The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne Trivia Quiz! Thus, Pearl's existence gives her mother reason to live, bolstering her spirits when she is tempted to give up. Hester's illegitimate daughter Pearl is a young girl with a moody, mischievous spirit and an ability to perceive things that others do not. Governor Bellingham is a wealthy, elderly gentleman who spends much of his time consulting with the other town fathers. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of The Scarlet Letter and what it means. Full Glossary for The Scarlet Letter; Essay Questions; Practice Projects; Cite this Literature Note; Summary and Analysis Chapter 17 - The Pastor and His Parishioner Summary. Hawthorn wanted to tell what kind of story in The Scarlet Letter? Dimmesdale has a plan for himself, Hester, and Pearl. Education Details: The Scarlet Letter: Chapter 20 Summary & Analysis Next.Chapter 21. scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom besides Hester Prynne's? #4: What does Roger Chillingworth vow to do? Here had been her sin; here, her sorrow; and here was yet to be her penitence. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel about Puritan Boston, then known as the Massachusetts Bay Colony, tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who has given birth to a child out of wedlock—a grave sin in the deeply religious community. The letter A on her chest is to be seen as punishment and warning to other. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. He wants to express his joy. Chillingworth is self-absorbed and both physically and psychologically monstrous. The book shows us Hester's story, who gets punished as a result of cheating on her husband and is branded with a scarlet letter A on her breasts to show people who she is. Which Harry Potter Hogwarts House Do You Belong To Quiz! The Scarlet Letter shows us Hester Prynne's story, who has been branded as an adulterer and is shunned by the community. As Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl, a meteor traces out an "A" in the night sky. Pearl is frequently aware of things that others do not see, and here she presciently identifies the scarlet letter on her mother's bosom with the metaphorical (and in this case also literal) lack of sunshine in her mother's life. She had returned, therefore, and resumed,—of her own free will, for not the sternest magistrate of that iron period would have imposed it,—resumed the symbol of which we have related so dark a tale. She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness. Last Updated on February 25, 2021, by eNotes Editorial. Hester endures years of shame and scorn. By HesterPrynne | Last updated: Feb 24, 2021, The Scarlet Letter shows us Hester Prynne's story, who has been branded as an adulterer and is shunned by the community. In the New World, men of learning were rare. While waiting for him, she had an affair with a Puritan minister named Dimmesdale, after which she gave birth to Pearl. We'll see examples of these themes in the following quotes. "Mother," said [Pearl], "was that the same minister that kissed me by the brook?". Hawthorne wanted to contrast which two eras in The Scarlet Letter? It is deeply ironic, too, that it is her punishment, which was intended to help her atone and to make her an example for the community, that has led her into a "moral wilderness" devoid of "rule or guidance." "Mother," said little Pearl, "the sunshine does not love you. Reverend Wilson is scholarly yet grandfatherly. Start studying The Scarlet Letter. It is only after Dimmesdale is revealed to be Pearl's father that Pearl can become fully "human." The governor has a plan to take Pearl away from Hester, ostensibly for the child's own good. Subscribe Now Reverend Dimmesdale walks with the magistrates, looking positively energetic. It emphasizes the importance of physical settings in the novel and evokes the motif of civilization versus the wilderness. His commitments to his congregation are in constant conflict with his feelings of sinfulness and need to confess. https://quizlet.com/6812708/the-scarlet-letter-chapter-5-flash-cards The Scarlet Letter addresses themes such as forgiveness, guilt, truth, identity, and good versus evil. Quiz: Which Anime Character Are You Most Like? Shame, Despair, Solitude! Why, the degenerate fellow might as well have been a fiddler!" Part of his interest in the story is personal—he is descended from the original Puritan settlers of Massachusetts. The Scarlet Letter Chapter 20 Summary & Analysis LitCharts. "A writer of story-books! He is a scholar and uses his knowledge to disguise himself as a doctor, intent on discovering and tormenting Hester's anonymous lover. Do You Know The Measures Of Central Tendency. the scarlet letter ceased to be a stigma which attracted the world's scorn and bitterness, and became a type of something to be sorrowed over, and looked upon with awe, and yet with reverence, too. The occult stands for honesty, while Puritanism creates repressed liars. He lusts for revenge, and thus decides to stay in Boston despite his wife's betrayal and disgrace. The speaker believes that she and her peers ought to be in charge of assigning sentences in cases like Hester's. One result of her "sin" has been her profound alienation from society—she has been forced into the role of philosopher. Hester's realization that different rules apply in the marketplace than in the forest has more significant consequences than she realizes, making this yet another ironic moment in the text. 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