Scarlet Letter
Review and Must Knows for the IOC
THEMES
There are many subthemes within the novel; however,
the most important theme is “Sin”
Adultery
• Traditionalist perspective
• Man made law
• Sin of passion
• Forgiveable
• Committed by Hester
• Committed by Dimmesdale
• Judged by Dimmesdale
• Judged by Chillingworth
• Judged by the Puritans
Honesty/Truth
• Transcendentalist perspective
• Natural law
• Sin of rationalism/intellect
• Not forgivable
• Provides salvation for Hester
• Committed by Dimmesdale,
but redeemed in death
• Committed by Chillingworth,
never redeemed
• Judged by Pearl
3 ways to discuss
PLOT STRUCTURE
1. Use scaffolds as anchors
Anchors are a literary device that creates unity and structure within the novel
Scaffold 2: Turning
point of the story
Midnight
Scaffold 1
Introduce/establish story
12 noon
Scaffold 3
Resolution/consequences
12 noon
2. Traditional Plot Structure
Rising action:
Chapters: 9-12
Dimmesdale and
Chillingworth
deterioration
Chapters 5-8
Hester in the
Community
Exposition:
Chapter 1-4:
Hester in Disgrace
Climax:
Chapter 12
2nd Scaffold scene
Point of no return
Falling Action
Chapters 13-15
Changes in Hester
Chapters 16-19
Hester attempts to
take charge
Resolution
Chapters 20-22
Denouement
Consequences of
Actions
3. Perspective; mirror of novel
Traditionalist perspective:
Setting: in the village
Puritanism
Civil Law
Harsh Judgment
Extreme zealotry
Religious (theocratic) law
Transcendentalist perspective
Setting: in the forest
Passion,
Natural Law
Harsh judgment
Extreme zealotry
Areligious
The key to this perspective is understanding that both perspectives are extreme and
judgmental. The story is about the characters “staying on the moral path” and
finding balance between the two perspectives. However, Hawthorne is more
sympathetic to the transcendentalist perspective over the traditionalist perspective.
3. Perspective; mirror of novel
Traditionalist perspective:
Setting: in the village
• Marketplace
• Civilization
• Colors: brown, grey
• Weeds (dying vegetation)
• Overexposed to the sunlight
• Social norms/contract
• Man made laws
• Puritan Code
• Place of hypocrisy
• Strict judgment
• Structure
Transcendentalist perspective
Setting: in the forest
• Passion,
• Colors: green, golds, blues
• Lush vegetation, excess
• Rivers and animals
• Filtered sunshine
• Natural Law
• Harsh judgment
• No forgiveness
• Extreme zealotry
• Areligious
• Freedom– no structure, no
boundaries
Remember, we see characters on “pathways” in both environments.
Be able to discuss their development throughout the novel
PRINCIPLE CHARACTERS
Hester– not a Puritan, sent to new world and must learn new ways
• Described as beautiful initially; loses beauty over time with conformity to
the Puritan society.
• Lives in isolation physically and emotionally
• strong willed; inner strength
–
–
–
–
–
–
Defiant in scaffold scene
Stands by her principles
Raises baby alone
Defends Pearl against establishment
Stands up to Chillingworth
Honors her promises at personal cost
• Humane character: creates pathos
–
–
–
–
–
–
Physically ages and gets worn down
Struggles with her daughter sometimes
Heartbroken; loves the wrong guy
Married to a man she doesn’t love
Isolated within society
Victim?
• Associated symbols: Rosebush
• One interpretation: suggests we are all trapped between extremes and
must carefully follow our own path through the “moral wilderness”
Dimmesdale -- only Puritan principle character
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Some suggest he is the protagonist: ??
Village minister; Described as young, pale, delicate, sensitive
As a Puritan, he would believe in predestination and the fact that he was able
to commit a sin (adultery) reveals to him that he is not one of the chosen ones
to go to heaven; his soul is damned.
Perceived as a weak character
– Will not reveal his true relationship with Hester until very end of novel.
– Punishes himself secretly physically and emotionally
– Lives hypocritically with a public persona and a private secret
– Justifies his behaviors (keeping the secret) by doing good deeds and
ministering to people’s souls
– Weak character because he is incapable of resolving his conflicts alone;
relies on Hester’s strength to rectify his sins.
Commits two sins; one against man’s law and one against nature. Must
overcome both in order to find salvation
His inability to resolve conflict leads to his demise.
Suggests the dangers of religious zealotry; harmful; extreme blind faith and
emotion
Chillingworth: Not a Puritan: anti-Puritan: antagonist
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
First appears in a mixed civilized and savage costume; reflects the conflict within
Chillingworth (man of reason and passion)
Described as aged and deformed.
Will progress to decrepit (and evil) as the story progresses.
Intellectual and academic pursuit of knowledge; man of medicine and science;
however he is a false man (has no degrees)
Hypocritical because values “truth” despite own hypocrisy
Demonstrates reason and compassion by not harming Hester or Pearl.
Distorts truth and reason in quest for knowledge (at all costs)
– Sin against nature by marrying Hester
• Not deliberate
• Creates potential pathos with the reader, selfish but forgivable
– Sin against heart= vengeance
• Subordinates the heart to intellect
• According to Hawthorne, this is the greatest sin
• Tries to play God, becomes the devil
•
•
His sin against nature leads to his demise
Suggests the dangers of zealotry in science and reason without compassion or
human understanding
Pearl: not a Puritan, the only transcendental character; symbolic character
•
•
•
•
Described as intelligent, otherworldly, physically beautiful, unrestrained,
emotional, and passionate.
She is a remarkable creation; natural and precious
She represents a child-like innocent perspective of the world without the burden
of man-made laws/sins.
She is the living symbol of the Scarlet Letter A
– She is the obvious result of the adulterous relationship
– she is also a result of natural love and passion that created her
– The A changes from red to green to reflect the duality of the love she represents
•
•
•
•
Description is often negative (demon, evil, problematic) when described from a
Puritan view (Village: Ch 3-12)
Description is positive (sprite-like, mystical, magical, elfish, happy) when described
from a transcendental view (in the forest: Ch 13-20)
Character of honesty and truth; demands recognition despite consequences.
She is an active reminder of people’s actions.
– Reflects theme of “sins of the father”
– Reflects the conflict within the novel over the nature of true sin
• Pearl represents salvation
– Her mother’s sin is redeemable and forgiven by man and nature because her sin is pubic
knowledge and Hester embraces her actions and responsibilities
– Dimmesdale finds salvation in his confession in the end and finds peace after death.
– Chillingworth is denied salvation because of Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s salvation and
the nature of his ultimate sin against the heart.
Role of Secondary Characters
•
Puritan villagers represent Puritanism and “civilization”
– Generational development
•
•
• Old world: traditional values, harsher judgment; will eventually die off
• New world: 2nd covenant, like 2nd generation values today. More lenient
(young mother) ends up dead, not able to survive in harsh world.
Reverend Mr. Wilson represents the Church
– Extreme religious zealotry
Governor Bellingham represents the State
– Controversy over man made law; social contract
•
These two characters work together to reflect the blending and influences of our religion and
moral code on the laws that govern our lives within modern society; this is the basis for the
emphasis on the separation of church and state in early American society that we still grapple
with today.
•
Mistress Hibbins represents “the unknown” and temptation. She is non-Puritan
–
–
–
–
•
Is she a witch? What does that mean in Puritan society?
Is she evil? Is she a representative of the devil?
Does she represent old spiritual knowledge that goes beyond Puritan beliefs?
Is she a threat to “traditional” thought? Does she represent “other choices”?
All three characters are present as “outliers” in al three scaffold scenes. Why is this
significant?
Need to know in order to provide textual evidence
for discussion
SYMBOLS
Colors first: then better understand the other symbols:
According to the Universal Symbolism Dictionary from the University of Michigan:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scarlet= red, color of passion, anger, adultery, blood
Gold= rich, wealthy, spiritual transcendence
Yellow= natural, light, freedom, truth
Green= duality, nature, life, growth, envy
Brown= dull, lifeless, dirt, no growth, opposite of green
Gray= pale, lifeless, metal, no life,
Black= shadows, oppressive, evil?, temptation
Blue= tranquil, fluid, calm, reflective, sad
Others?
Primary symbol: The Scarlet Letter A:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Red with gold interwoven
Worn by Hester on her chest for full disclosure
Wears it long after it could have been removed
Represents her sin of adultery and passion
Red= passion, guilt, anger?
Gold= wealth, spiritual transcendence
Dresses Pearl as the Letter A; living embodiment and public
reminder of her act.
• Changes meaning throughout the novel:
– Adultery, Able, Angel
– Hypocrisy of Puritan code?
• Dimmesdale carves an A into his chest, permanent
reflection of his guilt (against two types of sin?)
Green Letter A
• In the second half of the novel, when the perspective
has changed, Pearl changes the red A to a green A
• Pearl wears the A on her chest
– Reflection of her mother from the transcendental
perspective
– Theme of “sins of the father/son” relationship
• Reflective of the forest
– Made of something living, organic
• Dual meaning of Pearl– precious and valuable, but
from a sinful union?
• Dual meaning of sin: passion versus intellect (nature
versus man)
Rosebush/Weeds
•
•
•
•
Bush = green
Represents Hester growing a new life,
“Wild” in a place of structure and order
Outside of the prison which represents the Puritan code and
the restrictions of “civilized society”
• Roses= red
• Represents Pearl; blooming, new life, lovely
• Result of the bush blooming and growing
• Contrasted to the weeds and dirt surrounding the rosebush
that represent the Puritans themselves and how they are
dried up and lack compassion in their structured world
Within the forest: River/puddle/water
•
•
•
•
Water is a symbol of truth and reflection
Running water is a symbol of change and transition
Water is usually depicted as blue
The puddle Pearl is looking in within the forest, reflects how nature
sees her as compared to how she was seen in the village.
• The scene with the A on the bank of a river separating Pearl from
Hester is very important.
– To cross the river suggests that Hester must continue to change
– The fact that Pearl can cross the river suggests that she is not trapped
by social conventions.
– The fact that Hester can not/does not cross the river suggests that she
will not “transcend”
– But she also does not leave the path and enter the “moral”
wilderness; she remains anchored to a civilized environment and
accepts that social contract and the consequences of that decision.
• For Pearl to leave, she must cross an ocean, a body of water that is
wide and deep and completely separate from the New World
– Hester chooses to cross again and return.
All symbols you should know
Rosebush
Scarlet Letter
The letter A
Weeds
Prison (and door)
Governor’s Hall and what’s in it
The meteor
The forest
The marketplace
Water
Colors
Scaffold
Green Letter
Others?