Don't you love it when you finally figure something out? When the light comes on and suddenly you understand? Eureka!
Hopefully, some of that is beginning to happen with The Scarlet Letter. Hopefully, the pages of dense text that you dutifully trugded through over the summer are beginning to open before your eyes, to reveal what they may have formerly concealed. Hopefully, connections are being made and synapses are firing and the light is coming on and... Eureka! Now I see!
And you know what is especially neat? No matter how many times I read The Scarlet Letter, each reading offers something new. Case in point, I was thinking about the mind map that we constructed on the chalkboard (remember that great tangle of ideas??): we discussed the role of human behavior, the motivation behind different character's actions. Dimmesdale's guilt and Chillingworth's vengeance were obvious to us as a class, but it later dawned on me that we hadn't discussed Hester's motivation in any great detail. Certainly, it is more complex than one word can express: understanding Hester's motivation requires a full appreciation of all the roles she fulfills in the story and all of the obligations implicit within them. Best known as the town adultress, certainly she would have acted in response to that label, but think about all of the other functions, labels, or roles she fulfilled: estranged wife, mother, secret lover, etc. How did these roles shape her actions? I hadn't really considered that before... huh! Curious, isn't it?
So, how about you? What are you beginning to realize about The Scarlet Letter? I am anxious to read your responses...
Mrs. K.
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33 comments:
My epiphany has to do with Pearl. When I first read the book, Pearl seemed to be alien to the world around her; I thought of her actions towards Dimmesdale as a reminder of how he had failed to confess to his actions, with no personal motivation whatsoever. However, as I went through the book again and again, it dawned on me that perhaps Pearl's motivation was deeply seeded emotional neglect. Hester loves Pearl, but is not particularly demonstrative and at times even doubts the child is human, as shown at the end of chapter six. Dimmesdale has never acknowledged Pearl as his own. Perhaps Pearl feels unloved and rejected, particularly by her father, which sparks such actions as washing off the kiss in the brook. I think that she strongly desires her father to stand by her side as shown by the multiple times she asks him to stand with them in the daylight on the scaffold. When he finally does so, we learn that Pearl goes to Europe and makes a successful marriage, finally becoming part of this world. With her emotions taken into account, Pearl's actions now no longer seem so random. Katie d. p 3
The epiphany that i had when i read the Scarlet Letter was Roger Chillingsworth. While Roger was a cruel, secretive, and obsessed; he wasn't necessarily pure evil. Roger had every reason to be cruel, secretive, and obsessed because his wife did have an affair while he was gone and he realized that she had never loved him to begin with. Naturally this would make the kindest person furious or depressed, but instead of moping, Roger decided to get revenge. The fact that he wasn't a completely evil character was my epiphany for the book.
Will W, p.3
My epiphany has to do with Mr. Dimmesdale. When I first read the novel I was a little angry that he was not manning up to his actions. I took sides with Hester who, at least on the outside, it seemed was living with a deeper pain because of the added embarrasment. Then as I looked closer at human behavior I discovered that Dimmesdale was living with a much deeper pain. The guilt was eating him from the inside out. Living a lie amongst people who trust you is much harder than telling the truth and living as an outcast. It is possible that Dimmesdale is not only keeping his secret to withhold his reputation, but also because he knows that he is internally punishing himself. So, in conclusion, my epiphany was on the incredible punishment that Dimmesdale was enduring and the fact that he might be doing this as a form of punishment.
Kevin B. pd.3
Well my epiphany has to do with the innocence of Hester. When I began the story, I sympathized with her because after all, I read many pages regarding her hardships so it was only natural to feel something for her. Everyone in the town seemed like malicious mindless sheep. Nobody understood the meaning of forgiveness, so I initially had no respect for them. After the discussion, I reread the first few chapters and can't help but smile at Hester's demise. I know it might sound cruel, but her adultery has been proven irrefutable. By analyzing the Puritans as a society, I know they do strive for purity, no matter what it takes. I can respect someone who does certain things if they have a good intention. I have been blinded by the truth: Hester is an unfortunate woman who does not seem to take any responsibility for her "sin", which is why I cannot completely feel for her and respect her as much as I could.
- john m (3rd period)
My epiphany stems from the double standards men and women faced in Puritan society when it came to sin and punishment and the various reactions to this norm. Although Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale both actively participated in their sin, only Hester faces the blame. It was very disheartening to read of the Puritan women's acceptance and even encouragement of this practice. Although I recognized that this can be explained by the strict Puritan doctrines instilled in these women, it was still very disappointing to read this from today's perspective. Also, upon initial reading, I failed to understand why Hester choose to remain in town; she could have easily left the strict Puritan community for another colony where she could acquire a new identity; I felt that by leaving, she could escape society's harsh and often unfair rules. However, after reexamining the text and learning of Hawthorne's romantic ideals, I acquired a new admiration for Hester. Unlike the other women in her society, she refused to accept the restrictions that society has placed on her. Although it may seem easier for Hester to leave, Hester's decision ultimately allows her to become the victor. If she had left, she would have allowed society to overpower her own autonomy and determine her course of action. Eventually, she is even allowed to remove the scarlet letter, but her refusal once again demonstrates her willpower. Taking it off would have meant that Hester accepted the decisions that others made for her, but by continuing to wear it, she demonstrates an unique sense of pride. Hester's ostensible acceptance of society's mores really allows her to exert her own opinion and autonomy. Although Hester seemingly conforms to society's decrees, Hester essentially demonstrates an unique independence.
Annie W. (Period 3)
My epiphany has to do with the punishment the "Scarlet Letter" was supposed to bring to Hester. When I started to read the book the Scarlet Letter brought lots of punishment and hatred towards her from the townspeople. She was looked at as a very bad person because of the Scarlet Letter, but as I read more, the Scarlet Letter actually got her respect and kindness from the townspeople. She got that from helping them. So in conclusion I thought that even though the Scarlet Letter brought punishment to Hester, it also gained her some respect from the community.
Shuja A. Pd-3
My epiphany is about Roger Chillingsworth. At first, like most people who read the book, I viewed Chillingsworth as the typical cookie-cutter antagonist, but as I reread the book, I found that I can sympathize with him. During numerous conversations with Hester, Hawthorne suggests that Chillingsworth is not entirely to blame for his behavior. However, Chillingsworth does still focus his entire being on the torment of Dimmesdale. To me, Chillingsworth is a man who started down the slippery slope of mistakes: he married without love, he left Hester alone, he devoted himself to finding her fellow sinner, and finally focused on revenge. I see him more as a tragic man who was pushed to doing things he normally wouldn't even have considered than as a truly evil person. These acts of cruelty not only corrupt his appearance but also his train of thought, so eventually they no longer even seem to be evil to him. Chillingsworth is just a man who has lost his way and pursued the only thing left to him, revenge.
Tommy W. Period 3
Roger Chillingworth was the main source of my epiphany. When I first read through the book I only saw him as “…a striking evidence of man’s faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil’s office. This unhappy person had effected such a transformation, by devoting himself, for seven years, to the constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment in thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and gloated over.” (Hawthorne 110-111). For a long time he seemed like this evil and cruel man who got his pleasure out of torchuring poor Mr. Dimmesdale, who was already wracked with the pain brought on by his guilt.
Then when we were doing the mind map on the chalkboard in class I realized that he was to be pittied too. We as readers can understand his motivation for revenge. The fact that his wife had an affair while he was away would deeply affect anyone's judgement. I'm not saying that what he did was right (because it definitely wasn't) but I do understand his motives much more now, after rereading several times, than I did when I first read The Scarlet Letter
Roger Chillingworth was the main source of my epiphany. When I first read through the book I only saw him as “…a striking evidence of man’s faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil’s office. This unhappy person had effected such a transformation, by devoting himself, for seven years, to the constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment in thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and gloated over.” (Hawthorne 110-111). For a long time he seemed like this evil and cruel man who got his pleasure out of torchuring poor Mr. Dimmesdale, who was already wracked with the pain brought on by his guilt.
Then when we were doing the mind map on the chalkboard in class I realized that he was to be pittied too. We as readers can understand his motivation for revenge. The fact that his wife had an affair while he was away would deeply affect anyone's judgement. I'm not saying that what he did was right (because it definitely wasn't) but I do understand his motives much more now, after rereading several times, than I did when I first read The Scarlet Letter.
Colleen H. pd. 3(I forgot to put my name on my first comment, sorry)
My epiphany comes from the setting of the novel. When I initially began reading the Scarlet Letter, I did not think that the setting of the town was that important. I am referring to the beginning of the book, were the narrator talks about the cemetery and prison being the first places built in the town. The story starts at the same prison and ends at the cemetery with Dimmesdale's death. In the beginning of the book Hester comes out of the prison and faces a crowd of angry people, who bad mouth her. Similarly, Dimmesdale dies at the end of the novel and is buried in the cemetery. Roger Chillingworth also dies and is buried there. Also, prisons and cemeteries produce a dark, haunted response from people. So building a town around such places can make the town seem haunted or cursed as well. In the novel Chillingworth said that when a person dies with a guilty secret, then a weed will grow from his grave. The same can be said about the town. By building the town near a cemetery, Hester's crime could have been a manifestation of the guilt felt by the people buried in the cemetery. Chillingworth’s thirst for revenge and Dimmesdale’s guilty conscience can represent the feelings of those who are buried in the cemetery.
Yasmine K (Period 3)
My epiphany has to do with Hester's character. Although she is deemed by the townspeople as a sinner, or an "adulteress", she is neither wicked nor evil. She is actually a generous, forgiving person. Even though the rest of society despises her and shuns her for her act, she still gives to the poor and nurses the sick: "None so ready as she to give of her little substance to every demand of poverty..." (Hawthorne 105). Also, the fact that she does not reveal Dimmesdale as the father shows that she does not hold a grudge against him. Her merciful personality contrasts sharply with the other citizens, for although they are all sinners themselves, they choose to use Hester as a scapegoat for the town's problems, proving that they are indeed hypocrites at heart- even Reverend Dimmesdale is unable to practice what he preaches. To readers, Hester is displayed as an innocent victim, instead of a sultry adulteress that the townspeople in the novel see her as. My epiphany is that even though Hester committed a terrible sin, it doesn't make her a bad person for doing so. Everyone makes mistakes, and no one deserves to wear a humiliating letter of their sin on their clothing for the rest of their life.
Jena K., Period 3
The major epiphany I had while reading The Scarlet Letter focuses on Mr. Dimmesdale. He is an important minister and wants no one to know the shame he feels. Mr. Dimmesdale and Hester had a child together, yet he acts as if she doesn't even exist. Throughout the novel, Mr. Dimmesdale walks around with his hand over his heart with this overbearing guilt; however, he is actually in love with the woman it seems he despises. As I read the novel, Mr. Dimmesdale and Hester always clash when they interact and never actually show their passion for one another. It isn't until chapters 27 and 28 that we learn their true feelings and why they act as they do. Hester surprises Mr. Dimmesdale in the forest to confront him about the promise she kept to Roger Chillingworth. She speaks with him and tells him to leave this world behind and start all over. In a way Hester feels responsible for his guilt and his pain and feels she is "the ruin to which she had brought the man, once, - nay, why should we not speak it? - still so passionately loved(172)!" Hester confesses her love of Mr. Dimmesdale but he has still yet to do so. Finally, in chapter 28, Dimmesdale agrees to leave and start fresh so long as Hester goes with him. He tells her he cannot "live without her companionship; so powerful is she to sustain, - so tender to soothe! O Thou to whom I dare not lift mine eyes, wilt Thou yet pardon me(178)!" I always had a slight hope that they would find eachother in the end and realize their love together, but I never assumed I would see it written in black and white. Nicole J, Period 3
My epiphany has to do with Hester's child Pearl and her uncanny, although demon-like, actions and favor of the truth. Throughout the novel Pearl constantly reminds her Mother of the Scarlet Letter and the weight and implications it carries. It occured to me that Pearl always admires the Scarlet Letter, having a fondness for it but at the same time she always found a way to remind Hester of it's painful implication of sin. "Taking a handful of these, (burrs) she arranged them along the lines of the scarlet letter that decorated the maternal bosom, to which the burrs, as their nature was, tenaciously adhered. Hester did not pluck them off" (Hawthorne 89). The burrs that stick to the scarlet letter are like the physical and mental and of sin. Pearl presses them into the letter above Hester's heart, and Hester herself makes no attempt to remove the reminder of her sin. Pearl also sees the truth others fail to see, such as when she refers to Chillingworth as the 'Black Man' who has captured the Reverend Dimmsdale. She sees his cold and mindless need for revenge. Another example of Pearl's way of seeing the truth and reminding her mother, and even Dimmsdale of their sin, is when Hester says in the woods, "'Mother... the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom'" (Hawthorne 119). It's as if the sin stitched on Hester's chest can be felt by God or even the nature around them as the warm sun avoids Hester. Pealr also refuses to give her father, Dimmsdale, a kiss because he refuses to stand with them as a family in public, therefore admitting his sin. Only when he told the truth did Pearl grant him that kiss.In a way, Pearl saw the truth in everything no matter how dark within her family's dark history. So when Dimmsdale revealed the truth and died, "all her sympathies" were unlocked (Hawthorne 162). So in a way. the truth that she sought, set her free.
Blake K, Prd. 3
My epiphany I had in the Scarlett Letter was about Hester Prynne. In the beginning of the novel, when all the townspeople labeled her as “sinful”, I did not object because I initially thought she deserved any punishment for being unfaithful. To a certain extent, I agreed with some of the women who said that wearing the scarlet letter was a lenient punishment. Since the story started off with the day of the trial, I did not know much about her other than her reputation as an adulturess and so I judged her by the cover by thinking she was a bad person. I was very surprised when Hawthorne compared her and Pearl to the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ in Chapter 2. He portrayed Hester as innocent and pure. At first, I was confused because this comparison seemed contradictory and false. But I realized that Hawthorne meant for the readers to look beyond Hester’s faults and wrongdoings, and see the good and innocence in her.
Joyce L. (Pd.3)
My ephiphany has to do with Roger Chillingsworth. When i first re book read the book i saw him as a cruel man who thought only of himself as he sought revenge for Hesters actions of betrayal. He cruely punished Dimsdale even though Dimsdale was already punishing himself and i found it hard to sympathise with him; however, when we did the mind map in class we talked about human's reactions to things like rejection and it occured to me that everything he did was just hCillingsworth's reaction to rejection and betrayal. Hester rejected him by being with Dimsdale, and although what he did was wrong and selfish, it was fuled by humans natural tendences to seek revenge. this relization made it easier for me to clearly see his motives and why he acted as he did.
Katie B. pd. 3
When first reading the novel I disliked Hester and what she did. Chillingworth was the only character in the story who had a set of morals and wasn't a religious nutcase, and was the only character that i liked. However as i continued to read through the book I began to feel sympathy towards Hester and that she was being persecuted by the towns people, then later when she tried to help some of the towns people that earned my respect and that was when i had my epiphany that she wasn't really that bad of a person, she just made some wrong choices. Brennan.O.
I had an epiphany while reading the Scarlet Letter about the book in general. At first, as I was reading I felt as if Robert Chillingworth was the obvious villain as he constantly tormented Dimmesdale, yet as I continued to read I realized that, although Robert Chillingworth could be thought of as the villain, the story lacks the true, conventional villain. In some ways, I even feel sorry for Chillingworth because, while he did not handle Hester's adultery in the appropriate way, this situation was thrust upon him through no real fault of his own--since loveless marriages were common practice in this time period.
Also, as I was reading, I began to think about the theme and how it could possibly relate to life today. In a superficial manner, it certainly couldn't, but if looked at in a general light, one of the themes could be about how one has to deal with the consequences of his/her actions--which is a very universal and relevant theme to our time. I suppose that although the story itself is very anachronistic and antiquated, the themes can still relate to our generation and many generations to come. I had never connected the story to reality before.
Annie H. Period 3
My epiphany came during class while we were making the huge mind map on the board. I realized that even though I mostly sympathized with Hester because of her punishment, I began to feel for the other characters like Pearl, Reverend Dimmesdale, and (surprisingly) Roger Chillingworth. I also realized that in the Scarlet Letter, it's sometimes difficult to distinguish between the hero and the villain. I obviously felt sorry for Hester because she had to wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life. I thought that both Hester and Pearl were the heroes in this book, but at points I would whether Pearl was really a hero. I also felt sorry for Pearl because she turns out to be the one who is truly punished! Pearl is the one who is seen as the child of Hester's sin and, in chapter 23, is even called a witch-baby by a sailor! I thought that Pearl was the true hero of the book because she ended up marrying and fitting into society, which she never did as a child.
For me, Reverend Dimmesdale was hard to sympathize with. While I knew he was in pain from the guilt and mysterious "A" he supposedly branded on himself, I couldn't help but wonder why Reverend Dimmesdale didn't confess until the very end of the book. I felt sorry for him because he was feeling terrible guilt, but at the same time, he brought it upon himself. It seemed very ironic that his bedroom was covered with tapestries about the very sin he had committed. Pearl points out that Dimmesdale will stand with her and Hester in the forest and on the scaffold when no one is around but does not even acknowledge them in public until the very end of the book. At that point, I felt that Dimmesdale was a villain in that he would not even recognize his child and his crime in public, but rather disgiused his guilt as being an illness.
Roger Chillingworth especially confused me because I never knew if he was good or evil. At first, I hated him because he was out to get Dimmesdale and he was described as a classic villain (deformed, ugly, out for revenge, etc.), but then I realized that he had been betrayed by Hester. I felt some sympathy for him because he had to come to America only to realize that his wife had an affair and a child. After thinking about that, I realized that he was also out to get Dimmesdale after he found out that Dimmesdale was the man that Hester refused to name in her trial. He was not an entirely evil character because one could feel his pain and thirst for revenge but, in the end, he was the villain.
Ava P. pd 3
As I further analyzed The Scarlet Letter, I discovered the importance of a paranormal motif throughout the novel. I never finished a chapter of the book without noticing a metaphor involving a ghost-like figure, "It may be that his pathway through life was haunted thus, by a spectre that had stolen out from amoung his thoughts" (Hawthorne 122), or a character description that mentions witchcraft, "There was witchcraft in little Pearl's eyes" (Hawthorne 102). Hawthorne's paranormal elements such as the meteor shower, the witchcraft of Mistress Hibbons, the elfish characteristics of Pearl, and images of ghosts and apparitions are ubiquitous throughout the novel. The author's use of these supernatural elements sparks interest in the readers; it provokes thought about certain themes and overall ideas of the novel. The motif obviously represents the darker and more mysterious side of Romanticism; however, this supernatural quality also emphasizes the psychological state of many of the characters. For example, some of the references to phantoms are used to describe Dimmesdale and certain aspects of his life. Perhaps this helps to illustrate his mind as uncertain, foggy, and full of turmoil or maybe it emphasizes the destruction slowly that consumes Dimmesdale's mind. By adding a supernatural quality to the unhealable wounds and sins of Dimmesdale, his troubles were emphasized using an element of malevolence to suggest that Dimmesdale is fighting against a greater evil within himself. Many other characters, such as Pearl, Hester, Chillingworth, and Mistress Hibbons, are also further developed by Hawthorne's motif. Hawthorne's stresses the paranormal in order to strengthen not only the dark elements of the novel as a whole, but also the inner sins and distress of each of the characters.
Kathleen W, Period 3
My epiphany had to do with Dimmesdale and his self torturing guilt. First reading the story I did not understand why Dimmesdale diddnt come clean and accept the punishment which he deserved for his actions. My only thought for why he would not admit to his crime would be to protect his reputation and his face in the church. Continuing to read the book and see some of the struggles and pains he faced that were much worse then the punishment the people of Boston could give to him, made me realize something. I believe that he did not admit to his crime not to avoid a punishment but so that he could punish himself in the way that he deserved through physical and mental pain. When the book talked about the so called A in his chest, i believe that came from Dimmesdale inflicting pain on himself to try and feel the pain Hester feels everyday. I think he is trying to match the punishment of Hester in order to be on the same level with the women he loves, because they are both outsiders now one forced by themself and one forced by the other people in the town. Dimmesdale is a bold man that you discover new motives that he has for punishing himself in the story and not coming forward, and I realize new reasons whenever i reread the story.
Scott D
I believe the strongest part of the novel was in chapter 12, "The Minister's Vigil." It really spoke to me; my mind was racing during certain moments. The minister interestingly enough walked "in the shadow of a dream" into the town as his consciousness led him to the scaffold (Hawthorne 133). Numerous forces were acting on Reverend Dimmisdale at that particular moment. His mind was full of guilt, pain, torture; he was confused, disoriented, searching; he was lonely and even rejected himself. Maybe he thought that by standing on the scaffold, he could cleanse himself and try to reach some point of enlightenment; "he loathed his miserable self! (131). The moments that passed were drawn out and vague but when Hester and Pearl joined, it slowed down even more; time was standing still. To add to that, the zenith appeared. And to think, it seemed to be a "crimson light" and "the letter A" (140-141). I could just imagine the scene, imagine the feelings, the sacredness of the moment. That event is truly when Dimmesdale and Hester and Pearl were united with uniformed feelings and all was at peace, just for that little moment. It was said "little Pearl, herself a symbol, and the connecting link between" her mother and her father (140). I felt as though that moment relaxed the three, mostly the two adults, as time stood still. It baffles me how Hawthorne writes so emotionally and how palpable it seems. It is hard for me to attempt to recreate the scene because the way he explains moments is just so incredible. I love how moments like these can be so complicated yet so simple at the same time.
-Kate D. P3
When we were working on the mind maps, I realized the importance of Pearl on Hesters life. At first, it comes across to the reader that Hester is ashamed of Pearl and doesn't understand her, but as we looked more into the details, I realized that Pearl is Hesters motivation. Pearl is the physical embodiment of her sin and through Pearl, Hester is reminded of her sin yes, but also she grows stronger every day because of it. At first, she is very down and she isolated herself but as the book continues, she gets more involved in things and does more for the community. She gains confidence as well. Pearl continually asks Hester about the scarlet letter on her and is very drawn to it so Hester becomes more and more comfortable in accepting her sin. Pearl is not only a reminder of Hesters sin, but shes what keeps Hester alive.
Jacy L.
My epiphany relates to how Dimmesdale isn't quite as innocent and nice as he is made out to be. When I first read the novel I thought about how much he has suffered and how he was a victim in the story. Now I see that Dimmesdale could be seen as the villan in this story. Think about it and you'll see how many of the bad things that happened to Hester and Pearl Dimmesdale could have somehow prevented. Dimmesdale hides that he is also commited adultury, saving himself from the humiliation. He also completely ignores Hester and Pearl whenever he sees them. Granted Chillingworth makes him suffer for his crimes, but Dimmesdale could have done many things to help Hester and Pearl and just didn't.
Bradley C. (p.3)
My epiphany has to do with Hester's punishment, the first time I read the book and the punishment given to Hester seemed really harsh and unreasonable to me, but with a little more understanding of the puritans and their ways, I feel I understand the town people more than before and I am able to connect with them more. yeeeeeeeahhh!!!
Tim X. Period 3
to add a few more words more to my epiphany because and I forgot to press preview and it turns out to be just a little bit shorter than i thought. Anyways because of their puritan belief it was really hard to help Hester even if some of them did not agree with the punishment, peer pressure i say PEEEEER PRESSURE!!!
Tim X. Period 3
My epiphany relates more to the style the book is written in. Throughout the writing, Hawthorne clearly presents his view of the story. However, he manages to leave multiple ways a person can view the novel. For example, Chillingsworth seems quite obviously the victim. However, the first time through the book, I picked up on something that seemed wrong-Chillingsworth seemed to have every right to be upset and seek revenge. His wife cheated on him while he was away, and he was seeking revenge on her lover. However, he can also be interpreted as a tragic (almost) hero, whose goal for revenge carries him just too far past respectability. Pearl also can be interpreted several ways-the book seems to suggest she is an impulsive, almost wicked child. However, looking at the events differently make it seem just as likely that she is just a slightly ill-behaved, energetic child. There is another, more extreme possibility that occurred to me, which I will touch in in a moment. Even the genre leaves some open for debate. I prefer fantasy over historical fiction, and, to me, the novel was written in a way that it could be interpreted as magical realism. Some events take little imagination to see as having a mystical impetus: Pearl is said to be possessed by a demon several times. Maybe she actually is. Dimmesdale hallucinates and sees a scarlet "A" in the sky-or was it actually there? Even the A on his chest at the end left enough to the imagination that, the first time through, him branding himself was the second thing I thought of. I had begun looking at the novel as magical realism to the point where I wondered whether it had only appeared upon his death.
Theo G., Period 3
My epiphany comes from the multiply meanings of Hester's sewing. The first time I went through the book, I merely thought of her sewing as an economic means and a form of punishment. Her bright and creative designs both helped provide for her life in New England and draw attention to her sin. As I continued to analyze the novel, I realized that her choice in embellishing the “A” could also be seen as a way of rejecting social conformities, restrictions, and what was “expected” of her by expressing her individuality and her determination to endure the harsh condemnations. The criminals of usual cases typically try not to draw attention to themselves. Instead of dreary gray garbs, Pearl, the living reminder of her wrongs, dresses in vivid colors and threads, “distinguished by… a fantastic ingenuity” (Hawthorn 58), as if asserting her illegitimate existence.
These ideas eventually led me to question the reason Hester was enduring this disapproval and cruel life. Because of Puritan society and her religious upbringings, she felt obligated to repent for her sin, but I believed that wasn’t the only reason for her stay. I thought that Hester may have had some sort of attachment to Dimmsdale, whether it be a feeling of responsibility or past love. With Chillingworth’s presence so near, Hester could not have left Dimmsdale alone to fend for himself without a guilty gnawing at her heart.
Yawen R. Period 3
my epiphany came to me while reading over various parts of the scarlet letter. The true harshness of the after effects of adultery have now shone their colors radiantly. I have come to fully understand the Puritan society that Hester lives within. this society, to me, is one of judgment, cruelty, and conformity. I have tremendous pity for all the guilt that is thrust upon her by the other townspeople. she is isolated and alone, women gossip about her when she passes by, and worst of all, her fellow partner in the sin does not confess until later in the story. because of a single act, her entire life took a sudden turn for the worst. she also refuses to say who her fellow sinner is, which adds more to the egregious amounts of guilt inside of her. this following quote describes how Hester realizes the effects of her sin. "Thus the young and pure would be taught to look at her, with the scarlet letter flaming on her breast... at her, who had once been innocent, as the figure, the body, the reality of sin. And over her grave, the infamy that she must carry thither would be her only monument" (Hawthorne 55). through that quote, one can infer that once Hester had passed, many years later, the only memory of her will be the scarlet letter, etched into her grave.
Dylan G. Period 3
My epiphany is related to the isolation of Hester. In originally reading the book, I could see that Hester's isolation was a major consequence of her sin. She was now shut off from society and treated as an outcast. Everyone refused to acknowledge her and respect her. This was all I had drawn from the idea of Hester's isolation, but as I continued to analyze and reread the book, I realized that there was much more depth and importance in this element in the story. Hester's isolation had two parts. It consisted of physical isolation and mental isolation. The physical isolation allowed her to escape the city and limited her contact with her judgemental peers. This went along with the motif of "escape" from society and pain. Her mental isolation also gave her time to think about and process her situation and feelings. She has time to ponder her guilt, hopes, and love. Hawthorne took these opportunities to give us a look into Hester's mind and soul, allowing us to see her true feelings. In addition, the Scarlet Letter's isolation was Hester's "passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude... they had made her stronger" (128). As stated in this quote, feelings such as shame and despair were felt in her isolation, but they were able to strengthen her mentally and physically as she struggled to live as a guilty outcast in society.
-Chris G. Period 3
My epiphany is about Hester Prynne. When I first read the book and got to know about Hester's sin, I could not figure out why in the world Hester chose to stay in (or near) the village. I did not understand because Hester was free to leave the village and flee to another region like the actual people, who were also abandoned from their village, at that time did. But as we discussed on the first or second day of the class, I realized why Hester chose to, perhaps had to, stay. Since Hester is a Puritan from England, she had a strong belief in her religion, and she was washing off her sin by staying in the village with her shame and humiliation; she stayed to punish herself. I also did not know why Hester chooses to be very patient with Pearl. She was even thinking about to "send Pearl at once to heaven"(Hawthorne 108). But that also made sense to me because ,as Pearl is both a burden and a hope to Hester, it was another punishment for Hester to bear. I also figured out that Hester once again stayed because she could leave without her lover. These things made sense to me as we also worked on our mindmap and connected things to other sources. Danny C. Per.3
The epiphany I had realized was that Pearl connected the upper and lower classes of society. Her father, Dimmesdale was a clergyman and her mother, Hester was an outcast of the community. Without Pearl's presence, Hester and Dimmesdale's relationship would not have been announced at the end of the story. It was considered a taboo by the Puritans for a clergymen to have an affair with someone that is low in class like Hester. The book was more of a reflection on Hawthorne's time rather than the Puritan age. The reason why Dimmesdale became ill was because of his guilt Hawthorne gave him. Hawthorne gave him this guilt to punish him for his Puritan ways.
Jason H. Period 3
While reading the Scarlet Letter, I came to an abrupt conclusion that the book depicted an unusual society of people, and how the ways of that society affected the minds of those who lived in it. I thought I could some up the novel in one term: Psychological. However, after delving deeper into the story by doing the mind maps, I realized the many facets of the novel. I suddenly looked at the Scarlet Letter in a different light than when I first read the book. I now see the extreme emphasis on nature that Hawthorne continuously refers to. For example in chapter eighteen, when Dimmesdale and Hester escape to the forest to freely talk to one another about their true feelings, and Hester can remove the scarlet letter. I also now see the underlying corruption, and evil that exists within societies. By that I refer mainly to Roger Chillingworth; The man who mercilessly tortures Dimmesdale for having an affair with his wife, Hester. In conclusion, my epiphany was not based solely on one character in particular. My epiphany was based on the many ambiguities in the Scarlet Letter; How they did not befuddle me, but allowed me to look at the novel in so many other ways, thus expanding my knowledge and insight of aspects of literature I had not known. I also had the unexpected benefit of really enjoying the novel!
Analise R.
Period 3
I think that the story "the Scarlet Letter" had to deal with stereotypicall, religious, singleminded, fanatics who only base their opinions on what the warped version of the bible says. it also has the common romantic love conflict that is constantly portrayed in T.V. shows and movies in modern day, which is stealing audiences and viewers away from greater movies and books that actually require some thought to make up, and will soon be completly deminished due to the demand of cheap quality entertainment, thanks a lot Hawthorne. Brennan O.
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