[A Jumbled] Passage
"The young pastor's voice was tremulously sweet, rich, deep, and broken. The feeling that it so evidently manifested, rather than the direct purport of the words, caused it to vibrate within all hearts, and brought the listeners into one accord of sympathy...
"Woman, transgress not beyond the limits of Heaven's mercy!" cried the Reverend Mr. Wilson, more harshly than before. "That little babe hath been gifted with a voice, to second and confirm the counsel which thou hast heard. Speak out the name! That, and thy repentance, may avail to take the scarlet letter off thy breast...
"Never," replied Hester Prynne, looking, not at Mr. Wilson, but into the deep and troubled eyes of the younger clergyman. "It is too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony as well as mine!""
Pg 64 "The Scarlett Letter", by Nathaniel Hawthorne [Bantam Classic]
Significance
Well, this passage, along with a few others parts, boldly imply the strength and will of Hester Prynne, who endures the pain associated with committing a high crime, a crime she of course did not commit alone. When most would almost immediately confess to an accomplice, she did not and continues not to. It shows a fierce pride and strong will in her personality, knowing that she can have the symbolic letter removed from her clothing if she were to confess. Secondly, this passage also indicates Hawthorne's constant use of sensory details in describing mostly characters and their relation to Hester, e.g. eloquence of the Reverend- obtaining attention of crown- gaining of sympathy (for Hester) from the crowd.
Questions
1. Hawthorne rarely takes a simplistic route when describing characters, often using plenty of sensory details? Why?
2. Although Hester Prynne has an opportunity for the scarlet letter to be removed from her clothing, she chooses not to take it by absolutely refusing to name her lover? Explain, in your own opinion, why she would take this road?
3. Why does the author often uses complex, cumulative sentences throughout the chapters?
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ReplyDeletewhere are your questions 0.o
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#2Hester does have the opportunity to have the scarlet letter removed but I believe that she does not want to give explanation. I think she feels that there is no need to explain what she has done to these ignorant Puritans. Hester knew what she was doing when she had intercourse with this man; yet decides not to speak of. She has her wonderful child, Pearl, who came from this “sin” but she does not care because she will always be her daughter. Hester wants the townspeople to see her pride and will not reveal the name of the father because that is what they want.
ReplyDelete#3 Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many complex and commutative sentences because he has a lot to say. He is not a very straightforward writer, he much rather engage the reader into thinking critically. Many readers get confused (ME!) because of the complex sentence. However Hawthorne must have included something very important in those sentences. SO KEEP YOYR EYES ON THE TEXT.
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ReplyDelete1) Of course Hawthorne would never take any simplistic approach to describing anyone. As we've been reading we have learned that Hawthorne is a very detailed author but there is a purpose to such detail. When he describes his characters using sensory details he does it so that he could connect with the reader/audience and so that there could be a better visualization of the characters themselves and their standing in the novel. There could also be some symbolism involved when he does this.
ReplyDelete2) Hester Prynne believes that it is her duty to withstand the weight of beholding the scarlet letter on her bosom. In chapter 5, pages 73 and 74, there are two reasons stated as to why she choses to keep the scarlet letter on her chest: "...there is...a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of doom, which almost invariably compels human beings to linger around and haunt, ghost-like, the spot where some great and marked event has given the color to their lifetime..." So the first reason she choses to stay and behold it is because of human instinct.
The second reason: "...and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment; and so, perchance, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost..." So she choses to keep it because it is her duty to do so. But even if she had told the name of the man, that wouldn't have taken off the scarlet letter, it just would have added an extra person to be humiliated along with.
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ReplyDelete#1 Hawthorne uses a lot of sensory details so he can describe the characteristics of characters, symbols, places,etc. Also,he uses sensory details to explain the meaning of objects, characters, etc.
ReplyDelete#3 Hawthorne uses complex sentences throughout the chapters so he is able to descriptively describe person, place,or thing. Also, he uses them to further explain things, and by using this strategical writing skills he provides a meaning to words.
Linda where have you been?
ReplyDelete#1 The characters are described with alot of sensory details because they are to describe how are they related to purtian society, and also to what type of aura they carry in their wake, a type of symbolism as Yanel have commented.
ReplyDelete#3 I agree with Esmeralda that we have to keep our eyes open and be aware of the complex sentences that Hawthorne uses because he drives a point to describe the characters, and the setting like Valentina has said.
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