The Scarlet Letter Group at eNotes

Have you ever done something that you hoped no one would ever find out...

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:27:13 PST

Have you ever done something that you hoped no one would ever find out about, something that could lead to your personal and professional destruction ... and then found out that someone did ... only to find out that this one person's greatest desire in life was to DESTROY YOU! Would you own up to what you did? Would you attempt to destroy him? Would you run? Pick up The Scarlet Letter and watch the town's respected minister deal with...

" A forbidden romance.... a scorned man..... a marked woman.... an...

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 14:53:54 PST

" A forbidden romance.... a scorned man..... a marked woman.... an unbelievable truth" The Scarlet Letter: Are YOU ready to find out?

Dimmesdale's motivation, to remain a minister and not reveal himself as...

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:32:52 PST

Dimmesdale's motivation, to remain a minister and not reveal himself as Pearl's father, drives everything he does. His inability to deal with the "reality" of what he has done as creates the guilt that leads to us personal destruction. If he and Hester could have stood on the scaffold the first day, the novel would have ended there. Chillingworth's desire for revelation and revenge determines everything that he does in the novel. Almost...

The novel is indeed driven by Hester's motivations. They account...

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:25:17 PST

The novel is indeed driven by Hester's motivations. They account directly for the circumstances of the story and the events as they unfold. First of all, the story could not have happened at all if, after Pearl's birth, Hester had chosen to leave the Puritan community. She could have taken Pearl (as she did seven years later) and returned to England. Instead, motivated by her deep love for Dimmesdale and her desire to be near him, she chose to...

What ways is the plot of The Scarlet Letter driven (almost mandated) by...

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:42:04 PST

What ways is the plot of The Scarlet Letter driven (almost mandated) by the motivations of its main character?

javiloks, Try it as an old-style newspaper alert. EXTRA!!!!! ...

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:31:11 PST

javiloks, Try it as an old-style newspaper alert. EXTRA!!!!! EXTRA!!!!! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!! ADULTERY!!!!!! SIN!!!!!!!! DECEPTION!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Puritanical Press, 1625)--"The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells a fascinating and mysterious account of a one, Hester Prynne, wearer of the scarlet "A", sewn by her own hand as punishment for the crime of adultery in Massachusetts. Hester's husband has...

What is a good, exciting synopsis of The Scarlet Letter, exciting enough...

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:22:23 PST

What is a good, exciting synopsis of The Scarlet Letter, exciting enough to appeal to readers and making them want to read it.

The novel lends itself to many interpretations, of course, but the...

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:09:58 PST

The novel lends itself to many interpretations, of course, but the influence of Transcendentalism is certainly evident, primarily through the characters of Hester and Pearl. Emerson wrote in "Self-Reliance" that "[s]ociety everywhere is in conspiracy against [the individuality] of every one of its members" and that "[t]he virtue in most request is conformity." Hester represents the life of one who rebelled against her society and who only...

Although the novel was published in 1850, its subject is colonial...

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:11:09 PST

Although the novel was published in 1850, its subject is colonial 17th-century America. Thus Hawthorne applies the principles of trascendentalism to an earlier time-period in the guise of a historical romance. Transcendentalism was a reaction against the religious orthodoxy of Puritan New England. Transcendentalism focused on mysticism, idealism, and individualism. God was seen not as a distant and tyrannical authority, but as an extension of...

What is connection between The Scarlet Letter and Transcendentalism?

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:19:34 PST

What is connection between The Scarlet Letter and Transcendentalism?

Grammardog Guide to The Scarlet Letter

Dimmesdale did indeed have a scarlet letter on his chest. And, it was...

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:52:56 PST

Dimmesdale did indeed have a scarlet letter on his chest. And, it was he himself that put it there. He gave himself a tattoo of sorts. The guilt of not bearing Hester's burden of shame with her, the guilt of his sin, the guilt of his cowardice in not confessing his sin to the world, drives him to injure himself physically. One of the ways he "makes amends" for what he has done is to carve a letter A into his flesh, on his chest, so...

In "The Scarlet Letter" do you think Dimmesdale actually has a scarlet...

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:41:22 PST

In "The Scarlet Letter" do you think Dimmesdale actually has a scarlet letter on his chest?

Through out reading this novel, I think the worst sinner is...

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:50:39 PST

Through out reading this novel, I think the worst sinner is Demmisdale,simpley,because the representative of the Deity as a clergyman

That is an accurate statement, but the sad reality is that morality...

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 08:51:06 PST

That is an accurate statement, but the sad reality is that morality continues to be unfortunately blended with religion which like you say, should not be. It is an undeniable fact, however, that our constitution was founded on a religious basis and this is (in my opinion) the reason why decisions on certain moral matters still can be taken to a court of law. That is unfortunate as well.

I disagree with herappleness's assessment that "if these foundations...

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 05:34:04 PST

I disagree with herappleness's assessment that "if these foundations were not part of the constitution of the society, then morality would not be condemned nor condoned." This statement is an example of the either/or fallacy. It presumes that morality is the sole domain of religion, which is not true. If an atheist saves someone's life, an act that is not required by law, does that mean that the atheist must therefore be religious? Of course...

The Scarlet Letter, like you said, took place in a theocratical, Puritan...

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 13:21:27 PST

The Scarlet Letter, like you said, took place in a theocratical, Puritan society. Our modern society is based on a judeo-christian foundation. Both this and their society are basing their laws and regulations on the constitution upon which the based their societies. If these foundations were not part of the constitution of the society, then morality would not be condemned nor condoned. Since that is not the case, they do become part of what...

Hester found peace because she was dealing with something that required...

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 21:32:30 PST

Hester found peace because she was dealing with something that required acceptance of external punishment rather than dealilng with the intense blame and guilt of Dimmesdale. In fact, Hester becomes a vital part of the community, often helping others who are in need --- this despite the fact that her good work is not appreciated. Thus it was with the men of rank, on whom their eminent position imposed the guardianship of the public...

Dimmesdale is a serious sinner and would be pilloried if the townsfolk...

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 19:28:59 PST

Dimmesdale is a serious sinner and would be pilloried if the townsfolk knew about his sinful trysts with Hester Prynne in the woods. Hester Prynne is jailed and publicly humiliated for her adultry, but her partner in crime is none other than the Reverend Dimmesdale who she will not implicated in her crime. His success is ironic because Hester bears his child and is an outcast from the community as a result of her honesty. In many ways, she is...

In Chapter 11 of "The Crucible", what is ironic about Dimmesdale's...

Sun, 7 Jun 2009 19:10:27 PST

In Chapter 11 of "The Crucible", what is ironic about Dimmesdale's incredible success as a minister?