The Scarlet Letter Group

Question:

pinkbowkmw993
pinkbowkmw993
Student
High School - 10th Grade

What is symbolic in the sun shining as Reverend Dimmesdale gives his sermon in "The Scarlet Letter"?

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Posted by pinkbowkmw993 on Tuesday November 18, 2008 at 2:29 PM and tagged with chapter 23, sun shining, symbols, the scarlet letter.

Answers:

  1. writergal06
    writergal06 Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    Throughout the novel, light is connected with revealed truth, whereas darkness or shadows are connected with hidden truth. The truth of Hester's sin is revealed on the open scaffold in broad daylight; the true nature of Pearl is revealed as she plays by the brook in the sunlight, while Hester and Dimmesdale talk in secret in the shadows of the woods. The sun shining during Dimmesdale's sermon is also connected to revealed truth. More specifically, it is foreshadowing the coming confession of Dimmesdale upon the scaffold.

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    Posted by writergal06 on Thursday November 20, 2008 at 12:29 PM


  2. timbrady Teacher
    College - Senior

    eNotes Editor

    You can see this working in the forest scene when Pearl, an ambiguous character herself, interacts with the sunlight and the shadow. Hawthorne used a great deal of this light/darkness imagery in many of his stories. You might want to refer to "Young Goodman Brown" to see it working in a similar fashion.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/scarlet

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    Posted by timbrady on Thursday November 20, 2008 at 12:38 PM