A In Claudia Durst Johnson's The Scarlet Letter
The Meanings of the Letter One simple letter can have multiple distinct meanings. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the letter “A” has many representations. Hester Prynne, one of the main characters, has to wear the letter “A” on her chest because she committed adultery. Hester is a married woman whose husband went missing. She had relations with another man which resulted in her daughter Pearl. In the book it is clear that “A” stands for several words. Adultery, angel and able ; but when analyzed one could see that it has distinct implications for different characters. Claudia Durst Johnson’s article The Meaning of the Scarlet A analyzes the many variations of this one letter. Johnson’s article depicts how Pearl, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth all have varying interpretations of the scarlet letter. Pearl plays an important role in the significance of the scarlet letter. Pearl is said to be the living embodiment of the letter. So much as it is even said that “Hester dressed the child in scarlet” (J 129). Hester has several consequences resulting from her sin, Pearl …show more content…
The context that Chillingworth gives to the scarlet letter is unlike any other character. Chillingworth is Hester’s long, lost husband in disguise. He is said to be the “devil’s emissary”. In the article, Johnson claims that “Pearl, who sees through everyone, is the first to associate him with satan” (J 135). The “A” again can stand for artist. However, for Chillingworth, it represents dark art. Dark art meaning black magic and/or devil worship. All of Chillingworth’s characteristics add up to his overall appearance. His cold intellect, old age and haunting figure make him seem even more demon-like. Chillingworth’s physical appearance even has an evil vibe. He is said to be uneven and to have a strange lump. Considering this, Johnson says that his “deformity of body finally represents a deformity of character” (J 136). All around, Chillingworth is a living representation of
Figurative Language In Scarlet Letter
867 Words | 4 PagesIn the novel the scarlet letter, the scarlet letter is shown through the use of imagery and figurative language to demonstrate that judgment through society as well as sin is bad while the scarlet is a symbol of sin wrapped in good and beauty. Hester is able to take something that was meant to be a punishment for a crime she committed and turn it into something absolutely stunning. Hawthorne portrayed Pearl
The Glass Castle And The Raisin In The Sun
769 Words | 4 PagesIn The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is seen as a disgrace for the town. The “A” on Hester’s chest forces her to feel like she has no independence, since she is not seen like a typical person; she does not feel like she
Scarlet Letter Revenge Quotes
1048 Words | 5 PagesFeeling betrayed and allowing evil thoughts to penetrate his mind, Chillingworth visited Hester while she was in prison. When Hester admitted to Chillingworth that she had wronged him, Chillingworth admitted that they both had “wronged each other,” (83) and because Chillingworth felt as though “the scale [hung] fairly balanced,” (84) he sought “no vengeance” (83) and did not plot “evil against thee” (83). However, Chillingworth was still determined to learn who Hester’s unknown lover was, and when Hester refused to reveal a name, “with a smile of dark and self-relying intelligence” (84) Chillingworth replied, “Few things hidden from the man who devotes himself earnestly and unreservedly to the solution of a mystery” (84). The previous line is Hawthorne’s first illustration of Chillingworth’s act of vengeance turning into not only an obsession, but
Chillingworth In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
570 Words | 3 PagesChillingworth’s gravitation towards evil stimulates his lost of humanity, ultimately forcing his fate to become dependent on Dimmesdale’s public confession. When he arrives in the Puritan society in Boston, Chillingworth encounters his wife, Hester, enduring the consequences of public humiliation for an adulterous crime. Due to Hester’s defiant nature and her desire to conceal her partner’s name, Chillingworth was compelled to privately seek the identity of Hester’s partner. During his mission, Chillingworth earns the trust of Reverend Dimmesdale, whom he later identifies as Hester’s partner after discovering marks on the clergyman’s chest that closely resembles the shameful scarlet letter that Hester bears as punishment. Upon his discovery,
Chillingworth's Identity Quotes
505 Words | 3 PagesWhen Chillingworth first arrives into town he claims to be a doctor, by saying this he has to take room with Dimmesdale, to nurse him back to health. Chillingworth's living arrangement leads to the revelation of Dimmesdale's secret. When the truth is revealed the start of Chillingworth's torturous act upon Dimmesdale begins.
Chillingworth's Guilt Quotes
1003 Words | 5 PagesFurthermore, in the story of The Scarlet Letter, Hester, has a child with the town’s minister Arthur Dimmesdale, however, Chillingworth, the actual husband of Hester gets wind of this news and immediately sets out to find out who committed
Chapter 16 Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter
509 Words | 3 Pages“Pearl took some eelgrass, and … imitated, on her own bosom, the decoration… on her mother’s : A letter “A”, but freshly green, instead of scarlet!”, a quote pulled from Chapter 15, is another attempt by Hawthorne to convey the contrasting ideal of Pearl’s innocence and purity to Hester’s sin. The green of this imitated scarlet letter worn by Pearl is associated with nature and purity, while the scarlet of Hester’s original letter is typically associated with passion and
Quotes From The Scarlet Letter Chapters 6-11
762 Words | 4 PagesThis occurs after multiple sources continually badgered and convinced Dimmesdale to seek aid for his appearance ailments, from Chillingworth who is the only practicing physician in town. Throughout the treatment the two men become good friends, sharing their different views on subjects, but also becoming more intimate with each other. Chillingworth believes that many physical illnesses stem from the mind and heart (“bosom”), so he must become acquainted with his patients thoughts, motives, and ethics. However, Chillingworth is depicted as a “treasure-seeker”, alluding to the notion that there might be other subjects he seeks to attain. The author's portrayal of Dimmesdale as a “dark cavern”, elicits that the man has blackened his bosom with sin, but also that Chillingworth must be careful in his probing or he may injure himself (lose Dimmesdale’s
Ambiguity In The Scarlet Letter
963 Words | 4 PagesFrom the beginning to the end of the novel, the meaning of the scarlet letter can only be assumed by the reader because it is never explicitly written by Hawthorne. He uses this undefined letter to illustrate the views of sin in Puritan society. In the beginning of the novel, a woman describes to a stranger, who is later revealed as Chillingworth, that Hester
Light And Darkness In The Scarlet Letter
728 Words | 3 PagesHow could one man be so dark he goes and wants the devil instead of God. The last thing Chillingworth says is “What evil have I done this man” (16). This is referring to when he tortures him, but nobody knows. The irony of this statement is that he won 't be getting tortured later, but chillingworth will now have to have the evil about torturing
The Scarlet Letter Chapter 5-11
309 Words | 2 PagesChillingworth’s face changes to reflect the evil desire for revenge that
Hester Prynne And John Proctor Analysis
705 Words | 3 PagesThe scarlet letter ‘A’ did not stand for “adultery” anymore. It stood for “able.” “The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her, —so much power to do, and power to sympathize, —that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength.”
Theme Of Evil In The Scarlet Letter
1022 Words | 5 PagesHawthorne’s use of words such as “mournful,” “sinful,” “dreadful,” “horror,” “shadow,” and “red stigma” create a dark and deathly tone (Hawthorne 381). This tone associates directly with Chillingworth which adds to his nightmarish portrayal in the passage. Hawthorne also uses imagery to portray Chillingworth as a symbol of the devil in the quote “the devil knew it well and fitted it continually with the touch of his burning finger!” he literally calls Chillingworth the devil, and “now at the death-hour, he stands before you” is also used to portray him as the devil because the “death-hour” is foreshadowing the apocalypse and soon coming end to the novel (Hawthorne 381). Chillingworth’s portrayal as evil and the devil is used in the book to reveal that seeking revenge towards Hester caused hate to manifest inside him and transformed him into a much darker and more evil being than he once was in the beginning of the book.
Symbolism Of Pearl In Scarlet Letter
744 Words | 3 PagesIt is quite obvious in Nathaniel Hawthorne 's The Scarlet Letter that Pearl, Hester Prynne 's daughter, plays a major role. Not only is she one of the main characters, but she is prevalent theme in the novel, as well. Pearl is not written like a regular character. Most of the other symbols in the story, such as the scarlet letter or the rose bush, lead back to Pearl. Pearl takes on many symbols and serves great purpose.
The Symbolism Of 'A' In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne
959 Words | 4 PagesWith Hester changing her ways and helping the poor, the community changed, “They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (Hawthorne 168). While the community originally viewed the “A” as a symbol of sin, they began to see it too as a symbol of being “Able” because all that Hester Prynne had overcome. The Scarlet Letter had many examples of symbolism, but none were more significant that the letter “A”
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