When viewed in a mirror no longer its Hester's beauty the first thing we notice, but rather Hester's "A" has now become the most noticeable part of not only her physical features, but her spiritual being. ... Nathaniel Hawthorne's use of mirrors plays a crucial part in portraying the hidden side of Pearl Prynne. ... Pearl's reflection is very real, and chapter sixteen smoothly continues this concept through another body of water--the brook in the forest. ... This passage reveals that Pearl is a part of the scarlet letter, and that she feels emotionally void when she realize...

• Word Count: 2043
• Approx Pages: 8

For a large part of the novel Dimmesdale becomes both, very sick physically and mentally, as a result of Chillingworth's "friendly care". ... In Chapter 17 Hester tells Dimmesdale about his so-called friend "Thou hast long had such an enemy, and dwellest with him, under the same roof!"... Chillingworth had suspected Dimmesdale of being Pearl's father for a long time but he knows it for sure at the end of chapter 10, when he finds the minister fallen asleep in his room and sees the scratch on the form of the letter A. ... In Chapter 17 she talks to Dimmesdal...

• Word Count: 1627
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In chapter 23, Roger Chillingworth kneels down toward the dying Reverend Dimmesdale and says "Thou hast escaped me!" ... The mistress is even "present" in chapter 12 when Dimmesdale appears on the scaffold. ... I like the way he tries to interact with the reader and brings me closer to being a part of the 17th century Plymouth colony. ... In chapter 2, he points out that Hester "sustained herself as best a woman might." ... Though it is a part of her actual wardrobe, it comes up later as an abstract object. ...

• Word Count: 1296
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

As Hawthorne himself states in the opening chapter, the novel is about human weakness and its resulting sorrow. ... THE TITLE OF THE BOOK The title is significant to every chapter of the book, as the scarlet letter is displayed in many forms. ... To Pearl, the scarlet letter is simply part of her mother. ...

• Word Count: 1285
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

In the final chapter and scene of the novel, Hawthorne indicates that although life for Hester in the past was, at times, a struggle, Boston will always be her home. ... Coming back to the place where such dark times are a highlighted part of her past shows an immense sense of bravery and courage on her part. ... She has chosen not to hide the part of her life that has been demeaned by others. ... If Hester had felt any residual hatred towards the townspeople, then returning to the place where such a dark part of her life occurred would not have been a viable option for her. ... His failing he...

• Word Count: 1347
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

According to The Scarlet Letter: A Student Casebook , however, " The Minister's Vigil' (Chapter 12) takes place at night when the purpose of the scaffold is controverted, becoming a place of concealment rather than exposure. ... The great scene of grief in which the wild infant bore a part, had developed all her sympathies, and as her tears fell upon her father's cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow - (233). ... The girl has now transformed from the fairy-like sprite of earlier chapters, into a human capable of compassion and emotion. ...

• Word Count: 1627
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

It is a large part of her daily life, and each of her actions is watched very closely by the community. ... In Chapter 10 of the novel, Chillingworth discovers what is believed to be an "A" carved into Dimmesdale's chest. ...

• Word Count: 1366
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

This is evident in chapter 24 when Hester voluntarily wears the letter when she returns from England. This shows that Hester is no longer ashamed of her letter and it has become a big part of her life. ...

• Word Count: 1455
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

The letter on his chest also represents that his sin will never leave because it is a part of his body rather than Hester's is only a piece of cloth. ... However other symbols show that he is not redeemed because the scarlet letter was engraved into him, showing that it will always be a part of him and also when he talks to Hester about how they will not stay together in the future. ... He is Hester's wife and is introduced in the third chapter where he finds out that Hester has cheated on him and gave birth to another man's baby. ...

• Word Count: 1619
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

As Orson Scott Card remarks in Characters and Viewpoints, "The character story emerges when some part of a character's role in life becomes unbearable." (53). ... The scaffold scene in the beginning chapters of the novel signifies that Hester will not reveal the identity of Pearl's father. ...

• Word Count: 1429
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School