The Custom House

Puritan colony “Live by God’s word”

Ambivalent – mixed/contrasting attitudes Hawthorne = disdain for morality/rigidity of Puritans

Feels instinctual connection

Authenticating novel – says he found faded “A” and manuscript novel is based upon, which may or may not be true.

Defines romance novel Uses light and setting to develop theme

“dream strange things and make them look like truth”

The Scarlet Letter

The Prison Door (Ch. One)

Setting – 17th century Boston (1642) Symbolism

Puritan society = major character Decay / rust / ugliness of physical setting

foreshadows “gloom” of the novel Rosebush

contrast to surroundingsnature images contrast with Puritan societyWeeds growing in front of prison = Puritan

society

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The Market Place – Ch. 2

Women viciously discuss Hester’s sin

“Hot iron to her forehead

illustrates what Hawthorne found objectionable

A = Adultery

Has Husband, a scholar, in Europe

Pearl = Hester’s sin

Beadle (town / parish officer) sword / staff = religious authority “grim” and “grisly”

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The Recognition –Ch. 3

Hester would have been executed (circumstances – husband missing for two years – save her)

Hester recognizes deformed man “stranger”

Snake twisted across his features = allusion to Garden of Eden

Dimmesdale speech = “Name your lover”

Better to step down from a high place

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The Interview – Ch. 4

Chillingworth visits Hester in prison

Seeks no revenge against Hester/ Wants to discover Pearl’s father

“Read it on his heart” (father’s “A”)

Makes Hester promise not to tell who he is/ Hester feels vow of silence may ruin her soul

Hester = obligated to husband but has never loved him; loves Pearl’s father

Chillingworth bent on revenge (evil)

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Hester at Her Needle – Ch. 5

Hester moves to cottage – outskirts of Boston

Outcast (symbolizes sin to society)

Penance for sins (refuses to strike back, but she does resent Puritans)

Super seamstress but cannot work weddings

Irony: town condemns her but loves her work

“A” gives her sympathetic knowledge of the hidden sin in other hearts

Romance mixes fantasy and fact (power of the “A”)

The Scarlet Letter

Consider Key ideas, scenes, concepts, and images

from the story.

Draw pictures/ illustrations that capture these ideas.

Assignment: free form map for chapters 1-5

Portray main ideas form each chapter

Compose an explanation of each illustration and staple it to the back of your poster

Be innovative

Free Form Map

Free form example

Pearl (Beautiful object found inside of oyster)—Ch. 6

Came of “great price”

Complex – smart, passionate, loves mischief and disrespects authority

Pelts other children with words / stones (destroys toys) Paradox

uncontrollable nature = sinful act that led to her birth

beauty = product of love

society vs. heart (truth)

Can something good come from something evil?

Hawthorne condemns Puritan position, “God . . . had given her a lovely child.”

The Scarlet Letter

The Governor’s Hall – Chapter 7

Want to deprive Hester of Pearl Puritans see Pearl as a product of sin Hawthorne thinks the Puritans are self-righteous Pearl

Rich in beauty Full of passion Children fling mud at her / she scares them off Hawthorne – “angel of judgment” Scarlet dress = link to letter and fiery passion

Hester – reflection in armor breast plate = Puritans will decide her fate

Pearl’s naughtiness = defying moralistic atmosphere of the setting Pearl screams when the governor enters

The Scarlet Letter

Elf – Child and Minister – Chapter 8

Brings together the major characters : Church, State, and World of Darkness

Pearl says she was, “plucked . . . off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison door.”

Pearl pretends to not know catechism Hester = God gave Pearl to me (Happiness and torture) Dimmesdale w/ hand over his heart = Hester should keep Pearl as a

blessing and a reminder of her sin Pearl = mom’s sin and father’s guilt Darkness

Mistress Hibbins (witch – Hester declines her offer but would have joined her if they had taken Pearl)

Chillingworth (physical appearance = ugly and dark = desire for revenge affects him)

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The Leech – Chapter 9

Chillingworth moves in with Dimmesdale

Rumors – agent of Satan to test the Reverend

Leech = doctor (sucks life out of Dimmesdale)

Town thinks Reverend’s goodness will prevail

Dimmesdale thinks Chillingworth = intellectual listener

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The Leech and his patient – Chapter 10

Chillingworth investigates identity of Pearl’s father Chillingworth = cannot serve people with secret sins / Dimmesdale

= you still can Hear Pearl’s voice through the window (she’s skipping on

gravestones in cemetery) Pearl feels minister is in the grip of the Dark man Chillingworth feels Hester is better for confessing her sin rather

than hiding / Dimmesdale agrees Dimmesdale says he has sickness of the soul – will not discuss it

with earthly doctor Later – Chillingworth notices something on Dimmesdale’s chest

while he sleeps, “wild look of joy” and dance of ecstasy.

The Scarlet Letter

Interior of Heart – Chapter 11

Chillingworth knows the secret

Wants vengeance

Subtly torments Dimmesdale with comments

Dimmesdale’s sermons hint at sinful nature

Self torture (beats self with whip\vigils – stays awake)

Irony: The more he points to his own sin, the holier his congregation thinks that he is

The Scarlet Letter

Minister’s Vigil – Chapter 12

Second scaffold scene Symbolism

public humiliation penance (repent = self imposed/punishment = imposed by church / others)

All major characters meet in this scene

Focus on Dimmesdale’s guilt Tortured subconscious\fear\guilt Superego = confess Ego = fear of consequence Pearl asks him to stand here at noon next day = truth

Meteor (Ambiguity) Dimmesdale = has shape of scarlet A Only his imagination? Sextons = Governor Winthrop became an angel Pearl sees Chillingworth Ambiguity of supernatural vs. natural

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Another view of Hester – Chapter 13

Puritan change

Courage of bearing shame

“Able”

Helps poor, sick, etc.

Hester and Physician – Chapter 14

Chillingworth releases Hester from promise (silence)

Revenge has made him evil

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Hester and Pearl – Chapter 15

Pearl makes a green letter A out of seaweed

Wants to know why mom wears “A”

“For sake of gold thread” = 1st time Hester lies about it

Hester sees Chillingworth is evil and realizes she hates him

Hester and Chillingworth = legal marriage w/out love

Hester and Dimmesdale = true love w/out marriage

Puritan society – What is sin?

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A Forest Walk – Chapter 16

Hester goes to forest and hopes to catch Dimmesdale on a walk

Pearl asks if Dimmesdale holds his hand over his heart to hide Blackman’s mark

Before Hester can answer, Dimmesdale comes and looks like he has no purpose to live

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The Pastor and his Parishioner – Chapter 17

Pivotal chapter Advances plot and characters

Hawthorne feels Chillingworth = worse of three sinners (calculated acts worse than sins of passion)

Provides hope for lovers’ escape (conflict = natural law vs. Puritan law) Hester = they have paid for sins and should be allowed to

escape (Europe to preach)

Hester = strength / courage

Dimmesdale draws on Hester’s strength / feels his sin will follow him.

The Scarlet Letter

Flood of Sunshine – Chapter 18

Symbols “A” = Puritan Law Cap = society Hester removes these and (sun) shines on her God (nature) approves / God (society) disapproves Pearl linked to natural law – animals approach her

Child at the Brook-side – Chapter 19 Pearl (as a symbol) makes Hester put the “A” back on -

screams when she sees the “A” removed Pearl wants Dimmesdale to acknowledge her in public Dimmesdale kisses her, but she washes the kiss away in

the brook (foreshadows future event – chapter 23)

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Minister in the Maze – Chapter 20

Spiritual battle within Dimmesdale decides to flee to Europe Hester secures passage in a ship – leaves in four days Plans to retire at election sermon Mistress Hibbins says she will see him with the black man in the

forest Escape calculated = deadly sin Affair of passion = sin but not deadly Dimmesdale has been changed by decision

reacts irrationally wants to tell the Deacon blasphemy wants to argue against eternal soul Hawthorne’s psychological insight: Dimmesdale’s conscience struggles with

acceptance of deadly sin

Irony: Chillingworth – ill pastor may be gone next year (death) Dimmesdale – to another world (Europe)

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N.E. Holiday – Chapter 21

Hawthorne’s message = Dimmesdale = no peace without confession

Chillingworth booked to sail on the ship (will not let Dimmesdale escape earthly punishment)

Procession – Chapter 22

Dimmesdale seems remote and Hester realizes he will change his mind

Escape has been cut off

The Scarlet Letter

Revelation of the Letter – Chapter 23

Symbolism Church = Wilson

State = Governor Bellingham

Dimmesdale repels their help to hold them up

Irony: Confesses his sin to people who think he is a saint

Pearl now accepts him (kisses him / weeps)

Dimmesdale wants Hester to confirm his decision, “Is this not better than what we dreamed of in the forest?”

Chillingworth loses: he can no longer torment Dimmesdale, and he receives the reverend’s blessing.

The Scarlet Letter

Conclusion (Chapter 24):

Ambiguity “A” on Dimmesdale’s chest:

Self inflicted torture

Result of the doctor’s drugs

Remorse gnawing at conscience

Is Dimmesdale’s death a parable?

Puritan’s (even the most saintly are sinners)

Hawthorne, “Be True! Show freely to the world your worst.”

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Character’s fates

Chillingworth (shrivels up and vanishes / consumed by revenge), but he does leave his wealth to Pearl

Hester – leaves for a while, but returns and resumes the “A”

ambiguity: accepts the Puritan rules or lived beyond their petty rules

Pearl – assumed that she lives a long, happy life (she could have married a Puritan, but she did not)

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Character Analysis

Hester (Feminism – strongest character?)

Strength (outcast / mom)

Honesty (would not tell on Dimmesdale nor reveal Chillingworth)

Compassion ( charitable deeds / by dying governor’s side)

The Scarlet Letter

Dimmesdale

Main conflict of the novel (only puritan main character) suffering = direct result of not disclosing sin

unsure of soul’s status great minister

secret sin (hypocrite)

Puritan = God’s chosen could not commit sinful acts)

Vigils = inward struggle Fasts and whips self

Sermons are better because sin and agony help him empathize with sinners

Earns salvation in 3rd scaffold scene (public confession and forgives enemy)

Not as strong or honest as Hester

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Chillingworth

Flat Character (one-sided) more of a symbol for Devil’s bidding – vengeance Hawthorne builds symbol associated with

Deformity Wildness (Native Americans) Mysterious power

Medicine

Eyes “penetrating” “dim” “blurred”

Intelligence

not a puritan Scientist who investigates who Pearl’s father is No compassion (violates Dimmesdale’s heart and

soul)

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Pearl

i. complicated symbol (act of love/passion and sin)

1. Symbol

a. Hester’s Passion (nature)

b. Adultery (sin)

c. nature (wild)

d. Dimmesdale’s conscience

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“A” = adultery, angel, able light / color Darkness = Chillingworth Grey = Puritans Light = truth c. Setting 1. Puritan village = rigid rules (punishment) 2. Scaffold = humiliation and penance 3. Forest = natural laws and freedom (Puritans link it to home of the “Black Man” – Devil

because they are governed by artificial laws)

Key Symbols