The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a compelling novel about the repercussions of guilt and “sin”. While this story takes place in a strict Puritan community, one can see the relation of Sigmund Freud theories of libido that can be compared to this novel because it discusses the passion that exists as a natural part of human nature which criticizes that community’s strict ways. Pearl, Hester’s child comes into the story at the very beginning; “a great law had been broken; and the result was a being, whose elements were perhaps beautiful and brilliant, but all in disorder.” (62). Pearl represents the innocence of the natural human desires. Hester named Pearl Pearl because she gave all she had for her and so she is of great value such as a pearl.
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and published in 1850, was just what America was needing in his time. He composed a both beautiful and tragic story while still creating a deep symbolic novel that few could forget. He captivated his readers with his allegorical novel, depending on symbolism and characters heavily, in the style of true dark romanticism. The novel deals with many issues that were prominent at the time, such as the importance of society versus nature, human temptation versus society’s influence, and many others. In Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, he focuses on the conflicting views of society and nature in the Puritan society and uses contrast, symbolism, and imagery to convey his beliefs.
The veil that was supposed to make Mr. Hooper an idea turns him into a symbol of evil causing him to further treasure sin. Because of his own arrogance, the veil corrupts him and projects him as a source of evil. While unsure of what specific lesson Hawthorne was trying to teach in writing his parable, many ideas can be gained from this story. The most important that sticks out is that one is enlightened to the fact that we all are guilty of sins and should be able to admit to them. We are taught that one consequence of guilt, hypocrisy and arrogance is displacement from
1)Thematic statement: Salvation can only be earned by being open about who you are. 1)Thematic statement: Salvation can only be earned by being open about who you are. 1b) “One token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another.”pg.49 Having committed a crime, Hester tries to live her life as truthfully as possible. Because of this, she chooses to wear her scarlet letter compulsively acknowledging the fact that she had done something that does not abide by the rules of the Puritans. 1b) “One token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another.”pg.49 Having committed a crime, Hester tries to live her life as truthfully as possible.
However, she also shows her kind, honest, and compassionate side of herself also brought about through the isolation and horrors of the scarlet letter. When we first start reading the scarlet letter we find Hester on a scaffold holding Pearl in her arms, enduring her public punishment with a very strong presence. On the scaffold she displays a sense of contempt and irony. The ironic part is made evident from the fact that the letter “A” that she must wear is very elaborately done with golden needle work as if to flaunt it off in the faces of the townspeople, when really it represents a sign of shame and sin. However, she knows the reason why she’s up there, and feels as though “her heart has been flung out on the street for all the people to spurn and trample on”.
The Tell-Tale Heart Assignment: We notice that some details in Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” make a literal reading of the story rather difficult. Advance and defend a figurative reading of the story consistent with the story’s details. Poe seems to focus on creating mood throughout his story. Many symbols in this story are interpreted in several different ways depending on the reader. These symbols throughout the story include the old mans eye, the heartbeat and the contradiction between love and hate in which I will be talking about in this paper.
One has the impression that the letter represents the Puritan’s message that is drilled to the population in order to anchor it in their mind. The numerous occurrences of the scarlet letter combined with the hypotaxis style, gives a sense of a message being hammered to the reader just like a sermon: “the ignominious letter” (chap.2 p.52), “with the scarlet letter of infamy “ (chap.3 p.58) “the mark of shame” (chap.3 p.60), “at the token of her shame” (chap. 4 p.68). This is reinforced by the many metaphors of the flames of hell – “burning shame […] the scarlet letter […] seemed to scorch into Hester’s breast, as if it had been red-hot” (chap.4 p.67) ; “… burned on Hester Prynne’s bosom” (chap.14 p.148). One is invited to see the Puritans as ignominious as their
. . can be seen in Hawthorne’s early story “Young Goodman Brown,” about a young, good man” (321). But symbolism requires more interpretation; “the “A,” for instance, suggests many possibilities which are in themselves contradictory, which would lead us back to one of the many interpretations of the “A,” adultery versus angel” (321). Richard Sewall also considers the scarlet letter “A” to be of main symbols to this novel.
Symbol and Interpretation in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter. When Hester comes back to New England, Nathaniel Hawthorne comments upon her return with this sentence: she "resumed the symbol of which we have related so dark a tale." The letter, as a "symbol," is thus the central subject of the book; Hester's story itself only corresponds to the "small roll of dingy paper" that provides an insight into the elusive meaning of the letter. The reader is thus invited to consider the whole story as a progressive uncovering of the "truth" of a symbol that constitutes one of the most enigmatic elements of American literature. Critics over the years focused on this search for a hidden significance, and put forward their own interpretation of this "truth."
Russell claims, lying is morally wrong, Carson believes in some cases it is preferable and Mazur states that different traditions advocate the lying in different circumstances. In brief, until and unless there is a question to save the life of an innocent person lying is morally wrong because, it diminishes trust, withholds the information that one might need, weakens our relationships, and above all it obliterates our honesty. Lying is a threat to the trust of liar. Trust is like a sticker one it got dispatched then it can never be pasted again perfectly. Similarly ones if the lying is mixed with trust then a threat against trust of any relation are produced.