The Scarlet Letter Group at eNotes

Although it's impossible to be sure, I think they fear that somehow...

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:41:24 PST

Although it's impossible to be sure, I think they fear that somehow Hester's behavior would become normative. After all, isn't that one of the basic purposes of all punishment, to set an example for others so that the behavior does not become acceptable? It is interesting that, at the beginning of the book, it is the old biddies in the town who are loudest in their denunciations of Hester; the younger woman, perhaps because she is more...

The villagers want Hester Prynne to be punished for her crime of...

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 12:29:34 PST

The villagers want Hester Prynne to be punished for her crime of adultery, but more than that, they want her to name her lover. She refuses to identify the father of her child. She is courageous in accepting full responsibility for the child. They believe that he must also be punished. For the Puritans, God was a harsh judge, so therefore, they were required to judge in God's name on earth."In religious terms it saw God not as a...

Villagers' Fears and Desires in "The Scarlet Letter

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:07:44 PST

In "The Scarlet Letter," what do the villagers fear and want the most?

Hester Prynne embodies several indirect characterizations that reflect...

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:39:32 PST

Hester Prynne embodies several indirect characterizations that reflect not only Puritan social belief, but systems of belief that are still in place in the 21st century. 1. She is a symbol of personal or individual freedom which Puritan theology did not permit."The Puritans required a strict moral regulation; anyone in the community who sinned threatened not only their soul, but the very possibility of civil and religious perfection...

The scarlet letter itself is a depiction of the difference between male...

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 03:56:39 PST

The scarlet letter itself is a depiction of the difference between male and female characters. Hester Prynne is forced to wear the letter A upon her chest, as punishment for adultery, because she became pregnant prior to her husband's arrival in America. One major difference is how Hester is treated, because she is a woman and has obvious proof of adultery, and Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's lover, who avoids public punishment because he...

Dfferences Between Female and Male Characters in "The Scarlett Letter"

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 20:14:55 PST

Where in the novel does it show the differences between female and male characters?

Indirect Characterizations of Hester Prynne in "The Scarlet Letter"?

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:04:44 PST

What are six indirect characterization of Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter?

Unlike Hester, who has violated a law of society but not a personal...

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:13:03 PST

Unlike Hester, who has violated a law of society but not a personal moral code (she is the one who claims "what we did had a consecration of its own"), Dimmesdale has violated the core of his being. Hawthorne's description is telling: "In no state of society would he [Dimmesdale] have been what is called a man of liberal views; it would always be essential to his peace to feel the pressure of a faith about him, supporting,...

In addition, Dimmesdale's sin cannot be forgotten. Every day, he must...

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:04:54 PST

In addition, Dimmesdale's sin cannot be forgotten. Every day, he must suffer by witnessing the the burden under which Hester and Pearl struggle. Because of his awareness of their difficulties, feelings of guilt, and recognition of himself as a coward/weakling/hypocrite, he is never allowed a moment's peace. Dimmesdale's physical deterioration is due to his emotional deterioration.

Many of the major differences between the male and female characters in...

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:01:48 PST

Many of the major differences between the male and female characters in The Scarlet Letter are those based on gender roles during the time in which the story is set. For example, men held the positions of power in society, while women were responsible for the home and children, et cetera. Perhaps one of the most notable differences is that men seem to be portrayed as the weaker of the two sexes, as far as intrinsic strength is...

Major Differences Between Male and Female Characters in "The Scarlet...

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:16:34 PST

What are some of the major differences between the male characters and the female characters?

Dimmesdale's guilt has overcome him. He continues to preach and...

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:37:43 PST

Dimmesdale's guilt has overcome him. He continues to preach and counsel his congregation, but in his sermons and actions he degrades himself and talks of his guilt in various ways. The problem is that the people of his community see his degregation as being self-imposing of the sins of the people of the community as his own. The people do not understand that he is confessing his real sins and preaching to try and absolve himself. He...

How does Dimmesdale feel as the much respected minister in the...

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:02:04 PST

How does Dimmesdale feel as the much respected minister in the community and why doesn't he thrive among the people who so admire him?

Part of Hester's intrinsic need to live with her sin is present in the...

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 19:05:38 PST

Part of Hester's intrinsic need to live with her sin is present in the baby, Pearl. Hawthorne describes the letter as given by man, the baby as given by God. Hester realizes that this baby is God's reminder of her sin and part of her work toward redemption. The fact that Pearl is a bit of a trouble-maker also lends to the theory that even though she is exquisite, she needs her mother's help and guidance to direct her through her life. ...

Hester is lonely, isolated, Pearl is a treasure to her. The author...

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 16:06:08 PST

Hester is lonely, isolated, Pearl is a treasure to her. The author describes the value of Pearl to her mother, and why, as a mother she loves her child, even though she is a reminder of her sin."But she named the infant "Pearl," as being of great price--purchased with all she had--her mother's only treasure! How strange, indeed! Man had marked this woman's sin by a scarlet letter, which had such potent and disastrous efficacy...

In "The Scarlet Letter," what was the reason Hester gave for...

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:19:55 PST

In "The Scarlet Letter," what was the reason Hester gave for keeping Pearl?

As a reader in the modern world, it is disappointing to us that she...

Tue, 20 May 2008 06:32:20 PST

As a reader in the modern world, it is disappointing to us that she leaves this on when we cannot even truly understand being punished for this action in the first place. When it finally seems she has done her time, we would like to see her move on and be happy. For Hester though, this letter represents who she is. She has worn it for so long and it has defined how people look at her and eventually how she looked at herself. She accepts this...

Generally, a plot device is something added to a story that helps define...

Mon, 19 May 2008 17:06:57 PST

Generally, a plot device is something added to a story that helps define part of the plot but it is often thought of as negative because it shows the author trying too hard to give away what he or she wants the reader to get from the story. In other words, the author may think you will not get the point of the work without the plot device. Hawthorne uses the heart to demonstrate how a burden can cause mental and physical damage to someone....

How does Hawthorne use the heart as a plot device in "The Scarlet...

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:19:38 PST

thx

There are many allusions presented in Hawthorne's great novel. One that...

Tue, 13 May 2008 16:32:16 PST

There are many allusions presented in Hawthorne's great novel. One that runs throughout the novel is the meaning of Pearl. A pearl is a precious gem, but also the product of irritation. (A foreign object lodged in an oyster causes it to produce a pearl.) Thus far, Pearl would be "merely" symbolic—but there is also the pearl of great price in the Bible, the object so great that humanity should sell everything to get it. The rosebush...