Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

The Scarlett LetterThe Scarlett Letter

IronyIrony Quote:Quote: This woman has brought shame upon us all, This woman has brought shame upon us all,

and deserves to die” (36)and deserves to die” (36)

Purpose: Purpose: This quote is important because it shows This quote is important because it shows the attitude of the other characters in the town. The the attitude of the other characters in the town. The people who are supposed to be good and religious, people who are supposed to be good and religious, can really have evil thoughts.can really have evil thoughts.

Contribution: Contribution: Irony contributes to the book as a Irony contributes to the book as a whole because it shows how the other characters whole because it shows how the other characters treated Hester. They were supposed to be religious treated Hester. They were supposed to be religious Puritan people, but all they really thought about was Puritan people, but all they really thought about was how to punish others. how to punish others.

ElizabethElizabeth

ImageryImagery Quote: Quote: “Was that SCARLET LETTER, so “Was that SCARLET LETTER, so

fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. It had an effect of a spell, taking her out of bosom. It had an effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity”the ordinary relations with humanity”

Purpose: Purpose: It was putting emphasis on the letter to let It was putting emphasis on the letter to let the reader know the effect it had on Hester and the the reader know the effect it had on Hester and the towns people.towns people.

Contribution: Contribution: Imagery contributes to the book as a Imagery contributes to the book as a whole because it gave the reader an idea on how the whole because it gave the reader an idea on how the scarlet letter punishment worked. It made the reader scarlet letter punishment worked. It made the reader feel what both Hester and the townspeople did feel what both Hester and the townspeople did toward the letter.toward the letter.

ElizabethElizabeth

MotifMotif:: a recurring subject, a recurring subject, theme or idea.theme or idea.

““It was only the darkened house that could It was only the darkened house that could contain her. When the sunshine came again, contain her. When the sunshine came again, she was not there. Her shadow had faded she was not there. Her shadow had faded across the threshold.” pg 111across the threshold.” pg 111

Night Vs. Day:Night Vs. Day: The day represents what is The day represents what is socially accepted hence everything that is socially accepted hence everything that is done in the light is either accepted or done in the light is either accepted or punishable. However the night is everything punishable. However the night is everything that would not be accepted and the only time that would not be accepted and the only time people can get away with it.people can get away with it.

Dimmesdale’s encounter with Hester and Dimmesdale’s encounter with Hester and Pearl on the scaffold.Pearl on the scaffold.

AubriAubri

SimileSimile Quote:Quote: “Pearl… seemed to be borne upward, like “Pearl… seemed to be borne upward, like

a floating sea-bird , on the long heaves and swells a floating sea-bird , on the long heaves and swells of sound(162).”of sound(162).”

Purpose:Purpose: They compare Pearl to a bird in They compare Pearl to a bird in order to express how much of a free spirit order to express how much of a free spirit she was. Throughout the novel it was she was. Throughout the novel it was present that she was an odd child that did present that she was an odd child that did as she pleased in order to satisfy her own as she pleased in order to satisfy her own curiosity. This helps the reader to see her curiosity. This helps the reader to see her as a very fascinating creature that's as a very fascinating creature that's unbelievable because of the knowledge she unbelievable because of the knowledge she possessed . It also allows the reader to possessed . It also allows the reader to satisfy their own curiosity as they continue satisfy their own curiosity as they continue to learn about her and her beliefs.to learn about her and her beliefs.

VickyVicky

AllusionAllusion ““With the infant at her bosom, an object to With the infant at her bosom, an object to

remind him of the image of Divine Maternity… remind him of the image of Divine Maternity… the world was only the darker for this woman’s the world was only the darker for this woman’s beauty, and the more lost for the infant that she beauty, and the more lost for the infant that she had borne (39).”had borne (39).”

Hester is standing on the scaffold as a beautiful Hester is standing on the scaffold as a beautiful woman like the Virgin Mary. However, Hester woman like the Virgin Mary. However, Hester represents as a sinful woman who committed represents as a sinful woman who committed adultery as opposed to the Virgin Mary who is adultery as opposed to the Virgin Mary who is immaculate and sinless.immaculate and sinless.

Jesus is Mary's savior as Pearl saves Hester from Jesus is Mary's savior as Pearl saves Hester from joining a witch cult and is able to live with her.joining a witch cult and is able to live with her.

JackieJackie

ToneTone ““A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments

and gray, steeple crowned hats, intermixed with and gray, steeple crowned hats, intermixed with woman…were assembled in front of a wooden edifice, woman…were assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door which was heavily timbered with oak, and the door which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron pikes” (33)studded with iron pikes” (33)

Purpose: Even in the beginning, the story starts off Purpose: Even in the beginning, the story starts off with a feeling of mysteriousness. There is a sense of with a feeling of mysteriousness. There is a sense of tension among the townspeople which the reader tension among the townspeople which the reader begins to question. begins to question.

Contribution: The tone is dark and mysterious which Contribution: The tone is dark and mysterious which creates the sensation of a secret being spilled out. creates the sensation of a secret being spilled out. The feeling of darkness will continue throughout the The feeling of darkness will continue throughout the book because of the sin (adultery) Hester has made. book because of the sin (adultery) Hester has made.

JenniferJennifer

MetaphorMetaphor ““We have yet hardly spoken of the infant; We have yet hardly spoken of the infant;

that little creature, whose innocent life had that little creature, whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of sprung, by the inscrutable decree of providence, a lovely and immortal flower, providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of guilty out of the rank luxuriance of guilty passion.” pg 61passion.” pg 61

The quote above refers to Pearl as both a The quote above refers to Pearl as both a creature and an immortal flower. This is to creature and an immortal flower. This is to show the importance of pearl to the story. show the importance of pearl to the story. That she is lovely and therefore the light in That she is lovely and therefore the light in the novel. the novel.

AubriAubri

MetaphorMetaphorQuote:Quote: ““The pine-trees, aged, black, and solemn, and flinging The pine-trees, aged, black, and solemn, and flinging

groans and other melancholy utterances on the breeze, groans and other melancholy utterances on the breeze, needed little transformation to figures as Puritan elders; the needed little transformation to figures as Puritan elders; the ugliest weeds of the garden were their children, whom Pearl ugliest weeds of the garden were their children, whom Pearl smote down and uprooted, most unmercifully”(65)smote down and uprooted, most unmercifully”(65)

Purpose:Purpose: Pearl uses the decaying trees and plants around her house Pearl uses the decaying trees and plants around her house

to release her anger towards the society that she lives in, to release her anger towards the society that she lives in, where she and her mother are treated unfairly because of where she and her mother are treated unfairly because of Hester’s past actions.Hester’s past actions.

Contribution:Contribution: Hawthorne’s use of metaphors in his novel emphasizes how Hawthorne’s use of metaphors in his novel emphasizes how

Hester and Pearl’s situation is inconvenient for them and Hester and Pearl’s situation is inconvenient for them and how it affects them emotionally, especially for Pearl, a how it affects them emotionally, especially for Pearl, a growing girl. It also highlights how Puritan beliefs can growing girl. It also highlights how Puritan beliefs can become quite gruesome towards those they believe to be become quite gruesome towards those they believe to be “heathens” “heathens”

PersonificationPersonification Quote: Quote: “Least of all now, when the “Least of all now, when the

heavy footstep of their approaching Fate heavy footstep of their approaching Fate might be heard, nearer, nearer, might be heard, nearer, nearer, nearer!”(164)nearer!”(164)

Purpose: This quote helps bring in the Purpose: This quote helps bring in the tension and the need to know when the tension and the need to know when the truth will be exposed. Their fate will be truth will be exposed. Their fate will be changed tremendously having both of changed tremendously having both of their lives forever since the town will their lives forever since the town will now know their huge secret.now know their huge secret.

VickyVicky

AllegoryAllegory ““I have allowed myself, as to such points, I have allowed myself, as to such points,

nearly or altogether as much license as if the nearly or altogether as much license as if the acts had been entirely of my own invention” acts had been entirely of my own invention” (22). – (22). – The Custom HouseThe Custom House

It is parallelism between the narrator and It is parallelism between the narrator and Hester as he lived in seclusion like her.Hester as he lived in seclusion like her.

The narrator connects to his own life telling a The narrator connects to his own life telling a story within the overall story of Hester.story within the overall story of Hester.

He makes a prediction that he will be He makes a prediction that he will be degraded to a custom stamp like Hester was degraded to a custom stamp like Hester was degraded in papers and cloths. degraded in papers and cloths.

JackieJackie