Chapters 16 - 19

         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.

Chapters 16-19

      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

Chapters 16-19 The Incredible A

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dQpFu8uRP0

Chapters 13-15: Character Changes in Hester, Chillingworth, and Pearl

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”.

              For more information click here

Chapters 13-15: The Transformations of Hester and Chillingworth

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.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/09/23/paula-deen-serves-up-another-racism-scandal-apology-with-a-side-of-self-promotion/

Chapters 13-15 "On the Offensive" by Richard Paglia

     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

Chapters 9-12: On Chillingworth, Dimmesdale, and Pearl

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:

http://www.biography.com/people/edward-snowden-21262897#aftermath

9-12

These chapters really stress the enormity of the church in Puritan society.  Dimmesdale is the symbol of the church as the religious leader in the Puritan settlement.  As the truth about Dimmesdale is revealed he becomes a figure of corruption and sin to the reader, however this corruption is hidden from the public of the society.
Hawthorne's criticism of the Puritan society in the religious aspect is immensely revealed in this area of the novel.  Society and religion are one in the same with these people.  Every daily action and encounter with neighbors are formed by the church.  Those viewed as in favor with God were though well of in the society, and sinners were the sum of the earth, below everyone.  Dimmesdale being the religious leader is granted celebrity status.  Being in favor with God the public finds no fault with him and find it hard to believe anything that would taint his reputation.  The first case of this is the public's view of Chillingworth moving in with Dimmesdale.  A portion of the Public loved the idea that a Doctor could improve the health of their religious leader like the hand of God lifting him up to better help the public find god.  The other portion of the public viewed the doctor as a changed man who is the Devil in disguise trying to bring down the holiness of their society, this shown as the narrator states,  "that heaven had wrought an absolute miracle, by transporting an eminent Doctor of Physic, from a German university, bodily through the air, and setting him down at the door of Mr. Dimmsdale's study! Individuals of wiser faith, indeed, who knew that Heaven promotes its purposes without aiming at the stage effect of what is called miraculous interposition, were inclined to see a providential hand in Rodger Chillingworth's so opportune arrival." (Hawthorne 110).  Either way Dimmesdale is put on a pedestal being in favor with God, while is physical and mental health is not questioned.  The second instance of the public's inability to find fault with Dimmesdale in in his speeches.  He tells the congregation how vile he is while fighting the pain in his soul from his sin, but they do not believe him, he is venerated by the citizens.
With Dimmesdale being revealed as the father of Pearl Hawthorne shows that even infallible characters in the eyes of society can be not what they appear.  With Dimmesdales thought, "'I, your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie!"' (Hawthorne 131).  This passage sums up Hawthorne's criticism of this society tries to reveal that even the most respected figures can have flaws so big they may shatter society.  If Dimmesdale was to reveal himself as this sinner, he would not only fall but the society so based on this perfect church that is a guide and goal for all lives would be invalid for everything they worked for was corrupt.
A thread from this to daily life is Martha Stewart.  She for a long time represented this flawless figure in domestic life that many woman strived to be.  With a long term reputation of having impeccable taste in home decoration, Martha was a guru in this field.  As all of us should know no one is perfect, all of us have flaws may others see them or not.  In Martha's case her flaw destroyed her credibility with so much public pressure.  In her stock sale scandal she was thrown in jail as her reputation as an infallible character was thrown away.  This relates to Dimmesdales reputation in the colony and how he would fall if it came out to the public.

Chapters 5-8

For my Gossamer thread I found a Tumblr page entitled “Your Fave Is Problematic.” The person who runs the blog researches different celebrities and finds reasons for the public to hate that celebrity. Some of them were interesting to read because it surprised me what some of the people that I looked up to had done. Although, most of the things they had done or said that were being criticized were small and unimportant things. They were mistakes that an average person makes every day. The reason they seemed so bad was because of the affect that they had. Because of these celebrities' popularity they have an influence over the general public. Another reason they seemed so bad is because the public watches these celebrities so closely and therefore they are more likely to notice their mistakes more often. This is similar to the position Dimmesdale is in. At this point in the novel, we can assume that he is the father of Pearl. Because of Dimmesdale’s respected position in the Puritan society, he has a great influence over the people, just like the celebrities of our time do. People look up to him and respect him, so Dimmesdale does not want to admit that he is the father. In comparison to his status and the way that people view him, the sin would seem so much worse than if an average person did it. Because of Dimmesdale’s high status if it were to come out that he is the father than the colony would be in trouble because it is so new and delicate it could be destroyed. The influence that Dimmesdale has on his community is so much stronger than our celebrities have on us because of the colony’s small size and newness. Hester and the person who runs the blog are doing the opposite thing. The blog owner is exposing these celebrities’ secrets because they think that they are helping the public be informed. Hester is keeping the secret to protect the community.  Because of this I predict that Hester might reveal that Dimmesdale is the father, she will do what the person who runs the blog is doing and tell the truth to the public.  

Another reason I believe either Hester or Dimmesdale will tell the truth is when Hester and Pearl are at Governor Bellingham’s mansion with Bellingham, Wilson, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale she pleas to Dimmesdale because they want to take Pearl from her, “God gave her into my keeping,” repeated Hester Prynne, raising her voice almost to a shriek. “I will not give her up!”—And here, by a sudden impulse, she turned to the young clergyman, Mr. Dimmesdale, at whom, up to this moment, she had seemed hardly so much as once to direct her eyes.—“Speak thou for me!” cried she. “Thou wast my pastor, and hadst charge of my soul, and knowest me better than these men can. I will not lose the child! Speak for me! Thou knowest,—for thou hast sympathies which these men lack!—thou knowest what is in my heart, and what are a mother’s rights, and how much the stronger they are, when that mother has but her child and the scarlet letter! Look thou to it! I will not lose the child! Look to it!” (Hawthorn, 103) There is more truth to Hester’s plea than the other men realize because Dimmesdale is the father. I believe Hester is being defiant by almost referencing their affair in a way that the other men would not understand. After this Dimmesdale claims that Hester should keep her child because it is God’s will. I believe either one of them could tell the truth because of this interaction. As Hester states, Dimmesdale knows her better than anyone else and Dimmesdale even stood up for Hester. Hester’s defiant statement to Dimmesdale shows that Hester is brave and might tell the truth. Dimmesdale’s reasoning for Hester to keep her child shows that Dimmesdale still cares for Hester and his child, and even if he is too cowardly to admit that he is the father, he might come through for them. 
http://yourfaveisproblematic.tumblr.com/

Chapters 9-12

When my class got The Scarlet Letter books, I knew right away that I was not going to like this book. I had heard from other students, that it was an awful book. That night for homework we had to start chapters one through four. Eventually, when I started reading it, I found it hard to get into the book. After several days, and a couple chapters later I started to enjoy the book. I am loving the story line, but every now and then I am struggling with how Hawthorne writes. Reading chapters nine and ten, were one of the hard ones. Mainly because, in my opinion, nothing really happened. But, once I got to chapters eleven and twelve things flowed very smoothly. Early on in chapter nine, Hawthorne refers to Roger Chillingworth as a leech. He says, "For the sake of the minister's health, and to enable the leech to gather plants with healing balm in them..." (Hawthorne 112). After reading that I looked up the definition of a leech, which is a person who clings to another for personal gain, especially without giving anything in return (dictionary.com), I thought it fit perfectly with Chillingworth. In the Puritan times, physicians did not have needles to take out blood from their patients; so they used leeches. Chillingworth is described as a leech because he is trying to help Dimmesdale get better.  But, in reality he wants to know the truth about Dimmesdale. Hawthorne picked the right word to describe Chillingworth, because he will do anything to find out the truth and does not care about anyone is the process.

Also while reading, the townspeople's reactions to Chillingworth staying with Dimmesdale at the end of chapter nine stayed with me while I continued to read. The narrator tells the reader that there is a change in Chillingworth's facial expressions. They went from being calm and cool to being ugly and evil. Then the narrator goes on to say, "To sum up the matter, it grew to be a widely diffused opinion, that Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, like many other personages of especial sanctity, in all ages of the Christian world, was haunted either by Satan himself, or Satan's emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth," (Hawthorne 116). This quote shows that Chillingworth does not have good intentions for Dimmesdale. In the Christian world, Satan is referred to as the chief evil spirit or as the devil. Since Chillingworth is referenced as a spirit of Satan, he will probably make the worst come out of Dimmesdale. The narrator is pointing out that Chillingworth should not be trusted. As I continue to read, I am excited to see what will happen between the two of them.

Throughout reading these four chapters I noticed, that they were mostly about Roger Chillingworth and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. I made the connection to the Michael Jackson and his doctor scandal. Since Chillingworth is Dimmesdale's doctor, I am predicting that a scandal will come out of their relationship. In 2011, a jury decided that Michael Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was guilty in his death. Jackson spent the days leading up to his death in a sleep-deprived haze of medication and took a fatal dose of potent drugs prescribed by his physician. Murray decided to not tell the authorities that Jackson had been injected with propofol - which was the leading factor in Jackson's death. The Jackson family was very happy with the outcome, and continues to remember their lost son or brother. I picked this as my gossamer thread because, I thought it connected very well with these passed chapters of The Scarlet Letter. Chillingworth picks to live with Dimmesdale for a specific reason, and it is not to help him get better. Chillingworth wants to know the truth about Dimmesdale and will do anything to figure it out. Just like Dr. Conrad Murray, Roger Chillingworth will abuse his little power over Dimmesdale in the chapters to come.

Here is a link to read the story of the conviction of Dr. Conrad Murray: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/08/us/doctor-found-guilty-in-michael-jacksons-death.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 

Chapters 5-8

Even though the chapters so far have ventured deeper into The Scarlet Letter, I still find myself struggling to interpret the meanings behind Hawthornes writing. Unlike past literature I have read, I often have to read through certain passages multiple times in order to understand what Hawthorne is trying to say and how it affects the storyline throughout The Scarlet Letter. One passage that I found interesting and wanted to understand the meaning behind was in the beginning of chapter 5 where it states, "But now, with this unattended walk from her prison-door, began the daily custom; and she must either sustain and carry it forward, or sink beneath it. She could no longer borrow from the future to help her through the present grief. To-morrow would bring its own trial with it; so would the next day, and so would the next; each its own trial, and yet the very same that was now so unutterably grievous to be borne" (Hawthorne, 73). Like I had said earlier, at first I was confused as to what Hawthorne was trying to say. After reading through it and truly trying to understand his word choice, I soon understood the meaning behind this passage. Hawthorne talks about Hester's release from prison, and the realization she has come to. Hester begins to understand that the shame she had to face did not end up on the scaffold, but rather would continue with her from day to day. She can no longer try to sustain hope that the following day's will be better than the current, as the sin she has committed will continue to stay with her.

Also, another passage I would like to point out is in the last paragraph of chapter five where it says, "The vulgar, who, in those dreary old times, were always contributing a grotesque horror to what interested their imaginations, had a story about the scarlet letter which we might readily work up into a terrific legend. They arrived, that the symbol was not mere scarlet cloth, tinged in an earthly due-pot, but was red-hot with internal fire, and could have been seen glowing all alight, whenever Hester Prynne walked abroad in the night-time. And we must needs say, it seared Hester's bosom so deeply, that perhaps there was more truth in the rumor than our modern incredulity may have been inclined to admit" (Hawthorne, 81). This passage did not stand out to me as it was hard to understand, but rather that the mystical affect and the legend of the scarlet letter is brought up once again, as it was stated previously in the end of chapter 3. I find it interesting that in the short amount of the book that has so far been read, Hawthorne has twice brought up this "glow" that the scarlet letter omits. I believe that the mystical affect the letter has will continue to be an important factor throughout the storyline, and I am interested to see where it will surface again later in the novel.

As I was reading, I began to see that even though this work of literature was written in the 1850's, many connections to today's society can be made throughout the plot. One connected I made was to the past story of Lance Armstrong, and his illegal usage of steroids throughout his cycling career. In 2012, Armstrong had come out to public, stating that throughout his career he had frequently used steroids in order to gain an edge over other competitors. As this is highly illegal among professional cyclist, Armstrong was stripped of not only his sponsors, but his Tour De France titles as well. His reputation as one of the greatest cyclists, as well as his respected personality was tarnished, leaving him to be highly criticized by the public. This relates to Hester, and her profound skill in the art of needlework. Hawthorne describes the talent Hester posses as it states "a specimen of her delicate and imaginative skill, of which the dames of a court might gladly have availed themselves, to add the richer and more spiritual adornment of human ingenuity to their fabrics of silk and gold" (Hawthorne, 75). Hester is so talented in the art of needlework, that even dames a court would want to have her adornments added to their fabrics, but Hester ultimately does not receive such praise as a result of the sin she has committed. As Hawthorne later talks about Hester's talents, it says, "But it is not recorded that, in a single instance, her skill was called in aid to embroider the white veil which was to cover the pure blushes of a bride" (Hawthorne, 76). Rather than being noticed for her skills, Hester's name is dishonored and holds a negative connotation. Just like Lance Armstrong, Hester's tarnished reputation comes as a consequence to her actions in the past, and her talents are not able to reach their fullest potential.

Armstrong stripped of his titles as a result of his steroid usage

Chapters 5-8

It is quite troublesome to understand the historic Puritan writing style used in the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. As a reader, I was not prepared for it, being unfamiliar with Puritan culture and lifestyle, like Morganne Gallagher. While continuing to read, I began to develop a better understanding of the novel. Its story became much more interesting and powerful afterwards.

After reading Chapters 5-8, I developed a snippet of pity for Hester. In the first four chapters, the mood and tone of the narration were dark and somber. This mood continues throughout the ensuing chapters. Starting from chapter 5, the narrator discusses Hester Prynne’s exclusion from the society she lives in and reveals her fine talent with the needle.

“Clergymen paused in the street to address words of exhortation, that brought a crowd, with its mingled grin and frown, around the poor sinful woman. If she entered a church, trusting to share the Sabbath smile of the Universal Father, it was often her mishap to find herself the text of the discourse” (Hawthorne 78-79)

The passage points out the trouble Hester Prynne has to deal with in the society. She does not fit into the Puritan culture anymore and is always reminded of the sin that she has committed. The passage also shows the life that is taken away from her after she is labeled as an adulteress. Even though she had a  talent of creating excellent garments and clothes that are worn by the clergy, people saw her as if she was a demon. The moment she is condemned to wear an A on her chest, her entire image becomes distorted, and no matter how skillful she is with the needle, people would see her based on her label. My pity comes from her mistreatment by the community. People are not willing to let go or give her a chance to show that she can become a better person and are too quick to judge her. It feels like Hester is stuck in a dark hole and she can’t pull herself out all because of one action. Moving on to chapter 6, readers finally get a better insight of Pearl. Pearl is the creation of Hester’s sinful act as well as the light in her life. Pearl has inherited all of her mother’s characteristics and is perceived as the imp of evil since she was produced from Hester’s sin. Chapters 7 and 8 gave me the impression that the leaders of the Puritan society are heartless. They tried to take Pearl (Hester’s greatest treasure) away from her with no regard to the attachment that Hester has for her daughter. Without Pearl she may take away her own life. Hester is continuously wronged as the leaders do not trust her due to her sinful act. The passage “Woman, it is thy badge of shame!” replied the stern magistrate. “It is because of the stain which that letter indicates, that we would transfer thy child to other hands” (Hawthorne 101) directly indicates the impact of the label of adultery in this Puritan Society. It seems like she will never be trusted or forgiven for what she has done as people constantly remind her of the sinful act she has committed. After Hester’s continuous fighting for Pearl, Dimmesdale, however, is able to persuade Wilson and the other powerful leaders to let Pearl be - having gotten away with adultery himself. I perceived Dimmesdale's act as a repayment to Hester for keeping her mouth shut. Other than that, I felt sorry for Hester because her entire life seems to float away from her reach because of one mistake she had made. Everyone makes mistakes and people should be forgiven sometimes!

The distorting of Hester Prynne’s image is evident today. It can be seen in the sport, football. Michael Vick, a man who had the potential to become one of the sport’s greatest and favorite from many quarterbacks lost his entire glory when he was caught taking part in a sinful act. He was caught making dogs fight, killing poor innocent dogs for enjoyment. People labeled him as an immoral human being in our society today because what he did was too horrific to imagine. Fans started to look down at him and undermine his talent on the field, just like how Hester’s sewing work was overlooked. Michael Vick regrets what he has done and tries to rise back to grace - to little avail, mostly because many still look at him the same way. The difficulty of this recovery parallels that of Hester Prynne’s showing that one human mistake can change a person’s life forever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCBLsPjFj_Y

Chapters 1-4

When I first began The Scarlet Letter, as stated by both Liron and Catherine before me, it was hard to understand. The language was different than anything I had ever read before, and I was not familiar with the Puritan way of life. I agree with both of my group mates though, that once I continued to read, it became easier. What I thought was interesting was the way Hawthorne began his novel. His first sentence states, "A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments, and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes" (Hawthorne 45). This passage is describing the people standing outside of the prison door waiting for Hester Prynne to emerge. They are described as wearing "sad-colored garments", which right from the start puts a negative feeling on the scene. When I picture this clothing I picture a lot of grays and browns, void of bright colors. Then he moves on to describe the door at which they all are staring. What is special about the prison door, is that it is adorned with iron spikes. In just one sentence Hawthorne is able to set a scene of dreary colors and spiked doors. I felt that this description of the Puritan village at this moment was very fitting for what is to come in the novel.

Another point I would like to address is about Hester herself. As readers we don't know much about the characters yet because of how far we've read, but one of the only things I noticed about Hester is that she is already keeping two secrets. Keeping a secret and not being able to tell anyone something can be normal, but when the secrets are as big as who the father of her child is and who her husband is, those can really weigh down on a person. I will be very interested to see how both of these secrets effect Hester as the novel progresses, and whether or not she begins to show signs of cracking under the pressure.

I would like to point my Gossamer Thread in the direction of adultery. A few months back the actress Kristen Stewart was found to be cheating on her boyfriend Robert Pattinson with her then movie director Rupert Sanders. When the news broke, it was a very large scandal and you could read about the story on every magazine cover in the stores. Much like Hester, there was shaming happening to Stewart after she was found out, especially from her fans. Even though this stuck with her for a few months, the story is now buried under more drama, and this is exactly what I am predicting happens to Hester as the story progresses. During my Google search for the Stewart-Sanders cheating scandal, I had to get to "Kristen Stewart che" before anything having to do with her cheating was recommended as a choice to click on. After a little over a year, Stewart has seemingly left the story behind. Even though Hester had Pearl has a result of her adultery which makes their stories slightly different, I am making a prediction that as time goes on the people of their colony will move on to the newest drama and ignore Hester. I don't believe that the people will be able to just forget about the incident, but they will take their mocking somewhere else. The only people that will be harping on it will be Hester, Pearl, and Roger.

Click here to see a timeline of events of Kristen Stewart's cheating scandal

Chapters 1-4

     The Scarlet Letter is very distinctive in regards to the way in which it is written, this is what first initially struck me about the novel. The text starts out with an introductory story titled, "Custom House". I read this introduction and if you haven't I suggest you do, it introduces the narrator of the Scarlet  Letter itself. It follows the story of a man who happens to come across a historical manuscript written by a man named Jonathan Pue. The manuscript is accompanied with the Scarlet Letter. When The narrator loses his job he decides to write the novel, the Scarlet Letter following Hester Prynne's story. This introduction gives a frame of reference to accompany the book, and a little background on who the supposed author of the novel is. It even introduces Hester Prynne herself and the idea of branding as seen later in the novel, as when the narrator initially discovers the A it burns him as he lifts it to his chest. This introduction was very intriguing to me and set the mood of the novel before I actually began to read it.
      When I did begin to read, at first I found it fairly difficult to adjust to the language being used. It often caused me to turn back and re-read sections of the novel that I didn't initially understand. I cannot recall any other book I have read that uses this type of language in both narration and dialogue, which was at first rather difficult to decipher. However, as I continued through the text it began to make more sense and eventually the language was not so hard to understand. It is probably a matter of simply getting used to the unique language that was used during the 1640's.
One passage that stuck out to me specifically was in the first moments of the text, as Hester Prynne has just climbed up to the scaffold. It reads,

     "Had there been a Papist among the crowd among the crowd of Puritans, he might have seen  

      this beautiful woman, so picturesque in her attire and mien, and with the infant at her bosom, an  

      object to remind him of the image of Divine Maternity, which so many illustrious painters have

      vied with one another to represent; something which should remind him, indeed, but only by 

      contrast, of that sacred image of sinless motherhood, whose infant was to redeem the world. Here, 

      there was the taint of deepest sin in the most scared quality of human life, working such effect, 

      that the world was only the darker for this woman's beauty, and the more lost for the infant she   

      had borne," (Hawthorne 53). 

     This passage was particularly interesting because it is comparing Hester Prynne and Pearl to the religious symbol of the Mother Mary and the baby Jesus. At the start, Hawthorne uses the word 'Papist' which is generally used to refer to the Catholic Church. The image of the Mother Mary is one of the Catholic Church, she was the virgin mother who bore Jesus Christ. The image of Mary holding Jesus in her arms, just as Hester is holding Prynne on the scaffold, is an iconic image in the Catholic Church. He goes on to describe how this image of Mary is sinless, because she was a virgin when she discovered she was pregnant with a child who was destined to save the world. He then contrasts this with Hester as she is the exact opposite of this according to the society she lives in. She has committed a terrible sin, cheating on her husband. To make matters worse she now has an illegitimate child. While she may resemble Mary holding Jesus, instead of representing a pure image, Hester symbolizes an evil sinful woman. Hawthorne goes on to say that the world is a worse place because she and her daughter are in it, while Mary had brought the greatest blessing that the world had ever seen. This comparison between the Virgin Mother Mary and Hester Prynne was very interesting to me, because it accurately brought in religious symbolism which is a main topic in the novel as they are living in a Puritan society. The contrast between Mary and Hester was a technique to embody the shame and the pure hatred that Hester's society wants her to feel. Overall, it was a very interesting passage and a comparison that can better a readers understanding of how sinful Hester's actions were to the people of this time. 

    Another passage that was intriguing was at the end of chapter three, 

      "The infant, during the latter portion of the ordeal, pierced the air with its wailings and screams; 

        she strove to hush it, mechanically, but seemed scarcely to sympathize with its trouble. With the

        same hard demeanor, she was lead back to prison, and vanished from the public gaze within its 

        iron-clamped portal. It was whispered, by those who peered after her that the scarlet letter threw 

        a lurid gleam along the dark passage-way of the interior," (Hawthorne 65). 

    This passage was one that stuck out to me because it showed the relationship that Hester has with Pearl. When Hester is initially described walking from the prison to the scaffold, she attempts to use Pearl as a shield of sorts to disguise the scarlet letter on her chest. This is not particularly a loving, motherly image being painted. It even states in the text this was not done as a sign of "motherly affection". Then comes this quote, that is describing Hester's reaction to the discomfort of her new born. Hester is unconcerned with Pearl and is just looking to quiet her in front of the crowd. One would expect some loving touch, or action of a woman concerned with her child, but Hester gives no hint of this. It is as if Hester is shown as resenting Pearl, as she is the cause of Hester's trouble. Even though no one can be blamed for Hester's adultery but herself, it is likely she holds resentment toward Pearl as she is the physical manifestation of her own wrong-doing. This resentment is shown through her cold, and distant relationship with her child. Also, the scarlet letter is again mentioned and is even described as having a luminescent quality. This is again reinforcing the scarlet letter as having some supernatural power, which is likely to be a symbol seen throughout the rest of the text. 

    In today's culture many ties can be made to the literary work, the Scarlet Letter. One connection that first came to mind as I was reading the text, was the increasing debate surrounding sexual assault on college campuses. Very recently there has been tension surrounding a pick for the Sundance Film Festival, the title of the film is 'The Hunting Ground'. It follows a group of girls who were silenced by the administration at their college campuses after being sexually assaulted. The preview for this film can be found here. All of the girls in the film were told that they were fighting a losing battle if they ever sought legal retribution for what had been done to them. This is clearly tied to the novel, as Hester is made to promise that she will not reveal the name of her husband for he fears of the shame he would face if anyone knew he was married to Hester. She is silenced into her own personal shame and so are the countless women who face assault on campuses all over the country. In today's culture and in Hester's culture of her time, women are often made to feel bad about their sexuality. Whether it be in regards to sexual assault, what women wear, or how women act, women are constantly made to feel shame over their own sexuality. This is true for the girls in the film as well as Hester in the novel. No one feels sympathy for these young girls, and certainly no one feels sympathy for Hester. In the film all the girls speak about how they were made to feel less than others after revealing they had been assaulted. Hester is placed on the scaffold specifically to make her feel shameful and sinful. Even though Hester committed adultery, she is still made to feel worthless after a single mistake. This is true for women being assaulted across the country. One night of having too many drinks could end in them being assaulted. The shaming of women over their sexuality, as well as the act silencing of women into shame were prevalent in the Scarlet Letter, as they are today. 

Chapters 1-4

I was initially caught off guard by the start of the novel. The novel was first published in 1850, over a hundred fifty years ago, and as such utilizes a plethora of both vocabulary and grammar structures that are no longer used in modern writing. As a result, I spent the first couple pages trying to adjust to the different style and attempting to derive the intended meaning from the text. By the end of the reading I was better able to understand what was being said and I was more capable of analyzing what I was reading.

It was clearly evident over the course of this reading that through the novel, Nathaniel Hawthorne is trying to direct criticism toward Puritan beliefs. In the first chapter of the novel, Hawthorne points out the Puritan legend surrounding the existence of the rose bush outside the door of the prison. He describes that the legend goes that the “[bush] had sprung up under the footsteps of  the sainted Anne Hutchinson”, who was banished to Rhode Island for preaching Antinomianism, “as she entered the prison-door” (Hawthorne 46). However, he also mentions that it is entirely possible that the bush may have simply survived past the death of the rest of the wilderness that originally surrounded it but that the true history of the bush would not be debated in the novel. Hawthorne is criticizing that with simple common sense it could be determined that the bush had just never been removed with the rest of the forest and had not appeared out of the earth following the footsteps of a woman. Additionally, Hawthorne mocks how easily the town is willing to punish and execute criminals of insignificant crimes. In his description of the crowd gathered around the prison, Hawthorne provides a couple examples of reasons people could be punished. These include:

“It might be that a sluggish bond-servant, or an undutiful child, whom his parents had given over to the civil authority, was to be corrected at the whipping-post. It might be, that an Antinomian, a Quaker, or other heterodox religionist was to be scourged out of the town, or an idle and vagrant Indian, whom the white man’s fire-water had made riotous about the streets, was to be riven with stripes into the shadow of the forest. It might be too, that a witch, like old Mistress Hibbins, the bitter-tempered widow of the magistrate, was to die upon the gallows” (Hawthorne 47).

It is apparent in each of these cases that Hawthorne thought these disciplines were extreme and unfitting of the offenses committed. Most of these offenses involve the merging of religion and law and it becomes clear that Hawthorne does not condone this relationship between the two. Hawthorne’s criticisms of Puritan beliefs are evident in his portrayal of the rose bush and the mixture of law and religion as examples of the flaws in Puritan customs.

The criticism of the beliefs of a society for the flaws in their culture is evident today in the debate over the necessity of vaccinating all children. Many adults lately have been choosing not to vaccinate their children for various viruses and as a result are putting themselves and others at risk by being a potential host for a multitude of illnesses. The flaw in this philosophy is that science has proven that vaccines are extremely effective and can create immunity to many viruses with very high success rates. However, the refusal of some parents to permit their children to receive vaccines has led to the first measles outbreak in the United States in more than a decade with 102 cases reported in January of this year. Simply allowing their children to receive the vaccine could prevent many of these cases but due to the parents’ beliefs they are refusing. This relates to how there was similarly little logic in some of the Puritan beliefs and yet the Puritans still went about their lives in the same manner. People’s inability to adapt to changing beliefs for the good of themselves and others is just as prominent nowadays as it was back in the 1800s.