allow her to gather the courage to finally confront Chillingworth and make the decision to soon tell Dimmesdale the truth about her husband. I found this character development to be very interesting and necessary for Hester and I hope that this will allow many of the secrets to finally be revealed.
Chapter thirteen reveals a transformation in Hester after seven years of living with the A embroidered on her shirt. The weight of living with this shame has taken a toll on her and changed her outlook and demeanor. She is no longer full of passion and life. Hester has cut off her hair, representing her loss of freedom and inability to live her life in the way that she did before. Her outward change in appearance is indicative of the inner changes she has made. These changes were necessary for her personal well-being and survival. This is explained in chapter thirteen, “Such is frequently the fate, and such the stern development, of the feminine character and person, when the woman has encountered and lived through, and experience of peculiar severity. If she be all tenderness, she will die. If she survive, the tenderness will either be crushed out of her, or--and the outward semblance is the same--crushed so deeply into her heart that it can never show itself more.” (Hawthorne 148). This passage illustrates Hester’s need to lose some of her tenderness in order to survive. If she had continued to act out of love and passion, she would have been extremely emotionally affected by the judgment the townspeople bestowed upon her. Over a long period of time, this would have been taxing and she would not have succeeded in the ways that she has, despite feeling shame. Hester is forced to embody a persona that is characterized by coldness instead of tenderness. This illustrates how the presence of shame can be detrimental to the individual and also how Hester is persistent in trying to survive in the best way she knows how, regardless of the circumstances. This also shows that people are not necessarily completely defined by one action or event, even in a society as strict as the puritans.
Alongside Hester’s change, Chillingworth also appears very different seven years after Hester’s initial punishment. Chillingworth is seen as somewhat dark and devil-like throughout the book but now his appearance has changed to mimic that image. As seen in chapter fourteen, “But the former aspect of an intellectual and studious man, calm and quiet, which was what she best remembered in him, had altogether vanished, and had been succeeded by an eager, searching, almost fierce, yet casually guarded look.” (Hawthorne 153). This passage depicts an obvious change is Chillingworth’s appearance and demeanor. He now seems even more sinister and Hawthorn later describes him as “undertaking a devil’s office” (153). This is important because it reveals Chillingworth’s character more and illustrates his possible intended role overall. He has acted devil-like throughout the novel when he is searching for the father of Hester’s baby and threatening to get revenge. This scene and image is also foreshadowing for later trouble Chillingworth will cause Hester and Dimmesdale because this depiction of Chillingworth is given right before Hester talks to him and realizes that he knows that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father. This could be problematic for Dimmesdale if Chillingworth chooses to reveal this information, and given the previous description, it leads one to believe that he will. Chillingworth’s appearance also causes Hester to feel somewhat guilty for what she has done because she believes that she caused Chillingworth to lose his heart and become evil. This could also lead to Hester making certain choices in the future and demonstrates that even though she has moved past a lot of the shame, she still has some guilt for her sin.
These chapters outline the idea of a person gradually being forgiven and accepted back into society after committing a crime or sin of some sort. This happens regularly in everyday society, particularly in cases involving sports stars or politicians. However, for my gossamer thread I thought of Paula Deen and how she made racial slurs a few years ago. She was caught using racist language and her show was eventually taken away because of this event. After a few years though, many people do not remember this and still enjoy watching her show. She also has been on TV recently and may have a new show soon. This is one example of scandal eventually fading away and a person being slowly accepted into society again. However, like Hester’s scarlet letter, many people remember Paula Deen’s scandal and look at her differently because of it, even over time.
I was a lot more excited about these chapters than all the previous ones before this. I wasn't excited about what was in the chapters, but for the events and the suspense that these chapters built up. after chapter 15 especially, I could tell that something big is about to happen in the story. For me chapter 13 was what indicated a turning point, cause now Hester is not the outcast of the town anymore and people know her for her good deeds as well. I did really like that part because I fell that Hester didn't deserve her punishment and it even was annoying to me when Hester would say she wasn't getting punished enough and that she was meant to be evil. Now that her scrutiny is mostly over there is a lot less about Hester, and more about Chillingworth's and Dimmesdale's secret battle which I find a lot more interesting. Chapter 15 was the most interesting because Hester goes and confronts Chillingworth about Dimmesdale and sees the evilness inside him that some of the townspeople have also noticed which leads me to think that he's up to some plot.
One quote in chapter 13 that I thought was important was when the narrator is describing how the community has pretty much forgotten about Hester's sin because of all the good deeds she's done and they are ready to accept her back as a member of the community. In this point in the story even more time has passed and Pearl is seven. The narrator stated, "It was in part due 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," (Hawthorne, 148). This illustrates how Hester's outward appearance and her young rebellious inner spirit are becoming even more heavy foils. On the out side, Hester is succumbing to anne but that is not what the towns people notice. They notice that she is not has bright and cheery as she was, although still beautiful. She has started wearing head gear that completely covers her long beautiful hair. Overall she is becoming more modest and not showing anything that separates her from the other women. However, her inner spirit is recovered after being accepted back and now she has the courage to go and stand up to Roger Chillingworth who she hasn't spoken to alone since in the prison. She has the strength to even speak about him and Dimmesdale.
Something that has come up in earlier chapters and comes up again in chapter 15 is what Reverend Dimmesdale has on his chest. Previously, when Chillingworth saw something on Dimmesdale's chest, he know that Dimmesdale had indeed committed a horrible sin when he told the old doctor that he had not. And now, before Hester talks to Chillingworth while he is picking herbs, Pearl brings up that her mothers scarlet letter is the same reason why the minister holds his heart. Pearl said, "'Truly do I!' answered Pearl, looking brightly into her mother's face. 'It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart,'" (Hawthorne, 161). This passage not only demonstrates the unusually things that Pearl at such a young age knows, but tells the reader that whatever is on Dimmesdale's chest that Chillingworth saw and is now after him, was put there (probably by Dimmesdale) for the same reason that Hester wears her scarlet letter. Hester and the reader now know that Dimmesdale's condition is most likely because of the pain he experiences from keeping his sin of adultery in, unlike Hester who is ok because she lets her sin be known and even wears her sin on her breast for all to see.
The reason people still read The Scarlet Letter is that it still is relevant to some of the things going on today. In sports, a named Ray Lewis was accused of murdering two people, one being his wife. Ray Lewis was a star defensive lineman for the Baltimore Raven's, an NFL football team. When the story hit the news it was a huge deal and even though he was never charged with anything, many people believed that he did do it and got away with it which discredited him as a fantastic player. Like Ray Lewis, Hester's reputation was completely discredited for a long time after the townspeople found out about her cheating on her husband. Since Ray Lewis was never arrested he continued to play football but under constant scrutiny. After a couple years, however, people forgot about it and he continued to play well for the rest of his career and will eventually go into the hall of fame. Hester, after her incident was under tremendous pressure like Ray Lewis and also like him, Hester continued to be a model puritan woman while wearing the scarlet letter, she gave to the poor and sewed for people. Now that years have gone by the townspeople forgive her and there was talk of her being able to remove the scarlet letter. file://localhost/Users/Laxer/Desktop/th.jpeg
After completing the first twelve chapters of The Scarlet Letter, I can confidently say that it is an immense departure from what I expected. Before our class began to read the novel, several of my friends expressed sharply negative criticism of the work as a whole. Despite their critiques, I approached the book with an open mind, and was left with a lukewarm impression.
First and foremost, under the surface of Hawthorne’s dense storytelling is an engaging, progressive, and powerful plotline. Of any aspect of the novel, the insightful narrative about sin, guilt, accountability, and sexuality stands out as the true manifestation of Hawthorne’s brilliance. This tale assumes its universal applicability by virtue of Hawthorne’s insight into the true nature of humanity. Of this chapter set, I was particularly impressed when Dimmesdale remarks on the nature of hidden guilt, “So, to their own unutterable torment, they go about among their fellow-creatures, looking pure as new-fallen snow, while their hearts are all speckled and spotted with iniquity of which they cannot rid themselves” (Hawthorne 120-1). This image beautifully captures the aimlessness of shame and false concepts of purity, flaws endemic to both the Puritan settlement and, in a different way, modern society. Such messages are enhanced by Hawthorne’s prose, which, when not excessively dense, is strikingly beautiful. In this way, Hawthorne’s narrative serves as a potent vehicle for societal criticism and is representative of a deeper understanding of human nature as a whole.
Unfortunately, I was left disappointed by how Hawthorne presented his masterfully crafted plotline. Hawthorne has inserted himself and his interpretations into his otherwise plot-driven novel. In this way, his narratorial presence alienates the reader, constantly switching between the plotline itself and Hawthorne’s pontifications on his characters and humanity. Though somewhat of an extended simile, it feels as though Hawthorne is insisting on supervising one’s progress through the novel by virtue of his narratorial presence. I found his remarks to be repetitive, descriptively excessive, and in many cases, purely unnecessary and detrimental to open-interpretation of the novel. For me, this makes the story seem substantially more inaccessible, hidden behind a wall of philosophical tangents and direct thematic explanations in the external narration. Fortunately, the storyline and well-crafted characters have helped to drive the story forward despite these narrational qualities.
In class, I plan to discuss the emergence of Chillingworth's and Dimmesdale’s social relationship. In these chapters, we begin to see the public eye turn against Chillingworth with doubt arising as to his true nature. As Chillingworth begins to devote his life and profession to confirming his suspicions about Dimmesdale’s adultery, Hawthorn explains, “he now dug into the poor clergyman's heart, like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving into a grave, possibly in quest of a jewel that had been buried on the dead man's bosom, but likely to find nothing save mortality and corruption. Alas, for his own soul, if these were what he sought!” (Hawthorne 117). This analysis presents Chillingworth’s insatiable desire to find the man that wronged him in a different light; he is not satisfied with suspicion and instead needs to prove that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father. I envision no good will come of this aimless pursuit, as Chillingworth is almost certain to find “nothing save mortality and corruption”, and Dimmesdale is growing increasingly fragile as he wastes away from guilt. Chillingworth’s nature shifts from beneficent to plotting and menacing, leading some to associate him with the devil, coming to force Dimmesdale to face his sins. This metaphor also extends back to Hester Prynne and Chillingworth’s interview, establishing their agreement as a proverbial deal with the devil.
Additionally, Pearl emerges as a peculiar character with seemingly supernatural inclinations throughout these chapters. One striking example is when she sees Dimmesdale in the window while playing with her mother, calling out, “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 122). Pearl’s comments seem to fit the hidden aspects of the situations she encounters shockingly well. In this particular case, Pearl’s comment coincides with Dimmesdale talking to Chillingworth, further substantiating some sort of association between Chillingworth and the black man, or devil. In the same way, Pearl’s mischievous behavior leads those in the settlement to worry that she may be a demon child, or otherwise corrupted by her mother. In this way, it seems as though Pearl possesses either supernatural insight or some sort of spiritual connection to the scandal into which she was born. It remains to be seen whether Pearl is simply a normal child born under harsh circumstances or, as the narrator proposes, an infant “whose mission was to punish the sins of the rising generation” (Hawthorne 93).
Throughout the first half of the book, I was constantly reminded of the recent government spying scandal, in which the national surveillance and information collection programs were revealed. These surveillance programs pushed, and in many cases crossed, the bounds of legally-permitted spying, and were kept entirely hidden from the public eye. In an extremely controversial release of information, a government contractor named Edward Snowden leaked confidential government documents exposing the program. This event shattered the faith many Americans held for their government and its anti-terrorism programs, demonstrating the extent to which the Patriot Act had been stretched behind closed doors. Many citizens specifically objected to the fact that the government acted in violation of its own laws, principles, and promises, reacting with protests across the nation and internet. Similarly, Dimmesdale, a prominent leader, role model, and pastor, has secretly violated the laws of the Massachusetts Bay Colony through his adulterous actions. Should this be exposed, the pilgrims’ faith in their settlement, government, and church would be greatly shaken. In this way, Chillingworth possesses extreme power; like Snowden, he is faced with the opportunity to expose the scandal for what it is, but he risks destroying the colony’s religious, political, and social stability, simply to achieve his idea of justice.
A group of citizens protesting surveillance in response to information leaked by Edward Snowden
More information is available regarding Edward Snowden and the government surveillance program here:
