Jane Austen and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s use of literary devices.

By: Sara Fisher

Pride and PrejudiceJane Austen

ToneJane Austen’s tone in Pride and Prejudice was a result of

her upbringing. Her father always pushed her to excel in what she love to do -writing. Austen believed that women were equal to men and makes this obvious with the main character of Elizabeth in her book. Elizabeth’s cunning wit and rough-around-the-edges appearance wins the heart of Mr. Darcy.

“I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild.” Mrs. Hurst describes her first impression of Elizabeth.

Because of Austen’s descriptions of Elizabeth, the reader knows that the tone is one of equality and feminism.

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ImageryAusten used imagery to

create a rustic, romantic feel to her comedy. The main character, Elizabeth, rarely goes into the city. When she goes on vacation or accidentally bumps into Mr. Darcy, it is usually in a quaint town, a colorful garden, a beautiful old house surrounded by mountains… wondrous gorgeous places that anyone, other than Elizabeth who turned down both Mr. Collins and Mr. Darcy, would have love to been swept off their feet in a passionate whim.

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VoiceJane Austen’s voice leaps off of each page through

her character of Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s involvement in disputes and hesitation towards love voice the beliefs of Austen. Elizabeth disagrees with her mother trying to force all of the Bennet sisters to get married off as quickly as possible. Jane Austen and her sister never got married. Elizabeth is always arguing with Mr. Darcy- even over the silliest matters! Lizzy loves to be part of the squabbles. Because of Elizabeth's disruptions, one can suppose that Austen had an extremely opinionated voice.

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IronySo many ironies are in Pride and

Prejudice. It’s ridiculous!•Elizabeth falls in and out of love with Mr. Wickham; she wants nothing to do with him. Nevertheless, her little sister runs away to elope with him!•Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins marriage proposal, but her best friend Charlotte takes him up on it.•The man Elizabeth once despised becomes the man that she falls hardest for.•Mr. Darcy tried to ruin Jane and Mr. Bingley’s relationship, but he tried to save the Bennet’s reputation.•Mr. Darcy didn’t believe in letting his friend Mr. Bingley marry “under” himself, but Mr. Darcy fell in love with someone of lower status!

The ironies help to create a more amusing atmosphere for Jane Austen’s novel.

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The Scarlet LetterNathaniel Hawthorne

ToneHawthorne’s tone is

much like Austen’s. He supports women’s rights. His central character is Hester, the abandoned mother of young Pearl, forced to wear a scarlet “A” fastened to her chest so everyone knows that she’s an adulteress. Instead of having Hester be the villain of the story, although she did commit a heinous crime, Hawthorne makes Hester’s husband the evil one. Hawthorne’s tone is one that sustains that he believes that women are as strong (and even in some cases- stronger!) than men.

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ImageryHawthorne’s gift of limitless

description led to the magnificent scenes described in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne used imagery to describe Pearl’s “imp- like” appearance and all the details Hester’s stitched into her scarlet “A.” Hawthorne created a marvelous description of the disapproval of the town folk and the shock of Hester’s husband who had just arrived at the colony in time to find out that his wife had sexual relations with another man resulting in a child. He also depicted Hester’s terror fantastically.

“Perhaps there was a more real torture in her first unattended footsteps from the threshold of the prison, than even in the procession and spectacle that have been described, where she was made the common infamy, at which all mankind was summoned to point its finger.”

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VoiceThe course of

Hawthorne’s story is told through the eyes of the struggling heroine Hester. Hester is used to strengthen Hawthorne’s tone and to prove that women are capable of dealing with some harsh experiences- birth to an illegitimate child, embarrassment, neglect. Hester’s voice represents the voices of many women who could not stand up for themselves. Hester’s voice is not just the voice of a brave women, but it is the beautifully crafted voice of the change in a society, a change in the way of viewing women.

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IronyHawthorne presents many forms of

irony in The Scarlet Letter:•The reader find that Hester’s lover was actually the Reverend Dimmesdale!•Dimmesdale, who is supposed to be a holy man, becomes so consumed by his sin that he swears he’s going to Hell.•Pearl, the creepy “devil child” is the one who seals the rift between Hester and Dimmesdale.•Chillingworth thinks that the threat of exposing Dimmesdale will torture the Reverend, but in the end Dimmesdale tells everyone the truth of his affair.

Unlike with Pride and Prejudice, in The Scarlet Letter irony does not create a humorous atmosphere. Instead, irony creates a disturbing ambience.

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