Textual Evidence In Scarlet Letter

Throughout the novel, Hawthorne has adopted many different tones. The three major tones of the novel are detachment, complexity, and skepticism. The following piece of textual evidence demonstrates all three of these major tones. “The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognised it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison.”(69) From this piece of textual evidence, we can tell that the narrator is very detached due to the fact he does not show any positive or negative opinions of these Puritans. However, we can assume that Hawthorne does think there are a few problems

Hawthorne mentioned that the settlers had “originally” wanted to create a “Utopia” but end up constructing a cemetery and prison right away. From the text, we can assume that Hawthorne was subtly making fun of the extremely idealistic Puritans and even proposing the idea they did not believe their dream would work out. In addition to having a detached, complex, and skeptical tone; this novel also contains a moralizing tone. The following piece of textual evidence is an example of how this book has a moralizing tone. “Finding it so directly on the threshold of our narrative, which is now about to issue from that inauspicious portal, we could hardly do otherwise than pluck one of its flowers, and present it to the reader. It may serve, let us hope, to symbolise some sweet moral blossom that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.”(70) In this quote, Hawthorne is specifically telling the reader that every sad story has at least one miniscule piece of brightness, or “moral blossom”. He is also going to make sure we know what that moral blossom

In fact, Hawthorne directly tells us that this is the central theme at the end of the novel. He wrote, "Among many morals which press upon us from the poor minister's miserable experience, we put only this into a sentence:—“Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!”(270) In summary, this piece of textual evidence tells you not to be a hypocrite. Hawthorne is also telling you, the reader, that you should never conceal your faults and that it is okay for others to know that you are not perfect. Throughout the novel, Dimmesdale and Hester used different techniques to handle their sins and guilt. Dimmesdale tried to conceal his sin and guilt from the community. Consequently, he was consumed by remorse and guilt, his heart weakened, and eventually died. On the other hand, Hester never tried to cover up her sins and she eventually rose above her guilt by acting modest and by performing good deeds. In the end, she became stronger and more respected than Dimmesdale. Another theme of the novel is identity and society. One example of this was at the beginning of the novel. Even though Hester was publicly shamed and forced to wear a humiliating scarlet letter, she decided not to leave the community. She did not leave the community due to the fact she considered the scarlet letter a representation of who she was. In fact, she was dismayed when