It felt to Hester as though the red cloth emanated a “burning heat; and as if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron” (30). As beautiful and as ornately designed as the letter was, it was created as a symbol of shame to be worn by Hester and to be seen and condemned by everyone in the town. Hawthorne’s decision for the letter to be red can be seen as symbolic, as the color can represent the pain that Hester has with the situation. It can also be seen as the death of her innocence as she is judged by society. Later in the novel the color red is used to describe Pearl, called a “scarlet vision” by the narrator (101).
Chevalier has captured a historical artist’s pursuit for perfection through a mysterious manipulative character, Vermeer. His history is enriched by this fictional re-creation, giving access to another world and time. Not only exploring the life of this profound artist, the novelist mirrors the challenges faced today, drawing the similarities of the human experience. This corresponds with the statement: “The way in which a story is told profoundly affects our response”, that is reinforced by Chevalier’s symbolic techniques and stylistic structure. Chevalier prompts ones ability to see, through her characters’ persona, and their capability to perceive the outer world, by fostering a precision for beauty.
What was once considered a mistake is now seen as a mischievous child named Pearl. After her extramarital affair, Hester has to go through the humiliation of standing in front of the entire town wearing her scarlet letter and holding her illegitimate child. She feels remorse for her action: “Thus the young and pure would be taught to look at her, with the scarlet letter flaming on her breast, --at her, the child of honorable parents, --at her, the mother of a babe, that would hereafter be a woman, --at her, who had once been innocent, --as the figure of the body, the reality of sin” (Hawthorne 73). Society sees Hester in various roles but they judge her according to unforgiving rules. While Hester’s “sins” are out in public where all could see, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth hide their debaucheries from public view.
As a baby, Pearl seems instinctively drawn the A. Symbolically, this suggests a connection between the baby and the A as they are born from the same sin, but some may speculate that the decorative nature of the letter during a time period of particularly bland dress would draw one’s attention. As she grows older, Pearl tortures her mother by giving attention the A. One might argue that the dark nature of her birth (sinful in fact) gives her the impish behavior that inspires her to press Hester’s buttons. 3. What did the townspeople say about Pearl?
Lewis, Mrs. Harper, Don Crane, Helen Crane, Linda, Dave, and all of the other minor characters in town. Conflict: The conflict of Shirley Jackson's "The possibility of Evil" is that the town Ms. Strangeworth lives in seems a bit in depression. We later find out the cause for this is Ms. Strangeworth because she is sending hurtful letters to the people who live in the little town. Her letter are based on gossip the town's people talk about. The conflict is later resolved when the town's people figure out that it was Ms.Strangeworth writing those hurtful letters and in return we assume they destroy her most cherish possession- her rose garden.
Nathaniel Hawthorne goes into depth about sins that most people don’t want to hear about. During the time period of The Scarlet Letter, adultery was extremely frowned upon, and was punishable by death. Dimmesdale kept the guilt and the pain of what he had done bundled up inside; Hester`s sin was brought to light she stood on a scaffold alone as people watched; Chillingworth was letting his anger and hatred control his very being. Hester along with her baby had nothing else to do, but stand and watch as her lover stood by. As she was tried for the very thing he should be tried for.
“In Mexico as elsewhere, hair cutting for women was a gravely insulting, visible symbol of sexual and social dishonor.” This would reflect upon her husband’s honor as well. Although chaotic, both Maria and Rita performed these deeds in order to preserve their honor. Through this story we are able to see how gossip was used to wound someone’s honor, gossip about one’s chastity wounded their honor and how violence was used to publicly humiliate and decrease one’s honor. In “Scandal at the Church” we see how the women underhandedly were able to affect each other’s honor and try to create a way to raise or lower their class rank in
“And I look - and there was Goody Good... Aye sir, and Goody Osburn” (p. 49). At first, the social outcasts were accused, then respected characters such as Elizabeth Procter and Rebecca Nurse are accused as a result of the town's mass hysteria. And so this mass hysteria is created, only by young girls, but it has spiraled into a black hole consuming everyone in the town of Salem, regardless of their social
This vindictive hatred from Abigail soon prompts a witch hunt involving many innocent people: “Twelve have already hanged for the same crime.” While many panics, John Procter knows this from the start ; “this is a whore’s vengeance”. He tersely identifies the main cause for the witch trials to be directly linked with a spurned lover, who has become disemployed by Procter after having a brief extra-marital affair with her. Still overwhelmed with lustful feelings for John Procter, Abigail decides to manipulate the situation by accusing innocent people of witchcraft, to achieve her own revengeful goal. Abigail is not the only one who takes advantage of the witch trials, to accomplish their revenge. Thomas and Ann Putnam, as a resentful and greedy couple, will take it out on anyone who has caused them trouble.
Atwood’s list of reasons that explain Webster’s hanging draw up two conclusions about the party who commit her botched execution: they dislike the notion that Webster is an independent woman, and they dislike the unique aspects of her physical appearance. With such contempt running rampant, the society within “Half-Hanged Mary” requires an outlet for their scornful emotions toward Webster, and consequently throws accusations of witchcraft at her in order to attain a blamable individual. On the whole, society requires a scapegoat to pelt with acts of vengeance, whether that scapegoat is a member of the larger social order or