The Theme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel...

Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne is a anti-transcendentalist which means he writes a lot about Puritans in the 1600’s. John Hathorne ( Nathaniel H. great uncle ) is also an anti-transcendentalist . The book that John wrote that goes with The Scarlet Letter is The Ministers Black Veil. It as well as this novel talks about Secret sin and how the world is good and people are dark and mysterious. Nathaniels book The Scarlet Letter talks about Secret Sin , Revenge , and Guilt. In this novel, The Scarlet Letter , Hawthorne uses symbolism of the Scarlet letter , Dimmesdale , and Burrs to got to with the theme of Guilt. To begin, Hawthorne uses the Scarlet letter to contribute to the theme of Guilt. In†¦show more content†¦This goes with the theme because it shows her sin in plain sight and there’s no hiding it. Furthermore, the novel brings in Dimmesdale as another symbol to add to the theme of guilt. Dimmesdale is the primary example of guilt. His name stands for the dimming of his life and the dimming of truth as he procrastinates to tell that he is pearl’s father. Hawthorne explains,† Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, lock and key , there was a bloody scourge† ( Hawthorne 132 ). This describes the setting of Dimmesdale’s torture chamber. He hurts himself to make up for the guilt he feels. This supports the theme because he himself is guilty. Hawthorne also says, â€Å" †¦ And thrust aside the vestment that, hitherto, had always had always covered it even from the professional eye† ( Hawthorne 126 ). This is when Chillingworth had discovered the letter â€Å" A† on Dimmesdale’s chest. This goes along with the theme because guilt was literally on his heart and the longer he waits to tell everyone his deep dark secret his life will continue to dim. Finally, Hawthorne uses burrs to symbolize guilt. The burrs are small prickly things that stick to you.In this part of the novel, Pearl and Hester were in the garden and pearl began to outline the Scarlet letter â€Å"A† with the burrs and then noticed a familiar face in a window. Hawthorne says ,† ...she threw one of theShow MoreRelatedThe Theme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne935 Words   |  4 PagesAs a very famous author, Nathaniel Hawthorne mostly wrote about the puritans in colonial America. Even though the puritan religion died soon after the Salem Witch Trials, Hawthorne is obsessed with their society and writes a lot about the 1600’s. The Scarlet Letter is also based around the puritan community in the 1600’s. While it is not known whether this novel is based on a true story or not it still captures the attention of many readers. The story contains a lot of symbolism that is hidden andRead MoreTheme Of Guilt In The Scarlet L etter820 Words   |  4 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was a famous american author. Hawthorne’s most famous novel The Scarlet Letter was written in 1850. Throughout this novel, Hawthorne explores many different types of themes. In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism of The Scarlet Letter, Pearl, and the Leech to contribute to the overall theme of guilt. To begin with, Hawthorne uses the scarlet letter â€Å"A† to contribute to the theme of Guilt. The townspeople no longer see a beautiful woman Hester PrynneRead MoreSin, Guilt, And The Consequences Of Silence902 Words   |  4 PagesSin, Guilt, and the Consequences of Silence Throughout the history of literature, both American and foreign, a common theme that authors incorporate into their work is the nature and consequences of sin and the weighty, lingering feeling of guilt. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is an example of this type of work. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbol of the scarlet letter ‘A’ as a representation of her sin to show the novel’s theme that sin carries heavy consequencesRead MoreEssay Sin, Guilt, and the Mind of Nathaniel Hawthorne1490 Words   |  6 PagesSin, Guilt, and the Mind of Nathaniel Hawthorne      Ã‚   Nathaniel Hawthornes works are notable for their treatment of guilt and the complexities of moral choices. Moral and religious concerns, in short, are almost always present in Hawthornes work(Foster, 56). Given Hawthornes background, it is not a stretch of the imagination to say that his novels are critiques of Puritanism. Hawthorne lived in the deeply scarred New England area, separated from Puritanism by only one generation. His grandfatherRead MoreTheme Of Guilt In The Scarlet Letter1101 Words   |  5 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist. But is also the great nephew of judge John Hathorne who became obsessed with the 1600’s and Puritan Societies. This obsession makes Nathaniel writes about times in the 1600’s in Puritan Societies. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the Scaffold, the character Dimmesdale, and Burrs to contribute to the overall theme of guilt. To begin with, Hawthorne uses the Scaffold as a symbol of guilt. Hester who is the main character of the story hasRead MoreScarlet Letter Essay On Nature1175 Words   |  5 PagesSkylar Bowyer October 24, 2017 Mr. Bernstein Scarlet Letter Essay Albert Einstein, a famous theoretical physicist, once said, â€Å"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.† Nature reveals much more to the human eye than many people realize. By looking deep into nature, one can find the inner workings of the universe and the simplicity of life. The Puritans and other main characters in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter did exactly this. Within the novel, readers witnessRead MoreSins inThe Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay1517 Words   |  7 Pagesto the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred† (Hawthorne). As this sentence is read in the The Scarlet Letter, the reader will realize that the main theme of the book is the sentence above. Throughout the book, secret sin damages the lives, soul, and the integrity of the main characters. However, it could have easily been evaded through open confession of their sins. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s purpos e in writing this novel is an attempt to influence the reader to openlyRead More Scarlet Critique Essay870 Words   |  4 Pages The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written in 1850. It was based on the Puritans of the 1600s, which were revived in Hawthornes era. Hawthorne descended from Puritan heritage and harbored a sense of guilt and hatred for their way of life. He used many themes and literary techniques in The Scarlet Letter including symbolism and irony. He emphasized the individuals role in the community and the role of women in society. Hawthorne used romanticism as opposed to the classical correctnessRead MoreWhat Is The Theme Of Adultery In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne980 Words   |  4 PagesThe Scarlet Letter Essay Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter is about a Puritan woman named Hester Prynne. She lives in a 17th   century colonial Puritan town and is forced to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† on her dress for the rest of her life due to her sin of adultery. She gives birth to a little girl who she names Pearl in prison. Hester is known as the adulterer because her husband has not been seen with her because he went to learn medicine from the Indians. Hester becoming pregnant whichRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe And Nathaniel Hawthorne848 Words   |  4 PagesA common theme in the American Renaissance is breaking free from the intellectual traditions of the past. This is effectively expressed by Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne despite differences in their writing style through the stories of The Raven and The Scarlet Letter respectively. Although their writing style is different, both authors indicate that breaking free from intellectual traditions of the past is present in their writing. Both Poe and Hawthorne want to know why things happen