The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864 Spent most of his life in...
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Transcript of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864 Spent most of his life in...
The Scarlet Letterby Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864• Spent most of his life in Boston
and Salem• Changed the spelling of his last
name to avoid association with Judge Hathorne
• Published over 100 short stories, novels, and non-fiction pieces
• Worked in the Salem Custom House from 1839-1849
• Claimed to find the actual Scarlet Letter and its story in the attic of the Custom House…he edited the story and re-told it as a fictionalized version
Historical Context• Puritan society: strict
governance and punishments
• Religion was the law: no separation of church and state
• The novel is set 50 years before the Salem Witch Trials
• Written as a criticism and warning against the Puritan society
Literary Information• Style: Romantic/GothicDetailed descriptions, old language, long
sentences
• Point of View: OmniscientAll knowing, describing events after they
took place, focuses on one character per chapter
• Conflicts: Internal and External
Woman vs. Society, Man vs. himself
• Plot:Love Triangle and one woman’s story of
survival, perseverance, and strength
• Literary Devices:Foreshadowing and Symbolism
Themes• The Power of LoveIf love is true, no law or rule can
prevent it• AlienationTo shun someone or force them
to be an outcast• Appearance vs. RealityPeople and situations are not
always what they appear to be
• Breaking Society’s RulesWhat happens to those who
break the rules of expected behavior in society?
Symbols1. “A”
• Adultery/Alienated• This symbol changes meaning by the
end of the novel
2. Colors• Black: Puritans, gloom, death,
hidden• Red: Sin, passion
3. Light/Darkness• Light: exposure• Darkness: guilt & concealment
4. Forest• Freedom, natural world, natural
laws, not man made laws
5. Pearl• Child, but symbolizes unsolved
mystery and a reminder of sin