In chapter one of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many rhetorical devices are used. Hawthorne uses this language to create mystery and wonder throughout the book. His writing is precise; obviously to cause readers to feel a certain way. Nathaniel's use of imagery, mood, and symbolism is what makes The Scarlet Letter so interesting to those who read it.
Hawthorne uses chapter twenty-two, “The Procession”, to put all the pieces of the puzzle of the conflict together. This is where the reader remotely begins to understand how the ending of the novel will come to an end. To reveal the conclusion to the reader, Hawthorne uses rhetorical devices such as, irony, simile, and diction. To expose the irony in this chapter, Hawthorne writes of Dimmesdale’s sermon. As Dimmesdale speaks, “if the auditor listened intently, and for the purpose, he could detect the same cry of pain.”
Hayley Babbitt Period 2 Mr. Nelson 9/22/2015 AP Lang Scarlet Letter discussion questions Custom House Notes: -written just after he was fired from the Salem Custom House in 1849. -original manuscript of The Scarlet Letter is lost, and house printing style was imposed on the 1850 edition, so that version varies occasionally from Hawthorne 's spelling, capitalization, and word division in manuscripts of the same time period. -"Custom-House " sketch is a blend of fact and fantasy. In it Hawthorne does refer to real people, places, and events in Salem, and he also uses this first chapter to introduce the fictional Hester Prynne who wears the scarlet letter that the narrator finds in the Custom House attic.
Such dreary diction stirs up emotion of desolation and misery as Hawthorne’s word choice connects and reminds his audience of dark thoughts. By opening his novel with such a grim subject, Hawthorne creates a contemptuous tone as he indirectly scorns the austere Puritans for their unforgiving and harsh manners. With the demonstrated disdain, Hawthorne criticizes puritan society and prepares his audience for further
Way back in the 17th century the Puritan religion was the leading religion in The New World. Their religious beliefs were strict especially in Salem, Massachusetts. They had extreme punishments for for laws even in the case of a minor offense. The punishments were based of the laws created by their religious beliefs. Hawthorne uses several examples of foreshadowing in “The Scarlet Letter” that reflects the strict beliefs of their society.
The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, reveals many aspects of human nature. One of Hawthorne’s prevalent themes is the way in which hidden sin affects the human soul. Through the progression of Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hawthorne explores the dynamic way in which hidden sin ultimately induces more suffering than open ignominy, using figurative language and contrast to convey his message. Immediately before Dimmesdale gives an impassioned plea for Hester to reveal her partner in sin, Hawthorne indicates through imagery and contrast that Dimmesdale’s sin does not yet have a great impact on his livelihood. Hawthorne notes that Dimmesdale’s “eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence (46).”
Symbolism Within The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne created symbolism throughout The Scarlet Letter in order to develop the theme throughout Hester’s life. Hester is portrayed as a sheltered soul, shunned from society due to her adulterous acts. The red A and her daughter, Pearl, are symbols of Hester’s shame which she bares proudly despite society's harsh judgements. Hawthorne is able to use symbolism to develop themes, characters, and analogies in the Scarlet Letter.
The Journey of Athena Athena, a well-known Greek Goddess with many powers, a purpose. The Greek goddess of war and wisdom and the protector of Athens. What makes her power or weapons, the miracles’ birth, so well known, the childhood feats that she faced, a journey, a task to prove worthy, nemesis. Her half-brother, Hercules, also a well-known Greek god.
Suspense is what makes a book become an outstanding book. This is why Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, heaped suspense into the book. Interestingly, suspense is defined as a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen. Lee uses numerous literary techniques to develop suspense in the story. Two that she uses to employ suspense is cliffhangers and imagery.
Imagine living in a place where one small sin could define who you are for the rest of your life. That is what happened in The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. The novel is set in a seventeenth-century Puritan community in Boston, Massachusetts. A young woman by the name of Hester Prynne commits a small act of adultery and is shamed for the rest of her life, by wearing a scarlet letter “A” on her breast. The book is centered around the theme of justice and judgement.
“A Rose for Emily” is a unique short story that keeps the reader guessing even though its first sentence already reveals the majority of the content. William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” is the epitome of a work that follows an unconventional plot structure and a non-linear timeline, but this method of organization is intentional, as it creates suspense throughout the story. William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” follows an unusual plot structure, which creates an eccentric application of suspense to a short story. Throughout the story, there are no clear indications of standard plot structure in each section, such as intro, climax, and denouement. Instead, there are sections, which are not in chronological order, that describe a particular conflict or event, which in turn creates suspense, as each conflict builds upon each other to make the reader question the overall context and organization of the story.
However, he also uses these allusions to create a new side to his narrative as evident when he describes Hester’s resilience, and to create a new element in the plot as evident in his description of Dimmesdale’s penance and need for redemption. Therefore, Hawthorne demonstrates an effective use of allusions to craft a religious and detailed narrative for The Scarlet Letter by reviewing on parallels between the Bible and the novel’s main characters. There’s more to The Scarlet Letter than these allusions though, and there are many questions to answer about this book. These questions may never be answered fully, but by reading the novel itself, we might find the right places to start searching for answers and formulate our own opinions on the matter. What’s important from this novel is the realistic warning about what might happens when an individual place themselves too highly among others, a message Hawthorne writes to warn against the fervor of transcendentalism of his time.
We are all sinners. Although one may try hard not to sin, all humans eventually succumb at some time or another to sin. While people may not able to avoid the fate which awaits them, the power of free will allows people to decide how they will respond to sin. While some may respond with guilt and regret, others may react with a sense of redemption and a renewed sense of responsibility. Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American author during the 19th century witnessed the power of sin to wreak havoc not only to an individual but a whole community.
In the first paragraph, he begins by talking about men with “sad-colored garments”. This sets a gloomy tone because the word “sad” is blatantly used to describe the characters. Later on in the paragraph, Hawthorne begins to describe the prison door. He says that the door consists of
The entirety of of The Scarlet Letter is written from the perspective of an anonymous third person narrator. Due to his egotistical tendencies, much of the novel is told through very didactic word usage because the narrator intends on teaching the readers instead of solely telling a story. Another prevalent aspect of the work in the difference of diction between the descriptions and speakings of each individual character. Hawthorne ensures that the language a character uses reflects on their personalities as well as follows along with their characterizations throughout the book. In possessing very formal diction overall, the narrator also manages to include artistic aspects such as imagery, metaphor and personification to enhance the novel’s
