From Nathaniel Hawthorne's Epilogue To Scarlet

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804 in Salem Massachusetts and died on May 19, 1964 in Plymouth New Hampshire. Mr. Hawthorne was injured when he was young and during that time he became fascinated with literature and writing, eventually he went to college and made friends many of whom are famous classic writers. After graduation he returned home and wrote many of his famous book, The Hollows of the Three Hills, An Old Woman's Tale, My Kinsman, and many more. During this time Hawthorne worked for the Boston Custom House, where he met his first wife. They eventually got married, moved to Massachusetts, and had three children. Due to financial reasons they moved back to Salem and he got a job at the Salem Custom House, soon he was let go due to the election of a new president named Zachary Taylor. During this time he started writing again, this is when he wrote The Scarlet Letter.

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne shows multiple connections between characters and nature. As the story progresses nature becomes more prevalent in the characters and continues to establish certain characteristics for each character. This established connection provides a view into the depths of human nature that each character portrays.

In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the theme of sin viewed through the prism of many colors is the essence of the novel. The protagonist, Hester, her child, Pearl, and the Reverend Dimmesdale all live in a Puritanical society in Boston, and are subject to the Puritans' strict religious beliefs and rigid attitudes. Exposed to sin and the temptation of its concealment in varying degrees, these characters evolve through the novel in different ways. Hawthorne brilliantly displays these differences by juxtaposing extreme and vivid colors—concealment is shown in dark, drab, and gloomy shades, while openness has a bright and colorful sheen. In this way, Hawthorne establishes a dichotomy between lack of color and color in order to show

I will be talking about the theme of the book Scarlet. The theme that I think represents this book is determination. I think this is the theme because in the book it says “She sniffed, and vowed to herself that she would stay until morning. She would stay forever. She wouldn't abandon her. If her captors came back, they would find them togther—kill them together if they must.” ( found on page 376) This shows that scarlet is determined to stay with her grandmother.

Is life and death such a good thing, is killing someone the right thing to do. People’s life’s are meaningless and should die without any thought what so ever.

Human beings are a fascinating anomaly, for they are the only creatures that feel the need to give their existence a sense of purpose. Many often find this purpose in the form of religion as a way to explain their presence in this world as well as justify the actions of others. But when do the morals of religion and society cross the boundary into hypocrisy and blind intolerance? In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, he discusses the shortcomings of the Puritan mindset and their potentially toxic effect on other human beings. In Puritan New England, Hester Prynne, a beautiful young seamstress, is forced to bear the shameful burden of a scarlet letter, a symbol of her adultery,

Artemis said, " Well, what are waiting for hop to it." and nudged them towards the chest.

“Yes I know we can’t let them take them, we’ll have them hide in the closet for now” replied my father

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, takes place during the 17th century in Puritan Boston, where a woman, Hester Prynne, has committed adultery with the Reverend, Arthur Dimmesdale; she is then forced to eternally wear a scarlet letter on her bosom as punishment for that sin. While coming out of prison with the child that resulted from her infidelity. Hawthorne strategically employs nature in his novel for remarkable imagery, insight into characters, and an underlying theme within the book. In this novel, nature is used with both of its definitions, the natural forces and human nature itself. The theme of nature has allowed The Scarlet Letter to illustrate the dichotomies within the book. Also, in The Scarlet Letter, physiognomies and descriptions of nature around characters correspond with their own human nature and how it changes. Conclusively, nature plays a crucial role in The Scarlet Letter; it foreshadows action, recurs as an important theme that also indicates character, and reflects the changes in the characters ' behavior and beliefs.

Societal influence on people is a highly discussed topic today, and evidently was in the past, as Nathaniel Hawthorne makes comments on how society should affect people in The Scarlet Letter. This book is about a woman named Hester Prynne, who is condemned to wearing a scarlet letter A by the Puritan society, in which she lives. The symbol explored is Hawthorne’s use of nature. Nature is found everywhere, no matter where a person looks. It can be a display of beauty or a display of ugliness. It also contains many elements, such as leaves, stems, and roots. Nature is used in The Scarlet Letter to represent the characters of the novel. Hawthorne uses nature to point out how the actions of characters reveal their true nature in order to convey that by not living by one’s true identity, a person doesn’t live their life to the highest potential, and instead corrupts their natural character.

The novel, The Scarlet Letter, is an epitome of individuality during Puritan times. Each character in the novel represents the idea that internal evolution creates an inevitable outcome; life or death. Character development delineates changes in behavior, disposition, and mentality by reflection upon sin and the correction thereof. Therefore, there are numerous characters compared to the literary device, which include Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. In fact, on more than one occasion, Hawthorne refers back to a “moral blossom” which symbolizes lessons to be learned. Subsequently, while Hester and Dimmesdale flourish in the light of redemption, Chillingworth deviates from this path and decays in his aggrieved, petulant stubbornness.

While Hawthorne was describing the custom-house he included the General. This old retired General, who is the collector in the custom-house, seems very stern, respectable, and intimidating. However, this is not actually how he acts. Contrary to his looks, he is very sweet and gentle. This paragraph describes the irony of the masculine general enjoying flowers. I do not believe that anything was omitted at all, if anything this is a bit too much information. Although it is quite amazing descriptive language, I do not believe that the “All merely graceful attributes are usually the most evanescent; nor does nature adorn the human ruin with blossoms of new beauty, that have their roots and proper nutriment only in the chinks and crevices of decay,

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s TheScarletLetter, and Suzan Lori-Parks In The Blood demonstrate how in society, woman are seen as sex objects, and are oppressed by gender inequality. In addition, Hawthorne and Parks’ illustrate the stereotype that women aren’t as powerful as men and are instead just objects rather than human beings to show that views men and woman hold in society. The Scarlet Letter introduces Hester as a woman who is a societal outcast that becomes accepted by the society . In The Blood uses Hester as a woman who doesn 't receive the same level of societal acceptance for being a woman, and doesn’t survive. In both novels The Scarlet Letter and In The Blood the authors display the role of women as powerless and inferior in order to demonstrate the society has not change.

Usually we infer from the word “bias” that the author is leaning towards his subject instead of against it. In this essay I will actually go against the current and state that Nathaniel Hawthorne, influenced by early childhood, his lineage and his inferring from his works is actually outlining a double standard/poking fun at the puritan religion in colonial American and up to his time. I will argue this through his life experiences, examples in the scarlet letter (his most acclaimed work), and his lineage and personality. By the end of this, you shall agree too.

“I’m far from being comfortable, Dad,” I growled, “but what choice do I have if I want to be with Anna.”