Sunday, February 8, 2015
entry four: chapters 18-end theme
Forgiveness
"The struggle, if there were one, need not be described. Let it suffice, that the clergyman resolved to flee, and not alone" (138, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Dimmesdale is finally forgivng himself for his sin and is happy. he and Hester have decided t run away with pearl and live as a family. Away from the towns people and all their judgements. Dimmesdale has ended his mental suffering by forgiving himself and in turn that ended his physical suffering.
Judgement
“Let us not look back,” answered Hester Prynne. “The past is gone! Wherefore should we linger upon it now? See! With this symbol, I undo it all, and make it as it had never been!” (138, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Hester finally lets go of the judgement that the town had given her. She is free at last to do what she pleases without having the scarlet letter as a constant reminder of her sin and the judgement that the town has gicven her. How the whole town had shunned her and condemned her to be alone for the rest of her life.
Romantic view of life
"And, as if the gloom of the earth and sky had been but the effluence of these two mortal hearts, it vanished with their sorrow. All at once, as with a sudden smile of Heaven, forth burst the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the obscure forest, gladdening each green leaf, transmuting the yellow fallen ones to gold, and gleaming adown the gray trunks of the solemn trees. The objects that had made a shadow hitherto, embodied the brightness now. The course of the little brook might be traced by its merry gleam afar into the wood’s heart of mystery, which had become a mystery of joy" ( 139, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
We see how Dimmesdale and Hester see the world in a whole new light. Appreciating nature. They see the beauty in the trees and the brook and the leaves. They smile to the Heavans with a newfound joy. They are happy to be alive, happy to be free together. All their pain and grief is no longer, only joy remains.
“You wrong yourself in this,” said Hester, gently. “You have deeply and sorely repented. Your sin is left behind you, in the days long past. Your present life is not less holy, in very truth, than it seems in people’s eyes. Is there no reality in the penitence thus sealed and witnessed by good works? And wherefore should it not bring you peace?” (131, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
The only thing that Dimmesdale feels is penitance, he contiuously tries to repent for the sin he has committed. he makes himself physically ill because he can not forgive himself. He is full of regret and self hatred. It's the onoly thing he can think about, een Hester notices how bad it has gotten. Not only does Dimmesdale feel extremely bad, he has no one to talk with about his sin.
In our lives today judgement is a very big thing that is given constantly. People are always judging others based on looks, and actions. Sometimes these judgements are wrong based on misuderstandings, other times the judgements could be spot on. I don't think people repents enough for their wrongdoings, too many people never take responsibilty for their actions and delude themselves into thinking that they were the victims in every situation, which in fact they are the total opposite.
"The struggle, if there were one, need not be described. Let it suffice, that the clergyman resolved to flee, and not alone" (138, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Dimmesdale is finally forgivng himself for his sin and is happy. he and Hester have decided t run away with pearl and live as a family. Away from the towns people and all their judgements. Dimmesdale has ended his mental suffering by forgiving himself and in turn that ended his physical suffering. Judgement
“Let us not look back,” answered Hester Prynne. “The past is gone! Wherefore should we linger upon it now? See! With this symbol, I undo it all, and make it as it had never been!” (138, Nathaniel Hawthorne). Hester finally lets go of the judgement that the town had given her. She is free at last to do what she pleases without having the scarlet letter as a constant reminder of her sin and the judgement that the town has gicven her. How the whole town had shunned her and condemned her to be alone for the rest of her life.
Romantic view of life
We see how Dimmesdale and Hester see the world in a whole new light. Appreciating nature. They see the beauty in the trees and the brook and the leaves. They smile to the Heavans with a newfound joy. They are happy to be alive, happy to be free together. All their pain and grief is no longer, only joy remains.
The only thing that Dimmesdale feels is penitance, he contiuously tries to repent for the sin he has committed. he makes himself physically ill because he can not forgive himself. He is full of regret and self hatred. It's the onoly thing he can think about, een Hester notices how bad it has gotten. Not only does Dimmesdale feel extremely bad, he has no one to talk with about his sin.
In our lives today judgement is a very big thing that is given constantly. People are always judging others based on looks, and actions. Sometimes these judgements are wrong based on misuderstandings, other times the judgements could be spot on. I don't think people repents enough for their wrongdoings, too many people never take responsibilty for their actions and delude themselves into thinking that they were the victims in every situation, which in fact they are the total opposite.
Entry three: chapters 11-17 characterization
Rodger Chillingworth
"I will not encounter the dishonor that besmirches the husband of a faithless woman. It may be for other reasons. Enough, it is my purpose to live and die unknown. Let, therefore, thy husband be to the world as one already dead, and of whom no tidings shall ever come. Recognize me not, by word, by sign, by look! Breathe not the secret, above all, to the man thou wottest of. Shouldst thou fail me in this, beware! His fame, his position, his life, will be in my hands. Beware!” ( 53 ,Nathaniel Hawthorne).
At first all Chillingworth wanted to do was find out who the man was that Hester had an affair with so he could share the blame with her. He also wanted to save face and keep his identity a secret. He wanted to avenge Hester, he wanted to find out who this man was that had does this sin with her. He wanted to know his name, his job, everything about him.
"It mattered little, for his object, whether celestial, or from what other region. By its aid, in all the subsequent relations betwixt him and Mr. Dimmesdale, not merely the external presence, but the very inmost soul of the latter seemed to be brought out before his eyes, so that he could see and comprehend its every movement. He became, thenceforth, not a spectator only, but a chief actor, in the poor minister’s interior world. He could play upon him as he chose. Would he arouse him with a throb of agony?" ( 96, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Chillingworth becomes more sinister is his revenge. He is using the minister, he suspects that the minister is the man that had an affair with Hester and he is extremeley upset. He manipulates the mnister, he is causing the minister agony by playing mind games with his. Chillingworth is becoming more evil.
"I will not encounter the dishonor that besmirches the husband of a faithless woman. It may be for other reasons. Enough, it is my purpose to live and die unknown. Let, therefore, thy husband be to the world as one already dead, and of whom no tidings shall ever come. Recognize me not, by word, by sign, by look! Breathe not the secret, above all, to the man thou wottest of. Shouldst thou fail me in this, beware! His fame, his position, his life, will be in my hands. Beware!” ( 53 ,Nathaniel Hawthorne).
At first all Chillingworth wanted to do was find out who the man was that Hester had an affair with so he could share the blame with her. He also wanted to save face and keep his identity a secret. He wanted to avenge Hester, he wanted to find out who this man was that had does this sin with her. He wanted to know his name, his job, everything about him.
"It mattered little, for his object, whether celestial, or from what other region. By its aid, in all the subsequent relations betwixt him and Mr. Dimmesdale, not merely the external presence, but the very inmost soul of the latter seemed to be brought out before his eyes, so that he could see and comprehend its every movement. He became, thenceforth, not a spectator only, but a chief actor, in the poor minister’s interior world. He could play upon him as he chose. Would he arouse him with a throb of agony?" ( 96, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Chillingworth becomes more sinister is his revenge. He is using the minister, he suspects that the minister is the man that had an affair with Hester and he is extremeley upset. He manipulates the mnister, he is causing the minister agony by playing mind games with his. Chillingworth is becoming more evil.
"In a word, old Roger Chillingworth was a striking evidence of man’s faculty of transforming himself into a Devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a Devil’s office. This unhappy person had effected such a transformation by devoting himself, for seven years, to the constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and gloated over" ( 116, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Chillingworth is so caught up in getting revenge that he is turning himself into the devil. He no longer looks like a scholor, but like the devil. He is turning into the epitome of evil. He spet seven years only trying to get revenge on the man the had an affair with Hester. Not only is his mind full of evil, he now looks like he is evil on the outside.
Entry two: chapters 6-10 language
"We have as yet hardly spoken of the infant; that little creature, whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion. How strange it seemed to the sad woman, as she watched the growth, and the beauty that became every day more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child! Her Pearl!—For so had Hester called her; not as a name expressive of her aspect, which had nothing of the calm, white, unimpassioned lustre that would be indicated by the comparison. But she named the infant “Pearl,” as being of great price,—purchased with all she had,—her mother’s only treasure! How strange, indeed! Man had marked this woman’s sin by a scarlet letter, which had such potent and disastrous efficacy that no human sympathy could reach her, save it were sinful like herself. God, as a direct consequence of the sin which man thus punished, had given her a lovely child, whose place was on that same dishonored bosom, to connect her parent for ever with the race and descent of mortals, and to be finally a blessed soul in Heaven! Yet these thoughts affected Hester Prynne less with hope than apprehension. She knew that her deed had been evil; she could have no faith, therefore, that its result would be for good. Day after day, she looked fearfully into the child’s expanding nature; ever dreading to detect some dark arid wild peculiarity, that should correspond with the guiltiness to which she owed her being" ( 61, Nathaniel Hawthorne).
The book refers to pearl as a beautiful, eternal flower. She is portrayed as and innocent beautiful little girl that came from such an evil sin. How can something so pretty and pure come from something so dirty and evil? It's very interesting how the town and even Hester would expect anything other than an innocent child to be born. It's not like she will be born as a demon. But still, Hester watched Pearl grow everyday waiting for her to turn into an evil being, because it wasn't possible that G-d could have given Hester something so special and good from such a horrible sin.
Pearl's name is a symbol that represents the hardship and pain that was required to bring her into this world. Just like a real pearl, that needs to be found at the ocean floor and taken from an oyster which isn't an easy task, it wasn't easy bringing pearl into this world and having to raise her. Pearl is a reminder of Hester's sin. She will remain a reminder to her mother and the town for the rest of her life. Hester had to give up her reputation and virtue in order to have Pearl.
Even though pearl did not turn out evil, committing sins every chance she got, she wasn't calm and docile either. Pearl was not a calm and quiet child, even though her name would suggest otherwise. Pearl spoke her mind and wasn't afraid of the consequences. Entry one: chapter 1-5 setting
"In either case, there was very much the same solemnity of demeanour on the part of the spectators; as befitted a people amongst whom religion and law were almost identical, and in whose character both were so thoroughly interfused, that the mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful " (34, Nathaniel Hawthorne). The novel takes place in Boston, Massachusetts, in a puritan society where religion in very much integrated into the townspeople's every thought. Religion and law were so alike that there was no difference between the smallest of sins and the most severe, everyone would get punished alike in public and endure the humiliation.
"It was a circumstance to be noted, on the summer morning when our story begins its course, that the women, of whom there were several in the crowd, appeared to take a peculiar interest in whatever penal infliction might be expected to ensue" (35, Nathaniel Hawthorne). The story begins in the summer one morning. The women in the crowd are are excited to see the punishment being iven to the nex transgressor. these people get enjoyment from watching others being publicly humiliated.
"But there is no record of Hester ever making a white veil to cover the pure blushes of a bride. This exception indicated the relentless condemnation society reserved for her sin" (57,Nathaniel Hawthorne). Hester would make beautiful garments for all occasions. It might seem like the towns people have forgotten that she was a sinner and was condemned to be shunned, it wasn't so. They still never let her taint a pure wedding with her sin. These people will never forgive nd forget. ONce a transgressor always a transgressor. People will never get back the lives that they have lost after committing a sin. There is no such thing as forgiveness in this town.
This puritan society and the society in live in today aren't much different. Once someone does one thing that might seem wrong they are talked about, and shunned and looked at as an outcast. This applies to high school and the community I live in. There might be similarities, but we aren't as bad as the puritans. The puritan society gives much harsher punishments and is much less understanding.
(G-d shining down from heavan.)
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