Reply to one of the following questions about The Scarlet Letter.
I do actually read all of your comments and most of you are extremely inciteful.
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Does Hawthorne condone or condemn Hester and Dimsdale in the novel? What are Hawthorne's views of them and their actions? What are your own?
Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
How does Hawthorne describes the scarlet letter itself in the novel. Why do you think that he describes it in each case?
What does Hawthorne mean by the "black man?"
Where Hawthorne seems to uncritically hold Hester up for our admiration is in her steadfast refusal to name Pearl's father. Why do you think this is? Do you share his admiration for this action?
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
What is the difference between the events that happen in the forest as opposed to events that happen in the town? Are the settings interchangeable? What about for Dimsdale?
. . . and finally - something we NEVER got around to talking about:
Native Americans make a few brief and mysterious appearances in this novel. What role do they play? Why do you think that Hawthorne uses Native Americans in this way?
Reply by Tuesday night - 9/24 @ midnight.
Bethany Prizant
ReplyDeleteAs to the questions of, "Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?",I believe there are several reasons. The first reason is that, I believe she is accepting her punishment. She knows what she did is wrong so she doesn't think it'd be right to take it off. I also think her reasons for not removing the letter include Pearl's behavior to when she did in the woods. That sin, and that letter are such a big part of her identity, I think she might ever be scared to be identified with anything else.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDelete-I think that Hester refuses to to establish an identity outside that of her scarlet letter partly because of her inflicting penance upon herself like that of Dimmsdale punishing himself for his actions. However later in the novel when the colonists forget what it means she may wear it as a sign of pride after the colonists tell strangers it stands for angel or something else that she that reflects her good deeds thatshe set her mind to later in the novel
Does Hawthorne condone or condemn Hester and Dimsdale in the novel? What are Hawthorne's views of them and their actions? What are your own?
ReplyDelete- Hawthorne condones Hester, but he condemn Dimesdale. Hester is conveyed as beautiful and majestic throughout the novel, therefore Hawthorne respected her for having confessed her sin and not bringing Dimesdale to the light. On the other hand, Dimsdale was described as old and sick. From the disriptions Hawthorne provides os Dimsdale the reader may infer Hawthorne didn't find Dimsdale's actions earnest or honorable compared to Hester's. I believe Hester was an honoable women with morals because she never brought Dimsdale to the light and she took all the pain and hatred attached to the scarlet letter and she still cared for the needy and gave back to her community. I find Dimsdale to be a coward and hid behind the fame the town gave him which at the end was worse than having confessed in the first place.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDelete-- I think Hester repeatedly refused to stop wearing the scarlet letter because she knows that wearing the letter is her punishment and also because she took so much time in detailing the letter that she almost became proud of it. Also i believe that she always wore it because that was her title; that was how everyone in the town, old or new, knew who Hester Prynne was. Another reason is because she knows she isn't the only one who deserves to wear the letter, so she wears her secret on her chest and lives a free life of never having to hide her secret. I think she refuses to have an identity outside of the letter because her life is based upon the letter. Pearl is the human form of her sin and Hesters punishment was to wear the letter, so therefore the sin surrounds her. I believe that she cant really escape the life surrounding the letter because it has been cemented into her brain that she is known forever as the woman who wears the scarlet letter upon her bosom after she was found guilty of committing a horrendous sin.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDelete- I believe that Hester repeatedly refuses to wear the scarlet letter because it's become who she is. No matter what, I think that she knows that people will always know her by the sin that she committed, so why walk around without the scarlet letter pretending it never happened. I think she continues wearing it in a proud way, she dealt with the humility of it at first, but it's grown on her and become all she's known to be. Pearl doesn't even recognize Hester without her scarlet A. I believe that Hester refuses to have an identity outside of the scarlet letter because her life is the scarlet A. Without it she would be confused and lost, only because she's grown so use to it. Even if she had accepted to take it off, she knows her life wouldn't ever go back to the way it was, especially having Pearl as a everyday reminder of her sin.
Julissa Garcia Period 2
ReplyDeleteWhat is the difference between the events that happen in the forest as opposed to events that happen in the town? Are the settings interchangeable? What about for Dimmesdale?
-- There's definitely a difference in the character's actions. Hester is more exposed and willing to remove her A to bring out her hidden charm during the forest setting but in the town it's mandatory for it to be apart of her wardrobe. Eventually she even refuses to remove the A which no longer has to be law but by choice. Pearl is bothered by the removal of her mother's A, in fact it's abnormal to her making it hard for her to see her without it during the forest scene. However in the town setting she is clearly immune to what she sees, including the town and other children not interacting with her for being the odd ball out. Dimmesdale however puts a good front in both settings. In the forest he is his real self I believe, he doesn't have to live under lies or worry about a burden on his back. In the town, he does have to drag the ugly truth along making his life as a minister a lot harder to be at ease with.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNative Americans make a few brief and mysterious appearances in this novel. What role do they play? Why do you think that Hawthorne uses Native Americans in this way?
ReplyDelete- Using my U.S. History knowledge, Puritans believed Native Americans were devil worshipers who lived in the forest "the wild". They play the role of wildness and bringing forth evil. For example, a native brought to the town Chillingworth, whom was a good man but became "evil" after the natives took him captive. Another example was a rumor saying that the Scarlet letter, representing a badge of greatness, reflected back the arrow of a Native. The wildness comes from the fact that the Native Americans lived in the woods and they were not afraid of they're actions, they are open to one another. Hester and Dimmesdale both showed and confessed to each other their real personalities in woods. I believe Hawthorne used the Natives in the way he did to take the audience back and let them think the way a Puritan would.
Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact that it can be quite difficult to read old-fashioned writings in modern day, the language approves to be effective. The archaic diction helps put the audience in that time and place in order to understand what the time period was like. It gives the reader a more in depth observation, and allows them to feel more like they are living the story themselves. The use of language in the story also helps to set the tone of bitterness, irony, and later ennobling. If the story used modern language it would definitely assist the reader in having a clearer understanding of what is happening in the story, however it would be more difficult to grasp what this story was really about.
September De Soto
I think Hawthorne's use of archaic language is extremely effective. It puts us, as readers, in more of the mind set of the time than if he had used slang from modern times. It would have been more confusing if Hawthorne had chosen to not use some old-fashioned language because it would have gotten made the difference in time periods more unnoticed. It's like when you're watching a movie, (ex: a documentary about Ethiopia) it is much more effective and makes the viewers more sympathetic and interested if we get to see Ethiopians speaking in their native language and then translated than if it were to be in English or have English voice-overs the whole way through. The element of mystery that accompanies a foreign culture or language, or an older period of time, captures the audience's attention more than it would if it were in a language or about a culture we have grown accustomed to. So, Hawthorne's use of archaic language is essential to the story and setting of the novel. It makes it more interesting and realistic.
ReplyDeleteEunseo Jo Period 3
ReplyDeleteQ:Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
-Hawthorne's use of archaic language proved to be effective for me. I wouldn't have been able to fully grasp the setting of the Scarlet Letter if he used modern day words. The archaic language matches the theme of the story with its outdated Puritan ideals.
Ajith Raja
ReplyDeleteI believe that the archaic diction(I should get bonus points for using one of the vocabulary words) was effective. Also, Hawthorne probably used the words to make him sound more intellectual. Its like if you wrote an essay and you kept using the same verbs like says or states over and over. Even if the words are few it shows the readers that this person is smart enough to know the meaning of these words. :D
Whoever wrote this is really smart.
DeleteWhy do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDeleteHester continues to wear the scarlet letter, because it is her punishment. If she does not endure through this trial, she is worried she will have to have even more consequences in heaven. She wears her scarlet letter everywhere, because it is now a part of her identity. It isn't just an outside appearance, it's on the inside, too. Her sin burns into her heart, and she can't just remove that sin. She is aware of that, so she continually wears the scarlet letter, even though it makes her unhappy.
"Does Hawthorne condone or condemn Hester and Dimsdale in the novel? What are Hawthorne's views of them and their actions? What are your own?"
ReplyDeleteI believe that Hawthorne wrote this as an exaggerated tale of how he believes we are when we make ourselves vulnerable to sin and guilt. I think he is trying to show us that when we sin we can overcome it and that even if it takes a while, people will get over it and you can move on from it but that when you have that secrecy and guilt weighing you down you are more prone to "die" inside due to the truth trying to eat it's way out of you. With that said, I believe that he condemns them. I think he exaggerated their mistakes to show how wrong it is even though we didn't live in that time and sin doesn't get the same reaction for us, we basically think the same way in a tamed down sense. Personally, I agree with this theory that our guilt will eat away at us and revenge will get you no where, and that if you just come clean and do your best to fix it and have a better life for yourself then you'll be just fine in the end. So I condemn Dimmesdale for letting his guilt and sin drive him to his grave but I condone Hester for pulling out of her sin and fixing it in time for herself and her daughter.
-LeAnn Brown
How does Hawthrone describe the scarlet letter itself in the novel? Why do you think that he describes it in each case?
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel Hawthrone describes the letter as a beautiful, bright, and gorgeous symbol upon Hesters bosom. Starting from the begining of the novel when Hester comes out from the prison to stand at the scanffold. Hawthrone uses very unique descriptive words towards the letter making it seem like it symbolized something to be proud of. While on the other hand it was completly the opposite. Another scene where Hawthrone really emphasises the letters beauty was when Hester, Pearl and Dimmersdale were in the forest. I believe that Hawthrone really exaggerated with the letter. He might of done this to show that the letter was actually doing a good rather than a bad. When i mean good i mean it taught Hester many things. An example would be not to care what others think, stand up for what is right, treat others the same way you'd like to be treated, help out your community and finally she learned how to confront her mistake and not run away from it.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter ? Why does she refuse to have identity outside of one includes the scarlet letter ?
ReplyDelete-I think Hester continuing to wear the scarlet letter changed the meaning of it shame to able unlike Dimmersdale she challenged her community by helping others even when they isolated her she kept on wearing the scarlet letter to prove to her community just because a person commits a sin doesn't mean they are evil unlike Dimmersdale he had tried to hide his sin instead of confusing from the beginning.
Beejen Patel P.2
ReplyDeleteBecause the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
-I found Hawthorne's use of archaic language and an old-fashioned style effective rather than a distraction. I felt that with the old-fashioned style, one would have to actually think and 'read between the lines' to grasp and figure out what the author is saying. Yes, if it was written in a more modern-style, then it would have been easier to figure out what was happening. I thought the use of the archaic diction made the story like fit the time period and mood, and also fit the setting and the descriptions of things. They kind of fell into place as Hawthorne was writing this. I also felt that this was effective in a way that the reader was able to imagine and picture what a certain scene looked like and if some things should be in that scene or not. Hawthorne made the reader think.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDelete- There are moments in the novel where she had the chance to repeal the scarlet letter, but Hester deliberately refused like she had become attached to this item, like she IS this item now. This action to me seems that Hester has become accustomed to having this item on her that she can't be without it. Additionally, it may also show that Hester believes he has to be judged for her horrible crime. This crime, which so many puritans greatly condemned. I feel this can signify her simple ways of life as she suffers through her life as some religious views at the time were thought to be. Leaving everything behind you and live in suffering. For example, I wouldn't think that Hester ended the book in suffer, but because she chose that life. She believed it was her obligation However, this action can be taken in many different ways
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDeleteI think Hester continues to wear the scarlet letter because it is her punishment and has but time and detail into the letter that she sort of becomes proud of wearing it. I also think she doesn't remove it because she becomes accustom to wearing it, almost like her way of getting distinguished by others. She also made the definition of the letter change to able by all her charity work, unlike Dimmesdale who is secretly dying of guilt. I think Hester refuses to have an identity outside the letter because people won't recognize, like her daughter couldn't when they were in the woods. She is attached to the scarlet letter that she can't really imagine a life without it.
-Susana Cabrera Period 2
To respond to the question, Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDeleteI think that Hester realizes that everyone already knows what she did and she accepts that by not taking of the letter. I mean she couldn't really have a life outside of it because she's already been seen as a sinner for so long there's no point in removing the scarlet letter. Since everyone in town already knows who she is and what she did so it wouldn't change their appearence of her. The only way I could see removing the letter would benefit her is if she left town and went some where new where she could start her life over with pearl which she tries to at the end of the novel.
How does Hawthrone describe the scarlet letter itself in the novel? Why do you think that he describes it in each case?
ReplyDeleteHawthorne tries to present the scarlet letter as a shining and beautiful thing with intricate designs and stunning craftmanship. It is fitting that it should represent sin to the quakers because of their belief that fancy things are in fact sinful. Their refusal to indulge in pleasantries helps to signify why they come to look at the scarlet letter as such an evil thing. It also, however, helps them to distinguish the scarlet letter as something seperate from Hester herself. In stark contrast to the the fancy embroidery and flashy sparkles on the A, Hester is garbed in gray clothing, keeps her hair up and plain, and refuses to make herself an object of beauty in any way. He is constantly reinforcing that image of beauty of the scarlet letter to make us believe that it is not so evil. After all, how could something so elegantly crafted and sewn with such skill be the representation of something unjustified? Especially when Hester uses this God given ability to help everyone in the town except herself
Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
ReplyDeleteI think that although the author meant well by using archaic language, I found it really distracting to the story line. Personally, I find it really hard to read and understand older language because it's so unlike the way that we speak now, so reading a whole book with that style of writing was really challenging for me. I constantly found myself going back and re-reading a paragraph or sometimes an entire page because I didn't really get what was going on. I think that instead of using archaic language throughout the whole story, it only should've been used in the dialogue so that it shows the time period that they are in without making the story impossible to comprehend.
Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
ReplyDelete-I found the author's use of archaic language to be a little distracting at first, but as I read more, I got used to it and actually found it to be quite effective and even quite helpful in describing the aspects of that time period. To me, it only makes sense to have the novel written in archaic language because it fits into the time period, so it makes to story line more believable and much more interesting. Modern day language just wouldn't fit into describing the setting and all other aspects of this book because it just wouldn't sound right.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDeleteI think Hester refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter is because she has not yet suffer her crime of adultery and believes that she still needs to wear it. This shows that the crime she did can not just leave by its own but to live from it. But her wearing the scarlet letter for such a long time that it has made Pearl not being able to see her mother without it. She chooses not to have a different identity other than of with the scarlet letter is because she can't leave to another identity when she and others knows of the sin she has done. Yet the good work she has done has made it change its meaning to the townspeople and becomes attach and impacts Hester's and the townspeople's lives.
Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an old-fashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction? How?
ReplyDeleteI find Hawthorne's use of old-fashioned writing as distracting. While im reading I have to pause and reread a sentence once or twice to fully understand it. However, as I got further and further into the book I found it a lot less distracting. I feel as though Hawthorne had to write old-fashioned to set the tone of the story, even if he were to write in the way of his time period the book wouldnt have been the same. The old-fashioned writing helped the reader to get into the book.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning of her punishment, Hester sought a way to redeem herself from her crime and pay penance for what she did. Any act of resistance against her punishment, the scarlet letter, in her eyes and the eyes of the towns people, would be denying her sin from God. Later on the towns people saw the scarlet letter as a symbol of bravery because of Hester's humble works. I feel as though Hester began to tolerate and even become proud of the letter. Being apart of her life for so long, it's hard to part with such a great turning point in her character and as the scarlet letter.
How does Hawthorne describes the scarlet letter itself in the novel. Why do you think that he describes it in each case?
ReplyDeleteThe scarlet letter was described as a skillfully and elaborately embroidered patch, with a bold red color and golden thread. In fact, it was so ornate that many of the townspeople thought that it wasn't enough of a punishment. But however beautiful the letter might have been, Hester still felt it like a brand on her heart. I think that Nathaniel Hawthorne purposefully meant for the meaning of the scarlet letter to change throughout the course of the book. In the beginning, its defiant beauty corresponded to Hester's cool and even haughty demeanor, which belied her true fear. But by the end of the book, the scarlet letter's meaning changes. It becomes an outward sign of Hester's inner beauty, which she otherwise hides away.
Why do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
ReplyDeleteWhen someone is marked with a symbol as life-changing as the letter, they are faced with a choice: the choice to struggle against the burden, or to find the strength to carry it. Hester chose the path of bravery and took on the letter with extreme patience and endurance. She had to transform herself into someone with incredible strength in order to be able to carry that burden and care for the very people who despised her. I think that in the end, in choosing to keep the letter, Hester chose to keep her strength. That is why people saw the scarlet letter as a symbol of virtue. Hester proved herself to the entire community by staying humble and brave and enduring in the face of adversity, something a good little puritan housewife could never accomplish in a million years, much less make an impression on the world as Hester did.
Rebecca Nealeigh
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Hester repeatedly refuses to stop wearing the scarlet letter? Why does she refuse to have an identity outside of one that includes the scarlet letter?
I believe that Hester refuses to stop wearing the Scarlet Letter because it is a constant reminder for her of her sin. She is brave enough to publicly admit to her sin and probably feels guilt that she knows she could not possibly conceal as Dimmesdale has. Hester refuses to have an identity outside of the one that the scarlet letter offers her because she has accepted her fate as a sinner and may believe that wearing the letter could possibly help her case when searching for forgiveness. She has already been publicly ridiculed for seven years and does not stop feeling the shame of her actions. Hester faced hardship when some of her fellow citizens deserved to also wear a scarlet letter, but were not found guilty of the sin. Hester endured this alone; and knew that she should just embrace her new life of being passionate towards others.