Sophomore Research Paper
The Scarlet Letter and the Sacramentality of Signs
"In human life, signs and symbols occupy an important place. As a being at once body and spirit, man expresses and
perceives spiritual realities through physical signs and symbols. As a social being man needs signs and symbols to
communicate with others, through language, gestures, and actions. The same holds true for his relationship with God."
CCC 1146
"[The rosebush] may serve, let us hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or
relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow."
The Scarlet Letter, 48.
Topic:
Man is incarnational, body and soul. We therefore function with signs, physical things that signify a deeper reality.
While all signs lead us beyond themselves, the Sacraments lead man to the divine. Literature, similarly, brings us to
realities that we can’t see.
Think about how signs and symbols function in literature. Hawthorne, though not a Catholic, is clearly interested in the
use of signs. There are several examples of tangible things in The Scarlet Letter which signify something deeper. How is
the Catholic understanding of signs reflected in Hawthorne’s writings? Do his signs correspond to the Catholic
understanding of signs? Is there evidence that Hawthorne's understanding of signs is sacramental?
Resources:
Catechism
YouCat
Ecclesiae Eucharistia
Summa Theologiae
The Scarlet Letter
Sacraments in Scripture
Choice from a list of articles—see appendix A
Choice from a list of short stories—see appendix B
Details:
You will be writing a five-page research paper on how signs function in Hawthorne's writings. Research will include a
literary analysis of Hawthorne's work by various scholars, as well as research surrounding the language of signs and
sacraments.
Because the research is both literary and theological, you will be working on this project in both English and Religion
classes. Grades will be assigned as follows:
Completion grades for assignments will count in Religion class (50 points)- see Appendix C
Rough draft grade will count in English class (50 points)
Final grade for both classes (100 points)
Requirements:
Five sources: primary source=1, literary analysis=1, theological source=1, internet (from Appendix A) source=1, other=1
30 notecards
Formal sentence outline
Five pages, plus works cited, MLA format
Annotated bibliography (honors only)
Appendix A
Bonsell, Jennifer. "Hawthorne on the Human Heart: Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter."
Gioia, Dana. “The Catholic Writer Today.”
Harp, Richard. "Pearl and Penance."
Kohler, Vaughn. “The Moral Is the Story: Flannery O’Connor’s Wisdom for a Catholic Literary Renaissance”
Martin, Regis. "The Scarlet Letter: Sin, Suffering, and Salvation in a Fallen World."
Taylor, Olivia Gatti. "Cultural confessions: penance and penitence in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and The
Marble Faun."
Appendix B
Short Stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne:
The Artist of the Beautiful
The Birthmark
The Marble Faun
The Minister’s Black Veil
Appendix C
Research Paper Completion Check List- Each item is worth 10 points. Half credit will be given if one day late, otherwise
no credit will be given.
_______ 10 Notecards
_______ 10 Notecards
_______ 10 Notecards
_______ Formal Outline
_______ First 500 words