In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses three scaffold scenes to demonstrate an underlying theme of sin revealed, sin concealed. If hidden, sin will destroy, but if revealed sin can make a person stronger. The first scaffold scene depicts Hester and her child on a scaffold in front of the townspeople of Boston. For Hester, this forces her to reveal her sin.
Because Hester reveals her sin, she becomes a stronger person. After the townspeople shun her, Hester only has her infant. For Dimmesdale, seeing Hester on the scaffold only makes him want to reveal his sin, but he cannot bring himself to do what his heart desires. Chillingworth's discovery of the scandal begins when he witnesses Hester on the scaffold. He then goes to the jail and talks with Hester and gives her and the infant medicine. Rodger tells Hester, "The medicine is potent for good; and if it were my child I could do no better for it," (Ch. IV). In his own way, he shows his forgiveness towards Hester, but he still yearns for revenge.
While Hester, having revealed her sin, can "move on", Dimmesdale cannot for he has chosen to conceal his sin. Dimmesdale's frustrated effort for peace drives him to insanity. In scaffold scene two, Dimmesdale attempts to reveal his sin upon the scaffold at night. His attempts fail, however, when he cannot bring himself to say his confession out loud. This intensifies the emotional stress within Dimmesdale. Hester begins to accept her punishment and tries to fit into the community. Viewing Dimmesdale upon the scaffold, Hester and Pearl join him. Pearl realizes her father's true moral character when she asks him, "Wilt thou stand here with mother and me, tomorrow noontide?" (Ch. XII), because Dimmesdale replies no. Pearl then laughs and becomes disgusted with the minister. Chillingworth sees the trio upon the scaffold and approaches, telling Dimmesdale to come down. The scaffold represents a safe haven for Dimmesdale because Chillingworth cannot set foot on this simple wooden structure, which represents sin.
A Letter What meaning or purpose does a single letter have on a life? ... "The letter was the symbol of her calling. ... Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. ... A letter "the letter A "but freshly green instead of scarlet.""... The Scarlet Letter. ...
What meaning or purpose does a single letter have on a life? ... "The letter was the symbol of her calling. ... When Hawthorne finds the old faded letter in the customhouse he has no idea what the history of the letter really is. ... Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. ... A letter "the letter A "but freshly green instead of scarlet.""...
In Benjamin Banneker's letter to Thomas Jefferson, Banneker argues for slavery, referencing biblical and constitutional allusions to unite his audience under a set of shared values, syntactical permutation to emphasize how long slavery has transcended America, and a rapid tone shift to invoke emotion and willpower unto his audience. Throughout his entire letter, Banneker alludes a multitude of times to the Bible. ... Banneker juxtaposed these ideas of equality using a wondrous tone and the idea of slavery and injustice with the pleading tone to incite, in both Jefferson and his audience,...
The poem "The River-Merchant's Wife: A Letter" is a dramatic monologue written in the form of a letter from the wife's point of view. ... In these closing lines of the poem and the "letter" the wife reaches out from her lonely world of sorrow to her husband in a direct request: "Please let me know when and by what route you are returning, so that I may come to meet you." ...
In the book, "The Scarlet Letter," Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a character who is so loving, passionate, and mistreated that the reader cannot help but feel badly for her. ... She is reminded of her sin every day with her child, Pearl, and the scarlet letter. ... Throughout the story of "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne tips off the reader that Hester Prynne is destined for a downfall because her character is written a classic tragic heroine. ... It is evident that "Hester's story will not and cannot end happily" (Guy-A Critical Review of The Scarlet Letter-Website), because her tragedy is ...
Scarlet Letter's Use Of Symbolism To Show Psychological Effects Of Sin "The act gross and brief, and brings loathing after it." ... It was doubtless caused by one of those meteors the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter-the letter 'A'-marked out in lines of dull red light" (Hawthorn). ... In a moment of joy, Hester removes the scarlet letter and tosses it away from herself. ... She thinks she can just cast off her ignominy, removing guilt as easily as the letter itself is removed. ... When the letter does not reac...
Salutations Peter, It is I, Katherine. After yesterday night's events, I think it is best for me to communicate on behalf of Thomas for the elapsed development of the Baths issue. As you and the whole town know after all that had happened, my husband believes deeply in his findings and that the tow...
Tchaikovsky was at work on his Fourth Symphony when he received a letter from Antonina Milyukova claiming to be a former student of his and declaring that she was madly in love with him. ... He saw parallels between Antonina and Pushkin's heroine, Tatiana and it is difficult to say which letter provoked the stronger response from the composer: The despairing letter Tatiana writes to the cold-hearted Onegin, or the one he himself received from Antonina, threatening suicide. ... It is interesting to note that Tchaikovsky himself was a profuse letter-writer which may be one of the reasons w...
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's, "The Scarlet Letter," the major characters revolve around the letter mentioned in the title. ... She is obsessed with the letter, and loves it like she loves her own mother, Hester, whom the letter probably affected the most. The letter affects Hester in both a good and a bad way. ... As both her and the letter are products of the sin, she feels that by taking off the letter, Hester is also removing her from her life. ... Finally, Hester is the one most impacted by the letter. ...
