1 / 23

Symbols of The Scarlet Letter

Kristin Thomas

issac
Download Presentation

Symbols of The Scarlet Letter

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

    1. Symbols of The Scarlet Letter

    2. Kristin Thomas & Ashley Decker

    3. Rosebush …………..Blossom A rosebush has significance in the story for a couple of different reasons. One: these flowers were the only sign of life near the prison where Hester was kept. They represent depression. Two: Hester, throughout the story, is considered a rosebush, and Pearl, her little blossom within it.

    4. Snakes In this book, there are many Biblical allusions. One such allusion is the word “snake.” Where do we first meet a snake in the Bible? …under what circumstances? This helps explain the deceitfulness of some characters in the book.

    5. Balcony in Marketplace The various settings in the story are significant to its symbolism. The arrangement of order within the Puritan town was very strictly enforced. …the nobility above, the common folk on the ground, and Hester stuck in between.

    6. Weeds Little Pearl “was not clad in rustic weeds.” The older meaning of the word weeds is clothing. As mentioned several times in the story, Pearl was never dressed poorly or as the other children. Weeds are also said to represent the evil side of the human soul.

    7. Flowers Flowers are said to represent the good side of the human soul. They also symbolize the beauty within Pearl, beyond the sin from which she came.

    8. Mirrors It will not show anything directly, but by reflection it shows the truth. Shows that Pearl is different from adults. Image in a glass – one of the more significant mirrors in the novel. Came to understand the kind of man Roger Chillingworth had been.

    9. …Mirrors The ‘mirror’ he has just looked into reflects a very different person. The mirror of the passing moment – one of the most interesting mirrors in the book. Reflected a perfect image. “Dost thou remember me?”

    10. …Mirrors

    11. Smiles

    12. …Smiles An unquiet smile A tender smile Made much of Hawthorne’s use of smiles and laughter Contrasts between Arthur Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne

    13. Shadows (Day & Night)

    14. Shadows (Night) It is insufficient for Dimmesdale to mount scaffold at night. A circle of ominous shadow – in several earlier instances – there are mentions of Hawthorne’s images of spheres/circles & light/dark. The darkness is also a way to conceal sin and hide from the truth.

    15. Shadows (Day) “Day” a symbolic acceptance of guilt must take place in daylight.. It’s a symbol of un-trouble, guiltless, and happiness.

    16. A Kiss Pearl kissed Hester’s scarlet letter. This upset Hester because it doesn’t stand for anything but her sin. She doesn’t want Pearl to be a part of that and make the same mistake.

    17. Betrayal “Betray me not” Can a bad thing be done for a good reason or purpose? Some believed that Hester’s decision to do wrong was not done in vain, but out of love for Dimmesdale.

    18. A Boundary Between Two Worlds

    19. Hester Was Stuck Between Two Worlds Two Issues: Writer’s symbolic use of water The ‘two worlds’ England / America Life / Death Child / Adult

    20. Scaffold The scaffold symbolizes open acknowledgement of personal sin. It also represents the need for public atonement.

    21. Hester’s Removal of the “A” This symbol is simple and self-explanatory. This was Hester’s rejection of Puritan authority and judgment.

    22. The Reader May Choose……. Among the many explanations for the continuing power of this novels: Every generation of readers finds new ideas. The more we learn about human nature, the more Hawthorne seems ahead of his time.

    23. Works Cited: Novel: The Scarlet Letter Microsoft ClipArt http://send-roses.net/ http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/gama.htm http://24hours7days.com/RaveMaps/Earth_Views.html http://www.homeportfolio.com/WhatsNew/HowToChoose/accessories.html http://www.beautifulstuff.com/ http://www.themirrorlady.com/ http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/FieldGuide/wildguidered.html

More Related