"A" Post #4

 The way people view Hester has dramatically changed for the better.People change and Hester is one of the many characters in the book who is showing personal growth. They now admire her "sinless life" during the time of her humilation. She was strong and never complained or asked for an apology from anyone. Hester is becoming a model for the town. Her dedication to the poor is showing the town a lesson. A lesson to learn to not be hyprocrites and think they are perfect when no one is truly perfect. We all sin and forgiving is the only way to move one. I just wonder what will happen to Mr.Dimmensdale?
The most unattractive person, the sinner, the adulter, the athiest they may have called her is now the most admired person, how ironic.  Hester is not the only thing that has changed in the book, the meaning of the scarlet letter has also changed. The letter was first known as a badge of evil, but now it is a badge  of  being able. Her humiltiy and actions towards the poor and everybody is making everyone change thier minds about her and make them feel guily for the way they mistrreated her.
As the story progresses, the secrets that are kept are like baloons that are about to bursts . Hester and Dimmensdale both want to stop all this madness. Hester reveals that the physician is her husband and Dimmensdale just wants to tell everyone that he feels almost like an athiest for commting adultery. This seems like the turning point of the story because things are rapidly changing.

Question: How do you think Mr.Dimmensdale will now act towards the doctor since Hester has now revealed to him that the doctor has been seeking revenge all this time?

"A" Post #3

This book is getting more interesting as I continue to read. Dang, Hawthorne is trully a genius. lol. Well, I feel that as i descend deeper into the book the problems become more complex and captivating.  First , the chapter The Leech introduces Mr. Chillingworth then from there to the next chapter where Hawthorne discusses the doctors relationship with the minister...then it goes into the heart of Mr. Dimmensdale; into the  core of the problem. Mr.Dimmensdale is trully suffering for sleeping with Hester. His sin is literally killing him slowly. I believe the illness is the sin. The minister's illness and scars that were left from his own beating resembles the shame,pain,and suffering he feels inside. The sin he committed is literally sucking the life out of him. I believe Mr.Chillingworth is a leech because all he is doing is trying to get revenge and only suck all the information Mr.Dimmensdale tells him. I feel some pity towards Mr.Dimmensdale because he is truly suffering and has an enemy in front of his face and he does not even know it. I am not liking this doctor. The sin turned his life black,morbid and gloomy.  Throught out his vigil, he cried out in anguish when he stood on the same platform Hester and Pearl stood on when they were being humilated. He truly wants to  reveal his dark secret. The people see him as a saint or an angle that was sent from above, so he does not want to tell them and break all thier beliefs.

I believe Hawthorne trully is making a statement about the hypocrisy in men . How better to show that people are hyprocrites by putting a PRIEST to commit such a deadly sin! Hawthorne used the most glorified and sanctified man to commit this sin.  I am not condeming Mr.Dimmensdale because I would be a hyprocrite myself, if i do so.I am not perfect and have sinned in my life as well. This priest  represents the pain and suffeirng people go through when they have done a sin and kept it to themselves, that would be everybody in this world. I am just saying that everyone carries around a nature to sin because we are ALL human.I feel pity for this man because he is imprisioned , for the fact that he feels he can not tell the real truth because of his image; the way people idolize him. I believe he is suffering more than Hester because he is a priest and would cause extreme pandemonium if he revealed his secret. He would have double the shame. The priest and Hester are brought together by the deed they did , even though Mr.Dimmensdale is not showing that that is the cause of his suffering.

Question: Do you believe that a person is better off to die without confessing thier sins or to confess them while they are alive?

Useful Insight----"The Elf CHild"

"An elf (plural elves) is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine or semi-divine beings (wights, vættir) endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind."
Recieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elf

Hester says, " [Pearl] is my happiness!--she is my torture, none the less!Pearl keeps me here in life!Pearl punishes me too!" So now i know why they refer to Pearl as an "Elf child". They refer to her as that  because Pearl tortures Hester because Pearl is a walking scarlet letter that reminds Hester of her shame ,  but at the same time Pearl brings life to Hester, just like elfs do with thier magical powers.

"A" Post #2

Through my journey reading "The Scarlet Letter" really brings to attention the way the Puritan theology thrived in Massachusetts.  The Puritans are hyporcrites because they say they believe in God but yet they seclude just one lady and humilate her day and night. I believe there are many other people that have committed sins and  have not been punished for it. The ministers feel they are doing the  holy thing by humilating Hester but all they are doing is showing how they have sin in thier hearts.I believe that the ministers use God and his power to have authority over everyone else.  The Minsiters even try to come in between Hester and the the only thing in the world that is keeping her alive -Pearl. Hester  finds herself in a battle to keep her daughter with her. The Ministers want to take Pearl away from Hester because they believe that Hester is incapable of teaching Pearl religion because Hester comitted adultery. Hester fights for her rights and makes it clear that Pearl is a gift as well a punishment for her. She also makes it clear that God gave her Pearl in order to get across to the ministers that Pearl is righfully hers and tries to make them have mercy. She not only argues for her parental rights, I believe she is fighting for her LIFE! Hawthorne creates this argument by adding exclamation marks to make Hesters argument stronger and to show her passion towards this issue she is facing.I can not imagine what would happen to Hester  if they do rip Pearl away from her. Pearl is what keeps Hester on the move, Hester said " Pearl keeps me here in life". Hester is saying that Pearl is her life, not literally but keeps her sane mentally and keeps her the push she need to physically continue on with her daily routine. We will see what comes forth later in the story...


Question:
1. Do you believe that the ministers abuse of thier power by using God and God's power to bring fear to the citizens and to have control over everyone?  Relate this sort of behavior to another text you might have read, if you can.

2. What role does Pearl play in the story?

"A" post #1 pgs. 43- 110

  " The Scarlett Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne  is set in Massachussets ,throughout the Puritan Era.  In this time people were extremely religous and had  imense fear towards God. Religion and government were one at this time, so ministers made court ruling in court cases. Sinning was most forbidden , so when Hester Prynne was commtited of adultery she was shunned,scorned at and excluded from society. For punishment she had to  wear the letter "A" on her bossom to announce to everyone that she was the one who committed adultery. She became the symbol of women's sinful nature and  is pointed out where ever she goes by ministers and moralists. She stayed very calm for the sake of daughter Pearl. When she was released from prison she lived in a small house near the shore, isolated from the rest and spent her days with her needles. She sewed many eloquent  gourments that would not be allowed to worn by the common people. Pearl was the only person that was obviously always around Hester. Hester is scared that her daughters beauitiful, angel like appearance will be transformed into something ugly and devilish. She knows she committied a sin so she strongly believes that God would  not give her a beautiful perfect gift , Pearl.

Question: Is it fair that Hester is punished to wear an "A", is excluded and shunned for her sin, knowing that probably many other women have comitted the same sin?

Test 1,2 1,2

Cool....bloggin time.