Regarding Hawthorne's writing, it is like most say it is; at times going in depth, perhaps a bit unnecessarily. At the same time, the style of writing does a good job of describing everyone's thoughts and ideas racing in their minds. He seems, as a writer, to feel the need to describe everything visible about a person, such as their attire or garment. It makes me think that as a person himself he took notice of things such as what people were wearing and so wrote as if he was in the position of an observer in the scene.
Questions:
1.) When returning to his home, Dimmesdale decides to rewrite his Election Sermon. He had initially already written it but decides against it once he realizes that he himself has changed into another person. He feels happier and more content than before, so he feels that his new self ought to write a sermon more fitting to his current state of mind. He thinks: "That self was gone. Another man had returned out of the forest: a wiser one..." (Hawthorne 200) Then he burns his old version of the sermon, which in a way symbolizes him wanting to get rid of his old life and mind and start fresh.
2.) Dimmesdale seem to walks in with energy and confidence in every step, yet somehow his mind is elsewhere. He is thinking deeply about something else. Meanwhile, Hester, in the crowd, suddenly feels that he is very far and remote from her. And thus she begins to question her own decision to go away with him. She thinks how well she really knows him, contemplating whether he is really the one she could run away with. A change seems to come over her as she thinks: "Her spirit sank with the idea that all must have been a delusion, and that, vividly as she dreamed it, there could be no real bond betwixt the clergyman and herself." (Hawthorne 214) Here Hester seems to be debating within herself as to what conclusion she should arrive at.
(watch until 1:52)
I agree with your statement about the slight change of focus the novel takes, and I wanted to discuss more about the part of the novel you mentioned by the brook. Throughout the novel, it seems to me that Pearl might be some symbol of truth as well as hope in the face of sorrow. When she and Hester go into the brook to meet Dimmesdale there is that strange scene with the light. The light in the forest seems to run away from Hester, yet it embraces Pearl. I interpret light in the novel to surround truth, and perhaps the reason it is scared of Hester is because she is still untruthful and secretive about her partner in adultery. Pearl is an advocate of truth and is constantly seeking to obtain it through her many questions to her mother.
ReplyDeleteI noticed the change of focus as well. It definitely helped show more of the relatedness between all of the characters, and how they all, with the exception of Pearl, begin to fall deeper into darkness and sin. I also agree with your statement regarding Pearl and the scarlet letter. All her life she has seen her mother wearing it, so to see Hester without it disorients Pearl. I think that, as you said, Pearl believes the scarlet letter is now part of Hester's identity. Also, going off of what Gina said, Pearl is a truth-lover and seeker, so she sees Hester throwing off the scarlet letter as the discarding of truth.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't noticed the focus change, but now that you point it out I do. The beginning two parts could be Hawthorne's development of good and evil. Good would be Hester and Pearl. Hester, who faced her sin and paid for it was gifted Pearl, who she claims kept her from signing with the black man. Dimmesdale, who is tortured by his own personal devil Chillingworth, represents evil of sorts. In the later part of the novel, he compares how the two fared and shows that good comes out with a more content life.
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