Hailey BjerknesMrs.
RienickPeriod 222 January 2018The Scarlet Letter DJ’s1. Quote: “It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates. Hatred, by a gradual and quiet process, will even be transformed to love, unless the change be impeded by a continually new irritation of the original feeling of hostility” (Hawthorne 110). Response: This quote is best summarized as that it is faster to love, than to hate. And that only true human nature can accommodate to this change. The feeling of love and passion presented by human nature will overcome anything in its path as long as it is treated with the respect it deserves. Which means that selfishness may overcome this love, as long as selfishness is constantly being felt within your human nature. Hester Prynne is not a selfish person in the novel; therefore, she then can retrieve her love for Dimmesdale faster than she can hate him for asking about Chillingworth’s real identity.
Summary: Hester Prynne and Pearl had just had a run in on Dimmesdale on the scaffold while they were heading home from Governor Winthrop’s deathbed. Hester now is recollecting what had occured on the scaffold and was questioning Dimmesdale’s well-being. She was shocked to see him in such a state, and began to think that only she needed to help Dimmesdale in order to rid him of his moral dismay. 2.
Quote: ” “Mother,” said little Pearl, ” the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it’s afraid of something on your bosom. Now, see! There it is, playing a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!” “Nor ever will, my child, I hope,” said Hester ” (Hawthorne 126). Response: The Scarlet Letter “A” that Hester carries upon her breast is becoming a more prominent entity that Pearl begs to know more about- but Hester refuses to tell the child more about it. This quotes symbolises how the Scarlet Letter forbids any light of sympathy to be shone upon Hester, and how the Puritan people look down upon her.
Pearl on the other hand, does not bear the Scarlet Letter-and hopefully never will-which allows her to be able to capture the sunlight and embrace it as a child should. Hester metaphorically lives though Pearl in order to have a pleasing and healthy life of her own. Summary: Hester Prynne has been unsuccessful in being able to address Dimmesdale with her concerns on why he is looking so miserable lately. Hester hears about his trip into the forest coming back to the town, so she takes little Pearl with her to find Dimmesdale and give him the empathy he deserves. As the mother and daughter pair were walking through the forest to accompany Dimmesdale, Pearl begins to question her mother as why she carries the Scarlet Letter “A” upon her bosom, and then promptly proceeds to tell her mother that the “A” is the reason the sun does not like her. 3.
Quote: “Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a part, had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father’s cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl’s errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled” (Hawthorne 175).
Response: Pearl had just acquiesced Dimmesdale as her father. Broken down in tears, Pearl shows her true feelings towards Dimmesdale and reveals her vulnerable and caring side to her father, rather than her stubborn and selfish side she usually withheld towards him. Her tears that had fallen would represent a new era of love and resilience she would have from there on after. Pearl was depicted in the novel to be a messenger and holder of the sin Hester Prynne had borne, and now that Dimmesdale had confessed that he too sinned, Pearls job as a messenger was fulfilled and she can grow and become something worth living for. Summary: Reverend Dimmesdale had just finished giving his election day sermon when he then spots Hester Prynne and Pearl standing at the Scaffold where it all had began.
He joins the two in hand as they make their way to the top. Roger Chillingworth comes into play begging Dimmesdale to come down from the platform, but Dimmesdale refuses. He then proceeds to tell Hester that his life is coming to an end and that he needs to acknowledge and part with the sin he had bared on his chest for many years.
He shares his everlasting guilt with the crowd and shows a scarlet letter “A” burnt into his chest as he falls to the scaffold floor. Hester cradles his head while he says goodbye to his lover and daughter as a guilt free man.
