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Post by Will Smith on Aug 13, 2014 20:05:24 GMT
The scarlet letter in the story signifies that Hester committed the sin of adultery,it also signifies that her daughter Pearl should not have been born. In the beginning novel the scarlet letter functions as a negative symbol and alienates Hester from the rest of the people in the town. Later in the book the scarlet letter symbolizes other things, when a scarlet A appears in the sky the people say it represents angel. Near the end of the book people don't even think about the scarlet letter or say that it stands for able because Hester is strong, and has "Womanly strength."
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Post by hunterp99 on Aug 13, 2014 22:55:18 GMT
In "The Scarlet Letter" at first the letter "A" stands for adultery but as the story goes on the meaning of the symbol changes. When Hester is persecuted for adultery it is said that, "not a stitch in that embroidered letter, but she has felt it in heart," the letter represents shame, disgrace, and "enclosed her in a sphere by herself." The people were at first "the witnesses of Hester Prynne's disgrace " and sentenced her to "stand only a space of three hours on the platform of the pillory," and to forever wear the scarlet letter on her chest as "a mark of shame." However, as time went on in the novel the "A" was eventually conceived as meaning "'Able; so strong was Hester Prynne's with a women's strength." Hester was called "self-ordained a Sister of Mercy" and the people began to perceive the scarlet letter "as the token, not of that one sin, but of her many good deeds since," they called her "the town's own Hester who," helped the poor, the sick, and the "afflicted". The letter is also portrayed in "supernatural" ways in the novel, by the letter having "seared" Minister Dimmesdale's "inmost heart" as the mark of a sinner, brought down on him by God. In the novel there is also a meteor shower, which in those times was believed to be a "portent", that streaked the sky with the letter "A" and the people thought it to mean "Angel" because their governor just died and that it "held fit that there should be some notice thereof."
By:Hunter Pease
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Post by Chelsea Catarelli on Aug 14, 2014 0:30:25 GMT
In the novel "The Scarlet Letter" a girl named Hester Prynne had commited adultery while she was still concidered marrie, which left her with a scarlet "A" on her breast and a child. In the begining of the novel, the towns people look down on Hester and refer to her as a hussy. We also find out the Hesters daughters- Pearl- also has the letter "A" branded on his chest. At the end of the novel the "A" becomes a happy symbol and instead of "A" meaning adultery, the "A" stands for "Angel".
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Post by carianneboehme on Aug 14, 2014 1:29:06 GMT
The Scarlet Letter placed on Hester Prynne’s chest, signifies the fact that she committed adultery as a married woman. The “A” functions as a reminder to Hester the she betrayed her husband, a man who calls himself Roger Chillingworth. It also reminds the community that she committed a crime in the eyes of the Puritan people. It indicates sin and that punishment is the outcome. The “A” had the “effect of a spell.” It took Hester “out of the ordinary, enclosing her in a sphere by herself.” Over time, the “A” began to stand for positive characteristics because of Hester’s kindness towards others. “Hester’s nature showed itself warm and rich; a well-spring of human tenderness.” As time went on “people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification.” The community changed their views of Hester and began to see the “A” as able.
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Post by Courtney bush on Aug 14, 2014 2:10:47 GMT
In the beginning of the book, Hester was sentenced to wear the Scarlett letter on all of her clothing for everyone to see because she committed adultery. Hester did not let it phase her. She knew what kind of person she was and she wasn't going to let the letter change her view of herself. The Scarlett letter also represented her daughter pearl. Pearl was living proof of the crime. The Scarlett letter changed throughout the story when the minister and her saw a meteor through the sky in the shape of an A. The town thought it symbolized an angel. The minister started feeling pain in his chest. He felt as if his chest was hurting because he felt the pain signified his own Scarlett letter that nobody could see. As the years passed, the town saw Hester's Scarlett letter as meaning "able".
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Post by Dillonwrigley on Aug 14, 2014 2:50:49 GMT
In "The Scarlet Letter", the scarlet and the A that Hester Prynne (the main protagonist) wears on her chest signifies that she's an adulterer, which is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse. As people saw the A on her chest, she was often made fun of and called names such as hussy. At the beginning of the story she hated wearing it because of the embarrassment it provided, but after realizing her mistake and constantly trying to get rid of her poor image, she becomes comfortable wearing it and even brands it into her skin. As the community forgives her and doesn't treat her as badly, she becomes proud of the A and views it as meaning "Angel" instead of "Adultery".
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Post by K.C. Bomonti on Aug 14, 2014 17:56:05 GMT
(Revision) In the novel,"The Scarlet Letter", the scarlet letter "A" itself is the symbol for adultery, which according to Christianity is one of the highest sins that a human can commit. As punishment for this sin any person found to have committed adultery is doomed to wear the scarlet letter "A" on their clothing for the remainder of their life. In the novel the scarlet letter's function is to brandish the sinner and shame them so others know their sin, it also shows how the society was extremely unforgiving and judgmental. An example of this judgmental attitude is illustrated when Hester walks into the market giving no one reason to hate her yet once the people in the market see her letter they begin to whisper and talk about her saying that she worships the devil and making up other extravagant tales. The scarlet letter's meaning changes from "adultery" to "able", the towns people recognize the good that Hester is doing for the community (for example feeding the poor, giving them clothes, etc.). This change occurs seven years after Hester was condemned to wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life. |
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Post by Brianna Patenaude on Aug 14, 2014 20:08:21 GMT
The red letter “A” that Hester Prynne is forced to wear constantly throughout the novel is originally symbolic for “adulterer”. Hester was the wife of “a certain learned man” who made the decision to move from Amsterdam to Massachusetts. He sent Hester before himself and intended to follow, but he never showed up. One of the townspeople, in chapter three, says, “She hath raised a great scandal, I promise you, in godly Master Dimmesdale’s church”. Hester’s scarlet letter is meant to be a reminder of her sin of cheating on her husband, and because of this letter, she is made an example to the townspeople. However, as the story goes on, Hester’s letter goes from meaning “adulterer” to “able”, becoming “a symbol of her calling”. Hester helps the poor and the sick, and the text states, “Such helpfulness was found in her—so much power to do, and power to sympathize”. By this point in the story, Hester has acknowledged her mistakes, and her once negative symbol has transformed into something positive.
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Post by oliviag on Aug 15, 2014 1:16:33 GMT
The red letter on Hester's chest signifies that she has committed adultery. The letter "A" has to be worn on her chest for the rest of her life to remind her that she has sinned. Hester's daughter Pearl is also a living reminder that she has sinned. When the women of the town were mad that Hester didn't get punished with something more severely like the death penalty. "At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead." Hester is kindhearted to everyone around her. She gives food and clothing to the poor which makes the town realize that Hester is a decent person overall. The symbolic message of the scarlet letter is changed from "adultery" to "able" and/or "angel".
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Post by cjhashem on Aug 15, 2014 7:24:14 GMT
The symbol of the novel "The Scarlet Letter" is the symbol of the red or crimson "A". The Protagonist of the story Hester is forced to wear this "A" on her chest to show the world that she has committed the crime associated with this symbol, Adultery. The towns folk believe that forcing her to wear this will never ease "The pang in her heart revealing what she had done". The symbol at the start of the novel is viewed as a symbol worn by "sinners" and "those who act against God", the towns folk look down on her in shame and are angry with what she has done. Despite the hate she was receiving Hester remained calm and never tried to show she was upset or ashamed at what she had done. While most believed her child was a baby born of horror and sin, she believed the opposite. As the story progresses people begin to change their minds about Hester and her child due to her kindness to them despite her situation. Then this crimson "A" begins to be looked upon as a symbol of an "Angel", grace, and happiness. One even notes that it should stand for "Aristocrat" due to Hester's higher class reputation. Hester changed the meaning of the crimson "A" from a symbol of "hatered", "Sinners" and "Cheaters' to one of "grace" "Aristocratic" and "angelic" statutes.
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Post by Ryan Bangtson on Aug 15, 2014 14:37:14 GMT
The symbol of The Scarlet Letter is the A that Hester Prynne wore as a necklace. The A signifies that she committed adultery, given to her when she had a child when her husband was lost at sea. The A functions as a symbol of shame, showing everyone who sees her that she is a sinner. As the story goes on, the A begins to take on a new meaning as it begins to show the togetherness of Hester and her lover, Arthur Dimmesdale.
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Post by Ryan Bangtson on Aug 15, 2014 15:34:44 GMT
The symbol of The Scarlet Letter is the A that Hester Prynne wore as a necklace. The A signifies that she committed adultery, given to her when she had a child when her husband was lost at sea. The A functions as a symbol of shame, showing everyone who sees her that she is a sinner. As the story goes on, the A begins to take on a new meaning as it begins to show the connection between Hester and Dimmesdale. |
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Post by laurenmcrae on Aug 15, 2014 15:54:10 GMT
The scarlet letter "A" that Hester has to wear signifies that she had committed adultery. In the beginning of the book Hester is ashamed to wear this letter and her society looks down on her and she is considered a sinner, "It has the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and enclosing her in a sphere by herself." Throughout the story Hester realizes that she no longer cares about what the people say about her. The scarlet letter is a part of who she is and she was proud to wear it. Society also changes their opinions on Hester and the "A" symbol is no longer considered a bad thing.
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Post by Emily Carter on Aug 15, 2014 16:34:25 GMT
In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the main protagonist, Hester Prynne, commits adultery (sexual intercourse between a married person and another who is not their partner). Because of this, Hester is forced to wear the letter "A" on her chest. Wearing the letter makes people think she is a bad person and a sinner. But as the story continues, people start to see that despite her committing adultery, Hester is not a bad person and she is actually very kind.
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Post by Aidan Anderson on Aug 15, 2014 18:36:47 GMT
At first, the scarlet letter “A” signifies Hester’s crime of adultery. For the Puritan magistrates, this symbol would insure that, should Hester commit this or any crime again, she would be put to death. However, the letter also comes to symbolize Hester’s role as mother in the eyes of her daughter, Pearl. Finally, Hester’s good works within her community alter the meaning of the “A” by the story’s end: “They [the people of Boston] said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.” (Uses the book’s introduction)
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