Nathaniel Hawthorne uses several literary elements while writing “The Scarlet Letter” to carefully craft the novel; such as biblical allusions, symbolism, and personification to portray the flaws of human nature. Biblical allusions are referred to throughout the novel to provide reader with an understanding of the nature of sin. He uses Dimmesdale as the main focus point towards this literary element during his death. Hawthorne also uses symbolism and it is present when the Black Man is mentioned, comparing human nature and the evil that can sometimes overcome it. Finally, personification helps bring out another theme, in which light and darkness show through nature in the book.
The dramatic story really attracts readers’ attention, and what’s more, the meaningful themes of this outstanding work laid the foundation of its unique significance. The first theme I would like to discuss about is the sin of the three main characters, which is prevailingly illustrated in the novel. At the very beginning the sin is Hester’s adultery: a very serious breach of Puritan morality. Then it had its forms of Dimmesdale’s disguise and Chillingworth’s revenge. I have no beliefs in Christian, so Hester only appears to me as a woman who pursues her liberty and protects her true love.
Pearl was a sort of living symbol of her mother’s scarlet letter. She was the physical consequence of sexual sin. But even as a reminder of Hester’s sin, Pearl was more than a mere punishment to her mother: she was also a blessing. She represented not only “sin” but also the vital spirit and passion that engendered that sin. Hester gave her daughter the name Pearl because she got the baby with all she had, Pearl was her only treasure.
Learned behavior from past situations and experiences, we today have learned hopefully for the good to better deal with these situations or problems when they occur. Examples that show the guilt in the story are what the characters learned from the experiences and how they acted whether positively or negatively. One example is when Chillingworth found out that Dimmesdale was Hester’s secret lover and used all of his power to make his life difficult. Another example is when Dimmesdale came clean on the scaffold and can now rest in peace. Yet another example is that Hester Prynne became a stronger woman.
I found that psychoeducation through means of scripture can be very helpful in enabling a client to progress in therapy. In a hypothetical scenario where a client is faced with a constant struggle with self-care due to overproduction I would help the client work through the biblical narrative to identify and analyze how self-care should look. This would come through discussions on implicit values of human beings, and how sacrificial love, and personal self-care are in an intrinsic balance. I would help the client identify how key figures in the Bible modeled these values of self-care such has Jesus who took time to themselves away from others to prayer and center
Kumail Hasan The story of The Scarlet Letter is about a very abhorrent sin that was conducted by two members of the Puritan Society in Boston, Reverend Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne. Though those characters play a large role in the story, the characters of Hester Prynne and Roger Chillingworth have a history together from the past. The couple is married but yet contains two different personalities that are visible throughout the story. The scarlet letter, the sin, and a variety of factors lead the lives of both the characters and easily display the characters true faces. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses a variety of rhetorical strategies to display his attitude toward these two characters.
Trust is a very important element in being a social person. Being trustworthy and loyal is extremely honorable in human character but at times the truth is too hard to swallow. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, by classic American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, the contrast of truth and lies is a reoccurring idea throughout the novel. Hester Prynne is a young puritan woman of God who had committed adultery while her husband left Boston, Massachusetts to travel to Europe. Because she lived in such a God driven and puritan town, the judicial system of the settlement had decided for her to acknowledge her sin by embroidering a vibrant scarlet letter “A” onto her dress to symbolize adultery.
The poems “Upon the Burning of Our House” by Anne Bradstreet and “Huswifery” by Edward Taylor both represent Puritan faith. Bradstreet discusses the burning of her house and realizes God does everything for a reason, while Taylor prays to God for his salvation. Between these two poems, “Upon the Burning of Our House” best demonstrates the puritanical beliefs in of that time period. Some of the most salient examples Bradstreet utilizes to show her Puritan faith are allusions. Allusions help her demonstrate Puritan beliefs.
Hypocrisy is strongly portrayed in the novel The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the hypocrisy of Puritan society in his novel. The Puritans were judgmental and therefore hypocritical. Being a Puritan means that you are religious and care about everyone no matter what kind of sins they make. In The Scarlet Letter the hypocrisy in Puritan society is well shown.
Hawthorne’s Critical Assessment Nathaniel Hawthorne takes a critically offensive view against early Puritanism. In this passage from The Scarlet Letter, the narrator describes the area surrounding the prison as well as the harsh and severe society, particularly the women of the town, that gathers and await the punishment of a criminal. Utilizing selective detail and denigrative language, the narrator noticeably exemplifies his scornful and condemning tone. He further interfuses his own negative attitude toward the Puritans while describing their appearance, persona, and demeanor. To successfully present his opinion and comments into the novel, the narrator uses carefully planned diction to sway the readers’ judgment of the Puritans.