Final Draft - On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules

Paaras Chand

Professor Knapp

English 1B

27 May 2011

On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing incorporates a style many of his contemporaries tried to replicate in a time based upon Puritan values, changing ideals, and deeper meanings within natural life.  The Scarlet Letter is an adventure valued as much as the Nineteenth century itself -- it became the first step into true American literature; the breaking point of Puritan philosophies and ways of life; and the beginning of the Transcendental, Gothic, Anti-Transcendental, and Romantic time periods (Whipple 355).

The Scarlet Letter follows the struggles and triumph of Hester Prynne, a young woman who has a child out of wedlock.  She is forced to wear a red letter A (for adulterer) on her clothing at all times while raising her young daughter, Pearl.  Ultimately she learns how to overcome her adversity and redeem herself from her sin, but she isn’t the only one.  Arthur Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and even Pearl have their own “sub-journeys” into redemption.  Anne W. Abbott’s critique applauds Hawthorne’s “artistic prowess” and Pearl’s character, but questions the reality of Roger Chillingworth, Hester, and Arthur Dimmesdale.  E.P Whipple criticizes Hawthorne for creating a plot “too painfully anatomical” but applauds his “purely objective” outlook on romance and sin.

In a time ruled by Puritan ideals and the Church, one small “sin” could lead to devastating consequences. An affair was greatly looked down upon during the Sixteenth century and any news of such an event would kill the reputation of both parties. Arthur Dimmesdale, the father of Pearl and respected minister of Salem, buried his sin within himself (literally) to protect his position, but in the end discovered his sin was the key to the future.  Abbott feels that Dimmesdale is “better kept” than the other characters in the story, but still far from realistic (Abbott 372). She mocks how Dimmesdale “exhales at the first gleam of hope” and does not deal with the further consequences of his sin; he goes straight to death (Abbott 375). Dimmesdale definitely had several opportunities to admit his sin, but to say he did absolutely nothing in an overstatement.  Dimmesdale came to the rescue when the Governor and townspeople were considering removing Pearl from her mother.  He reasoned that “God gave her the child, and gave her, too, an instinctive knowledge of its nature and requirements--both seemingly so peculiar--which no other mortal being can possess” (Hawthorne 91).  Dimmesdale also hid messages about his sin in his sermons by saying “No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true . . . Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” (Hawthorne 93 & 103).  It can even be argued that Dimmesdale shared Hester's pain every time “the young minister... [Held] his hand over his heart, as was his custom whenever his peculiarly nervous temperament was thrown into agitation” (Hawthorne 90).  Nevertheless Dimmesdale’s full redemption did not occur until he had committed suicide.  If Hawthorne had not killed Dimmesdale through suicide, it would have brought more questions of validity to the reader’s mind; the story would sound too much like a “happily ever after” (Abbott 370).

Chillingworth is an odd character.  Hawthorne painted almost every character with two sides; as a sinner and as a great man or woman.  But Chillingworth only seems to fit into one of these categories; as a sinner, even a purely evil man.  Abbott even goes as far as to say that “Chillingworth ... seems to have so little in common with map, he is such a gnome-like phantasm, such an unnatural personification of an abstract idea, that we should be puzzled to assign him a place among angels, men, or devils” (Abbott 372).  Hawthorne introduces Chillingworth as a mysterious character who “found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips” (Hawthorne 36).  The audience is left to wonder what Chillingworth will do now that he knows his wife has been untrue to him.  Chillingworth dies with as much reality as he was born.  He seems to only have served as the antagonist of the story; a man to carry out the devils work.  And if he is truly Hawthorne's symbol for the devil, then his death marks the beginning of a new day.  Hawthorne ends his tale by saying that “when there was no more Devil's work on earth for [Chillingworth] to do, it only remained for the unhumanised mortal to betake himself whither his master would find him tasks enough, and pay him his wages duly” (Hawthorne 120).  It seems that Chillingworth’s redemption was also answered with death, but it's debatable whether or not he actually redeemed himself.  Even Dimmesdale adds insult to injury by saying “[Chillingworth has committed a crime] far worse than death!” (Hawthorne 87).  But if there is any redemption for Chillingworth, it's that in the end he finally learned to accept Pearl.  He left his riches for her and she coincidentally ended up going back to Europe, Chillingworth’s home land.

Hester Prynne -- marked with sin and challenge -- journeyed through The Scarlet Letter through humility, hurt, and happiness. After her trial, Hester wanted to start a new life, focusing on the future of Pearl. Abbott says that “Hester at first strongly excites our pity, for she suffers like an immortal being,” but as she works more toward redemption “her humility catches a new tint, and we find it pride” (Abbott 371).  Hester Prynne's adversity forced her to grow as a person.  Even though the people around her may have sinned more than she did; she still had to live with a physical mark which reminded every passerby of what she had done.  In the beginning Hester even tries to hide her mark; “the mother of this child stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token” (Hawthorne 16).  But Hester didn't succumb to the opinions of the public.  She stayed strong and created a new image for herself.  An image so strong that it made people forget the original meaning of the A and add their own; “The letter was the symbol of her calling...They said that it meant 'Able'; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength” (Hawthorne 159).  Hester's redemption is much more “usual” than the other character's.  She learns to forgive Arthur and love Pearl with all her heart. 

No Pearl can be worth more to a story than Hester’s Pearl, but no pearl had ever been as expensive as this one either. Pearl was born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one and remains a symbol throughout the story. Abbott goes on to say that Pearl is the “gem of the purest water . . . a perfect truth to childish and human nature.” Pearl is one of a kind; she's not like the other children.  From the beginning Pearl's always had a strange personality.  She is an intelligent girl who respects her mother and her situation, but has also been the reason many of her mother’s most stressful problems.  Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. Pearl, physically, is a reminder of Hester's sin, but she also “at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hester’s unlawful bond” (Whipple 367).  When meeting with the governor Hester expressed how much Pearl had changed her life by saying “[Pearl] is my happiness--she is my torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me, too!” (Hawthorne 90).  But just because Pearl is a child doesn't mean she doesn't notice the way the townspeople view her mother.  She repeatedly asks her mother why she must wear the scarlet letter A.  At one time she even made her own out of sea weed and asked “But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? — and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?” (Hawthone 100).  When Hester removed her scarlet letter A in hopes of escaping with Dimmesdale, Pearl forced her to put it on.  And even Hester says “But, in very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token. I must bear its torture yet a little longer” (Hawthorne 111).  Pearl was the reason for Hester's redemption.  If it had been up to Hester, she would have run away from her problems, but with Pearl's help she not only managed to change her image, but also push Dimmesdale into admitting his sin -- redemption for all.

The characters within The Scarlet Letter are not the ones from the perfect happy endings, but they attempt to represent more realistic characters.  Hawthorne came from a world where he realized that not everything was as pure as he had believed, including himself.  He makes an attempt to challenge the reader’s perception of society and how we view characters.  Adultry is still looked down upon even in today’s society.  Were we to be alive during the Sixteenth century would we react in the same way as the Puritans?  Nathaniel Hawthorne does, however, make an attempt to redeem every character.  Though some character redemptions are debatable, they do achieve a higher good.  Roger Chillingworth may die, but he comes to accept Pearl as a daughter.  Pearl may not have committed any sin directly, but she, too, had to tackle prejudice and live the same life as her mother.  In the end Pearl decided to leave the Puritan society.  But the legend of her mother’s journey stays strong “On A Field, Sable, The Letter A Gules” (Hawthorne 150).

Works Cited

Abbott, Anne W. "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance." 1850. The Scarlet Letter & Other Writings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 371-82. Print.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, and Leland S. Person. The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings: Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. Print.

Whipple, E. P. "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance." 1850. The Scarlet Letter & Other Writings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 352-67. Print.

Annotated Bibliography

Works Cited

Abbott, Anne W. "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance." 1850. The Scarlet Letter & Other Writings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 371-82. Print.

Abbott begins with a positive appraisal of “The Custom-House,” saying she appreciates “the preface better than the tale.” She then discusses style and characterization in The Scarlet Letter and  applauds Hawthorne’s “artistic prowess” and Pearl’s character, but questions the reality of Roger Chillingworth, Hester, and Arthur Dimmesdale. 

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, and Leland S. Person. The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings: Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. Print.

            The Scarlet Letter follows the struggles and triumph of Hester Prynne, a young woman who has a child out of wedlock.  She is forced to wear a red letter A (for adulterer) on her clothing at all times while raising her young daughter, Pearl.  Ultimately she learns how to overcome her adversity and redeem herself from her sin.  I tried to contrast my selections from the book with quotes that described the characters before redemption and after redemption.  I tried to take quotes from different sections in order to have a bigger picture.

Whipple, E. P. "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance." 1850. The Scarlet Letter & Other Writings. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 352-67. Print.

E.P Whipple criticizes Hawthorne for creating a plot “too painfully anatomical” but applauds his “purely objective” outlook on romance and sin.  Whipple also comments on “The Custom House” and finds it to be a very interesting autobiographical piece about Hawthorne.  Whipple praises Hawthorne for not succumbing to the “French Romantic novelists” and sticking with a story that challenges ideas about morals and social standing.

On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules - Draft 2

Paaras Chand

Professor Knapp

English 1B

11 May 2011

On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing incorporates a style many of his contemporaries tried to replicate in a time based upon Puritan values, changing ideals, and deeper meanings within natural life (Whipple 1).  The Scarlet Letter is an adventure valued as much as the nineteenth century itself -- it became the first step into true American literature; the breaking point of Puritan philosophies and ways of life; and the beginning of the Transcendental, Gothic, Anti-Transcendental, and Romantic periods (Whipple 1). Anne W. Abbott’s "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance” applauds Hawthorne’s "artistic prowess" and Pearl’s character, but questions the reality of Roger Chillingworth, Hester, and Arthur Dimmesdale.

In a time ruled by Puritan ideals and the Church, one small act can travel a journey of its own. Arthur Dimmesdale, the marked culprit and minister of Salem, buried his sin within himself to protect his position, but in the end discovered his sin was the key to the future. Abbott feels that Dimmesdale is "better kept" than the other characters in the story, but still far from realistic (Abbott 2). She mocks how Dimmesdale “exhales at the first gleam of hope" and does not deal with the further consequences of sin; he goes straight to death (Abbott 2). Dimmesdale was far from the perfect father or perfect husband, but he did exactly what any man of the time would have done; he ran away “and thus, while standing on the scaffold, in this vain show of his expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart” (Whipple 3). Even when he had the chance to come out with his sin, he left his daughter and Hester to suffer.  An affair was greatly looked down upon at the time and any news of such an event would kill the reputation of both parties. He was not the hero who went against the grain, but rather went with it.  Naturally a man of this caliber would not have taken his path to redemption; the sin was bad enough. He did however show signs of understanding for his sin: "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true . . . Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!" (Hawthorne 93 & 103). If Hawthorne had not killed Dimmesdale through suicide, it would have brought more questions of validity to the reader’s mind; the story would sound too much like a "happily ever after” (Abbott 3).

As for Roger Chillingworth, he seems to have very little in common with anyone else.  He is the exact opposite of every other good character in the story; he is the one dimensional villain (Abbott 2).  Chillingworth is introduced as the creep; his back is arched, his eyes are dark, and his voice is cutting; “When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips” (Hawthorne 16). Redemption is The Scarlet Letter ’s biggest point, yet Hawthorne only paved redemption for Hester; Dimmesdale’s redemption is somewhat debatable and Chillingworth makes no attempt whatsoever. He dies with as much reality as he was born.  Chillingworth’s destiny seems to simply carry out the devil’s work; “when there was no more Devil's work on earth for him to do, it only remained for the unhumanised mortal to betake himself whither his master would find him tasks enough, and pay him his wages duly” (Hawthorne 120).  In some aspects Chillingworth can be seen as a symbol for the devil, thus his death brings the death of the devil, but with such heavy symbolism within Hawthorne’s writing it does not place a level field amongst those who have sinned. In fact Dimmesdale just points a bigger finger at Chillingworth; "It were far worse than death" (Hawthorne 87).

Hester Prynne — marked with sin and challenge — journeys through The Scarlet Letter through humility, hurt, and happiness. Following her intense trial, Hester looks to restart her life and work toward raising Pearl. Abbott cites that "Hester at first strongly excites our pity, for she suffers like an immortal being," but as she works more toward redemption "her humility catches a new tint, and we find it pride (Abbott 3).  Through much persecution, alienation, and discrimination Hester Prynne was forced to grow as a person, despite the fact that her neighbors continued to go on as they were. As early in her persecution as when she is forced to stand on the scaffold, Hester's growth can be detected. The book describes this demonstration of growth: "...the mother of this child stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token" (Hawthorne 6). With redemption comes pride, but it is necessary to continue a stronger lifestyle; depression for the sin would keep Hester isolated and torn apart by the townspeople. There may be too much pride within Hester’s bosom and scarlet A but it would not be a legend if kept secret and hidden.

No Pearl can be worth more to a story than Hester’s Pearl, but no pearl had ever been as expensive as this one either. Pear was born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one and remains a symbol throughout the story. Abbott goes on to say that Pearl is the "gem of the purest water. .. a perfect truth to childish and human nature." From her introduction as an infant on her mother’s scaffold of shame to the stormy peak of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. She is at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hester’s unlawful bond, and at others a forceful reminder of her mother’s sin. Pearl Prynne is her mother’s most precious possession and her only reason to live, but also serves as a priceless treasure purchased with her life. The product of Hester’s sin and agony, Pearl, was a painfully constant reminder of her mother’s violation of the Seventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not commit adultery". Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughter’s childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet letter and it’s relation to sinister. After Pearl has created a letter "A" on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: "But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? — and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?" (Hawthone 100). In saying this Pearl implies she knows so much, but her constant nagging also brings Hester to doing the right thing; had it not been for her then Hester would have ran away from her problems. She was the key to Hester’s final redemption "But, in very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token. I must bear its torture yet a little longer" (Hawthorne 111).

The characters within The Scarlet Letter are not the ones from the perfect happy endings, but they attempt to represent more realistic characters.  Hawthorne came from a world where he realized that not everything was as pure as he had believed, including himself.  He makes an attempt to challenge the reader’s perception of society and how we view characters.  Adultry is still looked down upon even in today’s society.  Were we to be alive during the 16^th century would we react in the same way as the Puritans?  Nathaniel Hawthorne does, however, make an attempt to redeem every character.  Though some character redemptions are debatable, they do achieve a higher good.  Roger Chillingworth may die, but he comes to accept Pearl as a daughter.  Pearl may not have committed any sin directly, but she, too, had to tackle prejudice and live the same life as her mother.  In the end Pearl decided to leave the Puritan society.  But the legend of her mother’s journey stays strong “On A Field, Sable, The Letter A Gules” (Hawthorne 150).

Works Cited

Abbott, Anne W. "Literary Style Points From The Scarlet Letter." Literature Resource Center. Gale, 25 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Apr. 2011.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel, and Leland S. Person. The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings: Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. Print.

Whipple, Elaine P. "Hawthorne Use of Literary Devices." Literature Resource Center. Gale, 21 Oct. 2010. Web. 22 Apr. 2011. 

On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules - Draft 1

Paaras Chand

Professor Knapp

English 1B

1 May 2011

On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules

The Scarlet Letter is much like a dream — it makes a different impression underneath each eyelid — it is art left for the reader to untangle and understand — it is purely transcendental.  Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing holds the soul — the style many of his contemporaries tried to replicate in a time based upon Puritan values, changing ideals, and deeper meanings within natural life (Whipple 1). From "The Custom House" to the ever-lasting power of the scarlet letter, Hawthorne provides us with everything, yet nothing at the same time — the substance is not within what he tells the reader, but what the reader can tell Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter is an adventure valued as much as the nineteenth century itself - it became the first step into true American literature; the breaking point of Puritan philosophies and ways of life; and the beginning of the Transcendental, Gothic, Anti-Transcendental, and Romantic periods (Whipple 1). Anne W. Abbott’s "Review of 'The Scarlet Letter, a Romance” applauds Hawthorne’s "artistic prowess" and Pearl’s character, but questions the reality of Roger Chillingworth, Hester, and Arthur Dimmesdale. ln a story capable of handling so much, every part of the story needs to hold the structure as strong as the next. Though the novel has its flaws, no reader can leave The Scarlet Letter unchanged.

"The Custom House" is an oddly phrased introduction to the tale; outlining a few parts of Hawthorne’s life and providing some facts onto the truth behind the story. Abbott begins her review by saying she enjoyed “the preface better than the tale" and cites Hawthorne’s elaborate use of "original turns of expression, and unhackneyed combinations of words, falling naturally into their places, as if of their own accord" (Abbot 1). “The Custom House" is definitely very different from the rest of the story, but that’s exactly where much of the dilemma lies; it is cut, dry, and much more direct. At some points Hawthome is able to convey life’s greatest lessons with poetic love; "If a man, sitting all alone, cannot dream strange things, alnd make them look like truth, he need never try to write romances", but most of "The Custom House" remains descriptions of Hawthorne’s gray life; "The pavement ... has grass enough growing in its chinks to show that it has not. . .been worn by any multitudinous resort of business" (Hawthome 15, 19). At times Hawthorne even sounds like a writer of the Realism period because of his focus on facts; "In the way of furniture, there is a stove with a voluminous funnel; an old pinedesk with a three-legged stool beside it" (Hawthorne 17). Though "The Custom House" is designed to be very detailed and informative, it does not hold the same emotional appeal as "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" — words marked with sin and challenege" (Hathorne 18, 76).

In a time ruled by Puritan ideals and the Church, one small act can travel a joumey of its own. Arthur Dimmesdale — the marked culprit — and minister of Salem buried his sin within himself to protect his position, but in the end discovered his sin was the key to the future. Abbott feels that Dimmesdale is "better kept" than the other characters in the story, but still far from realistic (Abbott 2). She mocks how Dimmesdale “exhales at the first gleam of hope" and does not deal with the further consequences of sin; he goes straight to death (Abbott 2). Dimmesdale was far from the perfect father or perfect husband, but he did exactly what any man of the time would have done; he ran away."And thus, while standing on the scaffold, in this vain show of his expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart." Even when he had the chance to come out with his sin, he left his daughter and Hester to suffer.  An affair was greatly looked down upon at the time and any news of such an event would kill the reputation of both parties. He was not the hero who went against the grain, but rather went with it (Whipple 2).  Naturally a man of this caliber would not have taken his path to redemption - the sin was bad enough. He did however show signs of understanding for his sin: "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true. . .Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!" (Hawthorne 93, 103). If Hawthorne had not killed Dimmesdale through suicide, it would have brought more questions of validity to the reader’s mind; the story would sound too much like a "happily ever after."

"As for Roger Chillingworth, he seems to have so little in common with map, he is such a gnome-like phantasm." — Abbott sees Chillingworth as the pure opposite of every other good character in the story; he is the one dimensional villain (Abbott 2). Life is not filled with just the bad or just the good — it is a mixture of both, so it only makes sense that the characters fall the same way. Chillingworth is introduced as the creep; his back is arched, his eyes are dark, and his voice is cutting — "When he found the eyes of Hester Prynne fastened on his own, and saw that she appeared to recognize him, he slowly and calmly raised his finger, made a gesture with it in the air, and laid it on his lips" (Hawthorne 16). Redemption is The Scarlet Letter ’s biggest point, yet Hawthorne only paved redemption for Hester; Dimmesdale’s redemption is somewhat debatable and Chillingworth makes no attempt whatsoever. He dies with as much reality as he was born — “When, in short, there was no more Devil's work on earth for him to do, it only remained for the unhumanised mortal to betake himself whither his master would find him tasks enough, and pay him his wages duly" (Hawthorne 120).  In some aspects Chillingworth can be seen as a symbol for the devil, thus his death brings the death of the devil, but with such heavy symbolism within Hawthorne’s writing it does not place a level field amongst those who have sinned. In fact Dimmesdale just points a bigger finger at Chillingworth; "It were far worse than death" (Hawthorne 87).

Hester Prynne — marked with sin and challenge — journeys through The Scarlet Letter through humility, hurt, and happiness. Following her intense trial, Hester looks to restart her life and work toward raising Pearl. Abbott cites that "Hester at first strongly excites our pity, for she suffers like an immortal being," but as she works more toward redemption "her humility catches a new tint, and we find it pride (Abbott 3).  Through much persecution, alienation, and discrimination Hester Prynne was forced to grow as a person, despite the fact that her neighbors continued to go on as they were. As early in her persecution as when she is forced to stand on the scaffold, Hester's growth can be detected. The book describes this demonstration of growth: "...the mother of this child stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token" (Hawthorne 6). With redemption comes pride, but it is necessary to continue a stronger lifestyle; depression for the sin would keep Hester isolated and torn apart by the townspeople. There may be too much pride within Hester’s bosom and scarlet A but it would not be a legend if kept secret and hidden.

No other Pearl can be worth more to a story than this Pearl, but no pearl had ever been earned at as high a cost to a person as in Hester Prynne. Her daughter Pearl, born into a Puritan prison in more ways than one, is an enigmatic character serving entirely as a vehicle for symbolism. Abbott goes on to say that Pearl is the "gem of the purest water. .. a perfect truth to childish and human nature" (Hawthome 58). From her introduction as an infant on her mother’s scaffold of shame to the stormy peak of the story, Pearl is an empathetic and intelligent child. Throughout the story she absorbs the hidden emotions of her mother and magnifies them for all to see. Pearl is the essence of literary symbolism. She is at times a vehicle for Hawthorne to express the inconsistent and translucent qualities of Hester’s unlawful bond at times, and at others a forceful reminder of her mother’s sin. Pearl Prynne is her mother’s most precious possession and her only reason to live, but also serves as a priceless treasure purchased with her life. Pearl’s strange beauty and deeply enigmatic qualities make her the most powerful symbol Hawthorne has ever created. The product of Hester’s sin and agony, Pearl, was a painfully constant reminder of her mother’s violation of the Seventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not commit adultery". Hester herself felt that Pearl was given to her not only as a blessing but a punishment worse than death or ignominy. She is tormented by her daughter’s childish teasing and endless questioning about the scarlet letter and it’s relation to sinister. After Pearl has created a letter "A" on her own breast out of seaweed, she asks her mother: "But in good earnest, now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean? — and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?" (Hawthone 100). In saying this Pearl implies she knows so much, but her constant nagging also brings Hester to doing the right thing; had it not been for her then Hester would have ran away from her problems. She was the key to Hester’s final redemption "But, in very truth, she is right as regards this hateful token. I must bear its torture yet a little longer" (Hawthorne 111).

Perhaps the greatest part about Hawthorne’s writing is that it becomes a part of the reader — nothing is strictly said — all is a breath of misty air, for it’s breather to take in and break down. Such a great story as The Scarlet Letter requires equally great characters who border on the lines of insanity. At some points this bordering goes beyond reality and takes away the neighbor-like presence we have come to know and love, but it is necessary, for no great story can lead a life within a normal world. Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, Pearl, and even Hawthorne himself are all loving characters which will live in the heart just as the scarlet letter "On a Field, Sable, the Letter A Gules" (Hawthorne 150).

Things Aren’t What They Seem

The Scarlet Letter is an interesting story.  But I'm not sure I agree with every aspect of the story.  After I finished The Scarlet Letter I was a true Hester supporter; I supported her decisions, actions, and her path to redemption.  But now that I've had some time to cool down from my emotional reading, I've begun to take another perspective on this issue.  Had I been alive during Hester's time and seen her story unfold I doubt I would have been a Hester supporter.  Adultery was a serious crime in the 1600's and is still an embarrassing issue today.  I don't even think I would have supported Hester had she lived in today's more understanding time period.

So what did Hawthorne do that changed my mind about adultery and Hester?  Well first of all The Scarlet Letter's protagonist is Hester Prynne; the story was bound to show a bias toward her.  Second, The Scarlet Letter is a classic romance novel; the reader wants to see that true lovers unite (which in some way they did).  Third, The Scarlet Letter was written by a man who felt he was misunderstood.  In “The Custom House” Hawthorne complained about how his fellow officers were “sitting in old-fashioned chairs, which were tipped on their hind legs back against the wall. Oftentimes they were asleep” (Hawthorne 2).  Nathaniel had always believed that he came from a good and pure family, but later learned that his family had taken part in several crimes such as the Salem Witch Trials.  I think his other works are evidence to show how affected Hawthorne was by this revelation.  He incorporates issues about family name into all of his novels.  It only makes sense that The Scarlet Letter follows the story of a similarly misunderstood character; a marked woman.  He transformed the image of this Hester Prynne into something beautiful -- into something the unmarked women could not even be.

Though Hester seems to parallel with many of Hawthorne’s personal issues, she was not the only one in The Scarlet Letter.  Dimmesdale may not have admitted his sin early on in the story, but he was greatly affected by the sin.  So much that he would whip himself and created his own letter A on his skin.  I think Dimmesdale may be much more like Hawthorne for Dimmesdale silently dealt with his sin and embarrassment. 

Hawthorne does a great job at changing the reader’s perspective about several issues and the fact that he did so in the 1800’s is an even greater accomplishment.  We will never know if the original story of Hester followed with the same plot line, but I feel that this story was very important in a sociological perspective.  If readers could connect with Hawthorne’s characters and plot line maybe they could do so in real life as well.  I can’t say that he has completely succeeded as I still came back to my original perspective, but it was definitely very enlightening.  Maybe things aren’t always as they seem and we should take a different perspective on all issues. 

The Custom House

Up until now I've always been under the impression that the introduction of the story has to be about the characters or an event that happened earlier on in the story.  But "The Custom House" is a different type of introduction.  It is an introduction not about any character or event, but the narrator himself. 

The narrator parallels Hawthorne in many ways, but its also important to note that the narrator or speaker can never be assumed to be the author.  Like Hawthorne, the narrator worked at a Custom House.  He is not particularly happy about his job, but he manages to spend his time browsing through old documents.  The narrator and Hawthorne are both decendents of Puritans who they hold in high regard.  The narrator even mentions how ashamed his ancestors would be by saying "a writer of story book! What kind of business in life -- what mode of glorifying Godm or being serviceable to mankind in his day and generation, -- may that be?" (Hawthrone 22).

The Scarlet Letter is a work of fiction, but Hawthorne doesn't necessarily want his reader to view it in that way.  Throughout "The Custom House" Hawthorne makes an attempt to validate his story as true.  First the narrator describes how he came across the documents of Johnathan Pue.  Mr. Pue was a Custome House worker like Hawthorne and the narrator, who wrote a manuscript about a series of events that happened in Puritan times. When the narrator accidentally touches the scarle letter he "experienc[s] a sensation not altogether physical, yet almost so, as of burning heat, and as if the letter were not of red cloth, but red-hot iron. [he shudders], and involuntarily let[s] it fall upon the floor" (Hawthorne 14). 

The Scarlet Letter may or may not be a true story, but it is important to note where it originates from.  If it is a true story, the reader must remember that it is not a first-hand account.  It is based upon the writings of Pue which were interpretted by Hawthorne.

Another important thing to note is the time period Hawthorne is writing in.  The United States of America is a relatively new country at this time.  Hawthorne was one of the first American writers and he also wrote about early American settlers.  Not only is The Scarlet Letter dear to Hawthorne, but also to the shape of a growing America.

My Difficulties With The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classical and renowned author, but I never saw him that way. His stories made sense to me, but they were simply just stories. I’ve always believed that what makes writing great, isn't the main idea, but rather the little details. Perhaps I missed these little details because I never truly understood Hawthorne and where he came from.

For some odd reason I always thought Nathaniel Hawthorne was a rebellious Puritan from the 1600’s. However Hawthorne is actually a writer (and researcher) from the 1900’s. Because he worked in the Boston Custom House, he learned of his ancestors who were alive during the 1600’s, one of which was also a judge on the Salem Witch Trials.

This little bit of history began to tie all the dots for me, and Hawthorne’s work no longer seemed boring. I began to understand why Hawthorne wrote “Young Goodman Brown” and why he was so interested in this Puritan society. I began to see recurring themes and comparisons such as the blurring of good and evil. “The Minister's Black Veil” also pointed toward a realization that all men (and women) have something to hide; good and evil may not be as clear cut as Puritans (and even today’s society) may have believed. And most of all I began to notice the details I had merely glanced over.

The first chapter of a book is always the hardest for me to read, but having completed the book I now see how many little gems Hawthorne had hidden within this 2 page chapter. In fact he even analyzes the rose-bush for us as being a symbol of “some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow” (37). And indeed the rose-bush was; it was the only thing full of life in a place marked with sin (the prison).

The physical scarlet letter A is also filled with gems of its own. Not only is it a red, bright mark of adultery for the wearer, it also affects those around her. Some may see it as a mark to be ashamed of, but others may see it as a mark of commonality. Those who have sinned a sin similar to Hester’s quietly feel the burn which she has to publicly bear. It is a sin with a physical form. Only when Hester removes the mark will she be cleared of her sin. I’m still a bit confused about the full meaning of the mark, but I’m sure it’ll come as I re-read from my new perspective.