The scarlet letter comparative literary analysis students will select one chapter from the novel to compare with the pbs movie viewed in class using three points of comparison. What does dimmesdale do after his sermon on election day. From a general summary to chapter summaries to explanations of famous quotes, the sparknotes the scarlet letter study guide has everything you need to. For all the supernatural elements, the scarlet letter also explores the life and times of early america. Hester prynne had committed adultery, and her town immediately sought punishment. Character analysis essay 5 points 4 points 3 points 2 points 1 point clear, reasonable thesis. In the novel, he considers seventeenthcentury puritan mores. The scarlet letter s moral is that people must accept and forgive their own and other peoples worst qualities. In chapter 12, the ministers vigil, there are several. Very clear thesis clear thesis somewhat clear thesis unclear thesis no thesis organization logical flow of evidence. Later in the book, the letters symbol becomes different to. It was only intended to be a long short story, but the extra money a novel would bring in was needed introduction xvi. This analysis of theme in the scarlet letter lesson plan is suitable for 11th grade.
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 honorable 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. The scarlet letter chapters 14 summary and analysis gradesaver. Your work will be evaluated using our standardsbased rubrics for 11. A young woman, hester prynne, has been found guilty of adultery and must wear a scarlet a on her dress as a sign of shame. Hester is shocked by it and asks if she understands what it means. To deny those qualities, as the puritans do, is to deny ones identity. Analysis of the book the scarlet letter literature. The scarlet letter was one of the first massproduced books in the united states. The symbolism behind the scarlet letter a changes throughout this novel.
These free notes consist of about 52 pages 15,407 words and contain the following sections. Red is used frequently in the scarlet letter, and it is even a part of the book title. The scarlet letter explores themes of sin, compassion, and hypocrisy. References are below or you may want to view the slide show. Hawthorne immediately implements symbols that will likely play a role throughout the rest of the book. The narrator then relates the story of hester prynne, the original bearer of the scarlet letter, who lived in boston when it was just a small puritan settlement in the seventeenth century. In the scarlet letter, why is pearl often compared to an elf. In his book, the scarlet letter, nathaniel hawthorne tells of a story where a young woman has had an adulterous relationship with a respected priest in a puritan community.
Collecting the scarlet letter by hawthorne, nathaniel. Thus, the forest, especially in the view of the puritan society, is associated with sin. Though initially this letter a symbolizes the sin of adultery, hester prynne alters its meaning through her hard work and charity. Set in 17thcentury puritan new england, the novel delves deeply into the human heart, presenting the problems of moral evil and guilt through allegory and symbolism. A work of historical fiction set in the massachusetts bay colony during the puritan settlement of 16421949 itells the story of hester prynne, who after having a child as a result of an extramarital affair attempts to live a life of repentance and dignity although she is marked by having. The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. He wrote the scarlet letter at the age of 46, at a time in which he lived with his wife in concord, massachusetts. The scarlet letter 2 of 394 editors note nathaniel hawthorne was already a man of fortysix, and a tale writer of some twentyfour years standing, when the scarlet letter appeared. Containing a number of religious and historic allusions, the book explores themes of legalism, sin, and guilt. The a literally represents adultery and hesters criminal act. Throughout the course of the book, when characters are within the forest, their true nature is generally shown. The main character is hester prynne, a young woman who has borne a child out of wedlock. Inthe puritan society, the institutions of judgment and salvation, of. Hester, proud and beautiful, emerges from the prison.
Explore a character analysis of hester prynne, plot summary, and important quotes. It was popular when first published and is considered a classic work today. Instant downloads of all 1296 litchart pdfs including the scarlet letter. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. The scarlet letter was written by nathaniel hawthorne in 1850. The free the scarlet letter notes include comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. An analysis of the scarlet letter and the failure of accelerated reader test. We dont even have to tell you what nathaniel hawthornes most famous symbol is in the scarlet letter, do we. Her prisondoor was thrown open, and she came forth into the sunshine, which, falling on all alike, seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if meant for no other purpose than to reveal the scarlet letter on her breast.
The red coloring of the a symbolizes passion, love, and sin. The scarlet letter the red letter a was supposed to label hester as adulterous and symbolize shame for her wrong decisions. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the scarlet letter readon classics. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. Some people begin to suggest that the a stands for able, since hester is such a capable woman. Set in puritan massachusetts bay colony during the years 1642 to 1649, the novel tells the story of hester prynne who conceives a daughter through an affair and then struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. In order to earn a livelihood hawthorne served as surveyor of the port at salem 184649, where he began writing his masterpiece, the scarlet letter 1850. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one.
Text dependent analysis expository writing resource for the scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne activity lesson with ppt, worksheets, rubric, graphic. Quick and easy the scarlet letter synopsis, analysis, and discussion of major characters and themes in the novel. Analysis of the book the sca rlet letter 2029 words 9 pages the evolution of the a in the scarlet letter so, in the course of the novel, the a seems to encompass the entire range of human beingness, from the earthly and passionate adulteress to the pure and spiritual angel, taking into account everything in between. Analysis of the book the scarlet letter essay sample. She has stitched a large scarlet a onto her dress with gold thread, giving the letter an air of elegance. A romance is a work of historical fiction by american author nathaniel hawthorne, published in 1850. The scarlet letter reflects hawthornes fascination with the idea of sin and its place in puritan ideology. Black is also used to refer to sin and evil, yet red tends to be the more outward.
Nathaniel hawthornes e scarlet letter has served not only as a literary. Furthermore, she must stand on the scaffold for three hours, exposed to public humiliation. Carrez although hester loves pearl, pearl is a curse, the living personification of the scarlet letter, and is as much of a tormenting entity as the symbol upon her. The scarlet letter vocabulary lesson plan owl eyes is an improved reading and annotating experience for classrooms, book clubs, and literature lovers. Nathaniel hawthornes 1850 historical novel the scarlet letter explores guilt, revenge, and redemption in colonial america.
The scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne goodreads. Red and black symbol in the scarlet letter litcharts. Hawthorne blends supernatural elements with psychological insight in his story of one womans public punishment for adultery. The scarlet letter kindle edition by hawthorne, nathaniel. Such is the case of all sin, including the adultery of hester prynne, the main character in hawthornes the scarlet letter. The scarlet letter is considered a piece of american romantic literature because it is set in a remote past, the puritan era 200 years prior to hawthornes time, and because it deals with the interior psychology of individual characters. It may not be 100% accurate, but its a historical novel set in a real place among real people, like governor bellingham and mistress hibbins. Pearl is a real and constant reminder of hesters sins, she proves as much more evidence than the a that hester wore, for she is a real living breathing person who will always remain a part hester.
See more ideas about the scarlet letter, scarlet and lettering. Summary while hester ponders chillingworths smile, the election day procession begins. See more ideas about the scarlet letter, scarlet, american literature. The scarlet letter a that hester is forced to wear is finely embroidered with goldcoloured thread. The the scarlet letter quotes below all refer to the symbol of red and black. Even as a baby, she instinctively reaches for the scarlet letter.
Hester is being led to the scaffold, where she is to be publicly shamed for having committed adultery. Analytical essay on the scarlet letter 2040 words bartleby. They search the novel for textual evidence to include in writing a paper that supports a well thought synopsis of a theme from the book. The most complex and misunderstood symbol in the book is pearl, the daughter of hester prynne.
In the beginning of the novel, we are immediately thrust into the story and come across hester. The scarlet letter, nathaniel hawthorne s 1850 novel about puritan boston, then known as the massachusetts bay colony, tells the story of hester prynne, a woman who has given birth to a child out of wedlocka grave sin in the deeply religious community. Analysis of theme in the scarlet letter lesson plan for 11th. The scarlet letter is a frame narrative, in which the novels beginning and ending occur in roughly the same period of time, while the middleand the main plotoccurs in the. Analyzing secrets in the scarlet letter whether intentional or not, keeping secrets is part of human nature. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne has many different characters that have each committed a sin. Character analysis thesis a character analysis thesis is a declarative statement with three important parts. The next chapter introduces the main character, hester, emerging from the prison wearing a dress marked with a scarlet letter a, and carrying her baby, pearl. The scarlet letter readon classics kindle edition by hawthorne, nathaniel. Literary devices in the scarlet letter by john burk on prezi. Scarlet letter double entry journal , sample of reports. Character analysis of hester from the scarlet letter by. The scarlet letter, at first, is meant to represent shame and sin.
Hawthorne says it is the first object of which she seemed aware, and she focuses on the letter in many scenes. Find full texts with expert analysis in our extensive library. Based on nathaniel hawthornes novel the scarlet letter, this lesson. The scarlet letter is an 1850 novel by nathaniel hawthorne set in boston, then the massachusetts bay colony, in the mid17 th century about fifty years before the nearby salem witch trials. The scarlet letter is one of the most celebrated novels in early american literature and is probably the magnum opus of its author, nathaniel hawthorne. He finds his wife forced to wear the scarlet letter a on her dress as punishment for her adultery. Throughout history, people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, people have been punished.
Hawthorne has been canonized in many literary circles and is widely recognized as one of the most famous writers of american literature. Hesters story begins on a scaffold just outside the town prison. List of books and articles about scarlet letter online. Character analysis of the scarlett letter essay 525 words. Analysis of the book the scarlet letter 1961 words.
Analysis, summary, the scarlet letter is a novel that deals with the neverending theme of sin. On the scaffold she is asked to reveal the name of pearls father, but she. In the customhouses attic, he discovered a number of documents, among them a manuscript that was bundled with a scarlet, goldembroidered patch of cloth in the shape of an a. The introduction includes a hook and transitions to the thesis. The balance of the narrative takes place in the seven years following the public outcry. Hester prynnes term of confinement was now at an end. The scarlet letter full text and analysis owl eyes. Rhetorical analysis of the scarlet letter essay studymoose. Sources of texts, biography, criticism and lesson plans for teachers from the colonial. Kelsey federspill scarlet letter literary analysis r5 12. Scarlet letter analysis essay sample new york essays.
The scarlet letter essay rubric lemon bay high school. You can evaluate students written pieces using the following threepoint rubric. As both a badge of shame and a beautifully wrought human artifact, it reflects the many oppositions in the novel, such as those between order and transgression, civilization and wilderness, and adulthood and childhood. Typical of hawthornes writings is the use of imagery and symbolism. Hester is forced to wear the letter a on her gown at all times. Nathaniel hawthornes the scarlet letter reaches to our nations historical and moral roots for the material of great tragedy. The old woman claimed that lots of people had written their names in the black mans book, including mistress hibbins, and that the scarlet letter was the black mans mark on hester. Save paper admin published on 11162000 1754 reads the scarlet letter. Scarlet letter character analysis case study template. She wears an elaborately embroidered scarlet letter a standing for adultery on her breast, and she carries a threemonth. Each characters sin has caused them to change throughout the novel.
To ensure that the work is of a quality that you require, as well as minimising any risks associated plagiarism, it can be a good idea to pay for prewritten or even bespoke samples, as they are more likely to come from professional writers, and may be less accessible to plagiarism checkers, particularly if you have a bespoke essay prepared. Irony english literature poster featuring a quote from the scarlet. This ambivalence is shown by breaking the book into three different parts. Puritan life independence hall association in philadelphia, 20082017 radio segment. Hester believes herself a widow, but her husband, roger chillingworth, arrives in new england very much alive and conceals his identity. Then comes a company of gentlemen soldiers, brilliantly garbed. She creates her own letter out of moss, sees the letter in the breastplate at governor bellinghams mansion, and points at it in the forest scene with hester and. However, throughout the course of hesters life, the letter transforms into a symbol of who hester is as a person. The novel is set in a village in puritan new england. The main theme for the scarlet letter was sin and hester prynnes life because of it. A rubric that helps teachers select and analyze high value words from complex text is at. The symbolic quality of the letter is transferred to pearl in which reinforces the idea that the symbol combines the reference to an abstract idea with a material existence.
A character be clear about the agent whom you are discussing must be from the scarlet letter. Hester thinks on the fact that she hates chillingworth, then calls for pearl. The scarlet letter research paper assignment the scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne is. The scarlet letter readon classics kindle edition by. Throughout nathaniel hawthornes book the scarlet letter, hesters attitudes toward her adultery are ambivalent. This other view refers to both the changing perception of the puritan community toward hester and the narrators. The scarlet letter was one of the first massproduced books in america.
Choose any one of the characters from the scarlet letter be it minor or major and write a character analysis of that character. This chapter is a discussion of hesters personality, character, and intellect as well as a summary and an update of her past four years pearl is now seven. Scarlet letter summaries and analysis chapter 1 this chapter sets the scene for the following chapter and partially introduces us to our protagonist. Set in an early new england colony, the novel shows the terrible impact a single, passionate act has on the lives of three members of the community. Pearl is playing and makes herself an a to match her mothers. Text dependent analysis expository writing resource. In the story, the theme of hypocrisy is supported by the forest, the prison, the scarlet letter, and the puritans. Now in todays society, the view of adultery is very different then it is now. The puritan women waiting outside the prison selfrighteously and viciously discuss hester prynne and her sin. The scarlet letter provides teachers with a userfriendly fieldtested guide to teaching one of the truly great american novels. Check out nathaniel hawthornes the scarlet letter video sparknote. On top of that, it begins at chapter 1 and does not include the custom house introduction like any version of the scarlet letter should.
Nathaniel hawthornes, the scarlet letter is a book about a woman, hester, who moves to boston from england during the puritan tim. This lesson provides an overview of the main conflicts in the novel the scarlet letter, by nathaniel hawthorne. Book summary a young woman, hester prynne, has been found guilty of adultery and must wear a scarlet a on her dress as a sign of shame. The scarlet letter is most important symbol in the book, hence the books title. Todays students will engage in e scarlet letters timely themes and. The nameless narrator was the surveyor of the customhouse in salem, massachusetts. A character analysis of pearl in nathaniel hawthornes the scarlet letter word count includes outline at the end of the paper the scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne is a book of much symbolism. Consequently, the scarlet letter was published a year later ix. As to why she wears the scarlet letter, she says, i wear it for the sake of its gold thread 15.
Considering a wide range of academically interpretive methodologies, it moves beyond basic elements of plot, characterization, and theme into a multifaceted, skillbased, and critically. Eleventh graders engage in the reading of the novel the scarlet letter while choosing a topic to write a literature response. Hawthorne then wrote an introduction section titled the custom house to extend the length of the book and the scarlet letter became a full novel xvi. My friend and i had sort of drifted apart, and one day, after a sleepover, she just ended it. Dont know how to write a literature essay on the scarlet letter. Hester starts by seeing her act as a sin that she is sorry for committing.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the scarlet letter. Especially since you can just read the title of hawthornes book and figure it out. These had been her teachers,stern and wild ones,and they had made her strong. A life lesson can be learned in nathaniel hawthornes novel, the scarlet letter, about the theme of guilt. Browse the scarlet letter characters resources on teachers pay teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original educational resources. Sin religion today is too often merely the worship of guilt, an obsession with sin and an exercise in the rubrics of repentance every 1. The scarlet letter by nathaniel hawthorne american renaissance books, 2009 1280l supporting materials.
Book summary in june 1642, in the puritan town of boston, a crowd gathers to witness an official punishment. The different symbolisms used in the scarlet letter by nathaniel. Next are the political dignitaries, stable, dignified, and drawing a reverent reaction from the crowd. It vividly depicts puritan life in massachusetts during the mid1600s and explores issues of american morality, religion, and hypocrisy. Like others have said, this is poorly formatted with wide pages and small type. An important part of pearls character is the way that she is developed as being somehow. The scarlet letter opens with a long preamble about how the book came to be written. In regards to the book he is, in fact, little more than an editor. Analysis of the book the sca rlet letter 1404 words 6 pages. Culminating writing task exemplar student response.
His motivation for this is that the book, the scarlet letter, which is extracted from authentic historical writings which he found while at the customhouse. Summary and analysis chapter 22 the scarlet letter. Many people refused to interpret the scarlet a by its original signification. Analysis of the book the scarlet letter 1404 words. And then to top it off, the book started falling apart at the binding as soon as i opened it. A romance 1850 is considered the american author nathaniel hawthornes masterwork.
141 838 846 1147 768 1539 549 1019 242 1414 1268 876 1454 897 449 1316 1274 940 451 482 1457 1107 609 626 810 1231 1433 545 493 1064 591 235 973 139 971 969 1052 804 1003 35 411 349 1449 211 660