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.
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.
Now that we have discussed the progression of the symbol "A" in this book, I'm curious to read about what you think about the end. How does this progression of meaning threaten the Puritan society? How do the magistrates react to Dimmesdale's revelation of the A in the end? How do the townspeople interpret this event? What do these varying interpretations of Dimmesdale's A say about the power of belief? And how can we apply this understanding to our own contemporary culture? Do we have the same tendency to believe what we want, what others believe, without thinking critically and searching for the truth ourselves?
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