The Scarlet Letter Project

1. The Scarlet Letter Project Zachary Senchak Pd. A-B

2. Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne has grown up to certainly live an intelligent life from the beginning. He was born on July 4, 1804, in Salem, Massachusetts, with a family that had a long New England history. Nathaniel’s original last name was Hathorne as he added the “w” to discriminate himself from John Hathorne, a standing out judge back in the late 1600’s. When he was four years old, in 1808, his father, a sea-captain, died of yellow fever. After his father’s death, his mother, Elizabeth Clarke Manning, and his two sisters moved in with maternal relatives in Salem, where they lived for ten years. Years later Hawthorne’s uncle Robert Manning briefed that Nathaniel should attend college, despite Hawthorne’s protest about school. He was sent to Bowdoin College in 1821 with the financial support of his uncle. Early in his career, Hawthorne served as the editor of the American Magazine of Useful and Entertaining Knowledge. He was offered an appointment as weigher and gauger at the Boston Custom House which he accepted. While spending his time there, he rented a room from a business partner. Nathaniel wrote in the comparative room of what he called his "owl's nest" in his family home. He wrote and dispensed short stories, including "Young Goodman Brown" and "The Minister's Black Veil" to various magazines and annuals. Hawthorne become known locally because Horatio Bridge collecting all of his stories putting them into one volume in 1837. The year after he became engaged with his wife Sophia Peabody, while he worked at a Custom House. Sources of info: http://www.egs.edu/library/nathaniel-hawthorne/biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne#Criticism

3. Nathaniel Hawthorne In 1850 Nathaniel has published one of his most Successful works, The Scarlet Letter. The Amazon Reviews stated that, “For nearly a century and a half, Hawthorne's masterpiece has mesmerized readers and critics alike. One of the greatest American novels, its themes of sin, guilt, and redemption, woven through a story of adultery in the early days of the Massachusetts Colony, are revealed with remarkable psychological penetration and understanding of the human heart.” Most of his works are considered part of the Romantic movement and also Dark romanticism. In later years, Hawthorne traveled and met Abe Lincoln as he wrote about his experiences in the essay Chiefly About War Matters. Nathaniel Hawthorne has wrote many other well known literature pieces in his life. His bad health problems prevented him from writing many more romances. He decided to take a trip with his friend Franklin Pierce although he was very ill. During the trip of the White Mountains, he died in his sleep on May 19, 1864. Hawthorne will always be a known aurthor for the stories that he has ever wrote. Sources of info: http://www.egs.edu/library/nathaniel-hawthorne/biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_Hawthorne#Criticism

4. Character ProfileHester Prynne Hester Prynne is a women who committed the crime of adultery and lived a life of agony. While her husband, Roger Chillingworth, sent her to America and stayed behind in London as he finished some business back in London. In America she met another man in Boston, ReverenedArthorDimmesdale. They broke the Puritan religion and Hester had a child with Dimmesdale named Pearl. When the city found out Hester was put against many consequences. She was called upon to stand on a scaffold in front of a huge crowd and was enforced to wear the scarlet letter “A”. The “A” was meant to be so that everybody in the city knew that she has committed adultery. When Hester and Roger establish that they have finally seen each othe for the first time in awhile, it is explained on page 57, “When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastned on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips.” Hester keeps it a secret who was the actual husband of Pearl is which makes things more hectic in the city. Hester and her daughter lived in a shack in the outskirts of Boston where she would not encounter many residents. She was surely living in embarrassment with the scarlet letter “A” attached onto her bosom. On page 50, the novel tells, “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter “A”. It was so artistically done, and was so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel that she wore; in which was a splendor and accordance with the taste of age, but greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of the colony.” This summarizes that even though she has sinned she wanted to make the emblem fancy so others could see it not as bad and it could be bearable to carry on.

5. Character ProfileHester Prynne On page 50, the novel tells, “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter “A”. It was so artistically done, and was so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy, that it had all the effect of a last and fitting decoration to the apparel that she wore; in which was a splendor and accordance with the taste of age, but greatly beyond what was allowed by the sumptuary regulations of the colony.” This summarizes that even though she has sinned she wanted to make the emblem fancy so others could see it not as bad and it could be bearable to carry on. At one time during her life, living in embarrassment, her character was actually looked at in a good way. People would start to judge her differently as it says on page 148, “Many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original syndication. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne with a women’s strength.” At one point Dimmsdale couldn’t take the pressure he had to deal with each day knowing he was also the true sinner of the born child Pearl. He later confessed on the scaffold in front the crowd that he was the real father and died later. Hester Prynne was known as a very noble and considerate person after all of the actions were solved in the city. Later the scarlet letter has fortunately worn off and she then walked with more dignity. Many people in the city of Boston look up to her and for all she had to put up to and handled it reasonably.

6. Conflict AnalysisRoger Chillingworth Roger Chillingworth has been betrayed in the novel by his wife, Hester Prynne. His wife has committed adultery with another man while he was in another country. Once Roger finds out who the father of Pearl is, he immediately wants to seek revenge. He is very agitated with Hester and Dimmsdale and wants to get them back for what they have done to him. When Chillingworth came to Boston like he promised Hester, he found out that she has been pledged with the act of adultery. He visited Hester while she was in her jail and asked who she cheated on him with as Chillingworth said he would not say a word. Hester would not give in and she kept it a secret as well as they said on page 71, “I will keep thy secret, as I have his,” said Hester. “Swear it!” rejoined he. Soon after Hester’s mess with the city, Dimmsdale became very mentally ill with all the compulsion going around about who is the real father of Pearl. So as Roger acts as if he is a physician to the city he takes in Dimmsdale as a round-the-clock patient. Chillingworth hides in a disguise so when he asks others what happened with Hester they will tell him as if he doesn’t know anything. On page 126, when Chillingworth saw Dimmsdale turn with his stomach facing out he saw the symbolism of the letter “A” appear on his chest for adultery.

7. Conflict AnalysisRoger Chillingworth Once Chillingworth knew it was Dimmsdale who betrayed him he couldn’t wait to make him suffer. As he put so much pain into Dimmsdale, Dimmsdale and Hester decided to leave Boston for it would be so much more easier. They would be able to see each other in public and Dimmsdales pain would go away. As they go to board the boat they find out Roger Chillingworth was going to be on it. Arthur had broke down and lost it when he knew he couldn’t leave because Chillingworth would be on the boat. Dimmsdale drops to the ground confessing who he really was and ended up dying. Chillingworth is not happy about this at all as he says, “Thou has escaped me!” on page 228. Roger Chillingworth is not pleased with the outcome as he never got the revenge he wanted.

8. Theme Sometimes in life people may over exaggerate the term “revenge”. Revenge has many properties to it that wont just happen as easily as people think it will. It is just an effect of anger that can only make the problem worse. Having hatred and rage can only corrupt a person. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, revenge was taken place as an important role in the story. Roger Chillingworth had alienation for Arthur Dimmesdale for Arthur had a daughter with Chillingworth’s wife. This made Roger feel a lot of tension between them two. Roger was let down by his wife Hester Prynne and told her he will get revenge. As Roger said on page 70, “I shall seek this man, as I have sought truth in books; as I have sought gold in alchemy. There is a sympathy that will make me conscious of him. I shall see him tremble. I shall feel myself shudder, suddenly and unaware. Sooner or later, he must be mine!” This statement shows that he is so willing to get revenge on Dimmsedale. As Dimmesdale’s mental health drops rapidly he is nursed and cared for in Roger’s hands. Roger acts as if he knew what he was doing as a physician and luckily gets Dimmsdale and soon discovers that he is the one who had the child with his wife. It exclaims in the novel that Roger searched Arthur Dimmsedale discovering his secret sin on page 114, "Roger Chillingworth - the man of skill, the kind and friendly physician - strove to go deep into his patient's bosom, delving among his principles, prying into his recollections, and probing everything with a cautious touch, like a treasure-seeker in a dark cavern. Few secrets can escape an investigator, who has opportunity and license to undertake such a quest, and skill to follow it up. A man burdened with a secret should especially avoid the intimacy of his physician.” As time passes and the more that Roger tortures Dimmsdale, Dimmsdale starts to give up. Arthur Dimmsdale soon realizes that he can not take the pain anymore and tells everyone in the city that he is the one who committed adultery with Hester. Roger gets very upset. Soon after Dimmsdale claims he broke Puritan law he died. Chillinngworth was very frustrated as he was not able to get the revenge he had planned. The Scarlet Letter shares a meaningful theme that happens often. It can be very hurtful having someone you love betray you but its not worth making things worse by trying to get revenge. Revenge can get a hold of you very easily but in the end its not worth it. It’s better to recognize what has happened and to move on in life rather then causing a bigger problem.

9. Personal Reflection The Scarlet Letter was now a book in my interests. The actual story of the novel was not entertaining to me and I felt like it was a little dull. I was not impressed at the end especially since Arthur Dimmsdale died right after explaining he committed adultery. I also was not attentive to how the time of the story took place in the mid-1600s. Although this novel may not be the best pick for me but I enjoyed a couple things about it. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, I found a part that I liked. The symbolism is actually very catchy to me because it is represented very well in this story. The letter “A” showing how Hester went from Agony to Able and also the sun showing or revealing when times were meant to be. What I did not like about this book is that it was written in an older age and was a little confusing with the vocabulary that it used. The novel surely taught me that hiding something for a long time knowing that somebody will find out sooner or later is not the best option. The best bet is to let it out as soon as possible therefore you may not get as harshly punished as somebody had as planned. I feel as if I could relate to Pearl for many reason. We share the qualities of being intelligent, determined, and independent when you need to be. Pearl is also a curious person like me because she acts Hester from time to time about her father. By reading and acknowledging this novel my mom would personally enjoy this book. She reads almost all the time and loves older books. She would understand it more then I did and be more entertained. This book was not my favorite but I would say it was worth reading to get an insight of what this story had to teach me.