where she was at a point of such horrendous turmoil. He demands that she cannot reveal his identity‚ yet he also wishes to know the identity of her lover‚ the father of the child. She refuses to tell him. Later in the novel‚ we discover that Arthur Dimmesdale is the confidential lover. Hester is released from her cell‚ after which she resides for the next few years in a hut by the sea. Her child‚ Pearl‚ is a devilish‚ impish‚ child‚ that is indifferent to the strict Puritan society. Pearl is a pain to
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their humanness‚ that which separates them from the divine and from other creatures. Once expelled from the Garden of Eden‚ they are forced to toil and to procreatetwo "labors" that seem to define the human condition. The experience of Hester and Dimmesdale recalls the story of Adam and Eve because‚ in both cases‚ sin results in expulsion and suffering. But it also results in knowledgespecifically‚ in knowledge of what it means to be human. For Hester‚ the scarlet letter functions as "her passport
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important do you think this vow of his will be in the rest of the novel? 7. In what way‚ according to the Reverend Dimmesdale. can Hester help her unknown lover atone for his sin? 8. How does the Reverend Wilson interpret the baby’s response to Dimmesdale’s entreaty? What significance do you think the baby’s response may have? 9. The Reverend Dimmesdale awaited the result of his appeal to Hester to reveal her lover’s name leaning over the balcony‚ with his hand over his
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Languages in Hunan Normal University Email: qindan728@gmail.com Abstract: In The Scarlet Letter‚ Hawthorne portrays one of the most enigmatic child figures in American literature. Although she is an illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale‚ Pearl plays an important role more as a dynamic force of moral guardian than a static symbol of sin in the plot. The purpose of this article is to present the aspects of Pearl‘s preternatural character‚ the functions that she performs in the plot
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In each‚ it is Hester‚ Dimmesdale‚ and Pearl all on the scaffold or “guilty platform” together which represents how they are all bound together by the adultery committed (Hawthorne 136). They are punished together even though it may not look like it because Hester is clearly punished by society while Dimmesdale is subliminally punished by himself. The scaffold is a raised platform in the market place to represent that
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When someone commits a crime‚ or does something wrong‚ they usually get in trouble. This usually results in a punishment‚ which can consist of anything from being grounded by your parents‚ to a prison sentence. Even if the person gets away with doing something wrong‚ and doesn’t get in trouble‚ the worst punishment is inevitable‚ which is guilt. In the second chapter of The Scarlet Letter‚ The Market-Place‚ this quote is said by a young wife while Hester Prynne is on the scaffold for the first time
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illegitimate daughter‚ Pearl‚ along with her lover‚ Dimmesdale‚ and husband‚ Chillingworth‚ are the main focus of this dramatic tale. Through her actions and words‚ Pearl is a “device” to move the consciences of her parents to end their sinful situation. Pearl’s physical obsession with the scarlet A torments her mother‚ at one point making her physically put it back on‚ all while forcing her to confront her sins. Pearl also pressures Dimmesdale into acknowledging her as his daughter‚ and admitting
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friendship with Dimmesdale‚ he comes to Dimmesdale who is asleep on a chair. He uncovers Dimmesdale’s chest and is greatly surprised and delighted at what he discovers. It has been told that a scarlet letter “A” has erupted over the minister’s heart that started as a rash. Certain that he has found Hester’s lover‚ Chillingworth is very emotional. His thoughts are back and forth about exposing Dimmesdale but he also doesn’t want to be shamed because Hester is his wife. Dimmesdale doesn’t think anything
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Public guilt vs. Private guilt. One of Hawthorne’s foremost purposes of the Scarlet Letter was to illustrate the difference between publicly shaming an individual and allowing another to suffer privately. He achieves this by involving Hester and Dimmesdale in the same offense; adultery and focusing on the emotional destruction guilt has on both characters in addition to how the two cope with their shame as the story progresses. In the beginning Hester’s guilty conscious and the torment of the society
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Chillingworth symbolizes the path less followed‚ due to physical deformities not being a common sight‚ which Hawthorne uses to portray that those who unleash it upon others usually are plagued with a distorted and twisted mind. As Chillingworth engages with Dimmesdale‚ Hawthorne refers to him as “The Leech” and describes how Chillingworth “dug into the poor clergyman’s heart” symbolizing the emotional damage this path illustrates(117). Hawthorne continues to display this unorthodox path by expressing Chillingworth
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