"The days of the far-off future would toil onward, still with the same burden for her to take up, and bear along with her, but never to fling down; for the accumulating days and added years would pile up their misery upon the heap of shame. Throughout them all, giving up her individuality, she would become the general symbol at which the preacher and moralist might point, and in which they might vivify and embody their images of woman's frailty and sinful passion. Thus the young and pure would be taught to look at her, with the scarlet letter flaming on her breast--at her, the child of honourable parents--at her, the mother of a babe that would hereafter be a woman--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." Pg 73 (Bantam Classic)
This wretch of a woman committed a deed so foul, so injust, so disgusting that she must now bathe in an everlasting hell on earth, looking towards a bleak future full of lonely days, with the exception of her sinful babe, Pearl- what a charmingly horrid name. She deserves whats coming to her because she is the only one in this entire Puritan community to have sinned. No matter what, this woman needs to be ostracized, isolated, stripped of any human contact, because someone in her position shouldn't even be given the time of day. Let her become the face of sin because only she is to blame for what is wrong in the world. It is wrong to have passion, any longing for a joy that is not considered a joy to the rest of us. Do not have sympathy for the one who decides to go against our impossible-to-please standards; instead throw rocks at her, gossip about her within her presence, leave her emotionally scarred because you and I have never sinned;thus she should stand on the pedestal of guilt and shame.
In this passage, Hawthorne effortlessly and concisely describes the trials of Hester, including the present and future. In the eyes of her Puritan neighbors, she has become the manifestation of guilt and sin, the devil's concubine. Through repetition, it seems that Hawthorne is garnering sympathy for Hester from the audience. In addition, he begins to lead us towards an idea of guilt and sin for this particular community.
1. Why does this scarlet letter A, which is "burned" onto her chest, have such an adverse effect on Hester and the people around her (Yes, yes very broad, but roll with it and answer in the most comfortable way possible.)
2.Using your background knowledge of Puritan communities, what can we understand and predict about Hester's stay in this region of Massachusetts?
3. As implied by the novel, it is possibly acceptable for children to ridicule Hester, to attack her with tangible objects words unfamiliar to them but painful to her. Based on your experiences and opinions, why are children conditioned to act like this, both then and now?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2. humm lets see… Using my background knowledge on the Pertain society, I believe that they are going to kill Hester or her daughter. They are probably or never going forget about the sin that she committed. Once Chillingworth finds Hester’s lover, which I think it is Dimmesdale (with his little suspicions self) the Puritan society is going to kill her like the witches during that time. ;) And, if this is true Dimmesdale being a Reverend and being part of this “sin” will be unacceptable in the society. Everything will go downhill for Hester.
ReplyDelete3. Children do what they see their parents do. If my mom worked as an assistant at a business then, I would want to be a business woman. It just they way life is. In the novel, the children see their parents mistreating Hester, so they do the same. Also, the children do the same to her daughter, Pearl, leaving her as an outcast, just like her mother.
1) The scarlet letter has changed Hester's life...FOREVER! She has been affected by it and seems to be confused, traumatized, and lost. She rejects all her hobbies and joys, she seems somewhat emotionless at this point. As for the Puritans in her town, they probably haven't had any sinners recently, since the novel doesn't mention in any outcasts in the society. So Hester is now used as an object of ridicule for mothers to point at and teach their children what not to do.
ReplyDelete3) As implied in the novel, it seems O.K. for children to tease Hester and Pearl because it has become socially acceptable that she is a sinner, so everyone must treat her like one. I agree with Esmeralda, children tend to do whatever their parents do, and in this society, no one appears to be on Hester's side, except for maybe the narrator. I don't believe it's right for children to be like that, but there's nothing much that can't be done.
#1 The scarlet letter A was the first, I believe, form of punishment for committing adultery.Since the Puritans are "pure" individuals they believed this type of "sin" should be punish, which they decided to punish Hester in this way.The letter reminds the society to not commit sins nor to disobey the law.
ReplyDelete#3 It is fine for children to ridicule Hester and even her child, Pearl because it is the way their parents taught them. Since the children parents taught them that sinning is not permitted and whoever commits it should pay the consequence the children parents allow them to tease Hester. Also, since the children see their parents mock or offend them, then they do it as well. Adults are the role models for children, so children imitate adults in EVERYTHING!(including actions, words, sleep,eat,etc)
Children are children, so they would imitate others! So we adults and teenagers have to be careful on what we say or act when children are present. I agree with Esmeralda, too!
But I disagree with Yanel, when she says "I don't believe it's right for children to be like that, but there's nothing much that can't be don". I personally believe it is our right(i was looking for a different word, but can't remember) to educate children-on how to act,their actions, etc. Thats why we, as adults or teenagers, need to properly correct children so they can know what is right and wrong upon treating others.Since we are their role models we NEED to set a good example for them!
#2
ReplyDeleteThe puritans would have probably killed Hester for her adultery, but pardoned her because she has a child to take care of. So instead of killing her they give her a life sentence of carrying the mark of adultery on her chest.
#3
Children learn from their parents, parents are their role models. Also the monkey see, monkey do. Children learn what society teaches them even the racism, violence, etc. Children learn from experiences and what people at home do. So as Valentina has said parents, adults in general have to set an example when they are in front of children so that they wont learn the reality too early to keep them innocent for a little while more.