THE SCARLET LETTER-- A ROMANCE

THE SCARLET LETTER was written about the early settlers of America - the Puritans. Historical period Real characters – based on historical papers found in Custom House

THE SCARLET LETTER is a Romance Written during the American Romantic Period Follows description --- EOL p 141 “A journey away from the corruption of civilization and the limits or rational thought--- toward the integrity of nature and freedom of imagination.”

- Characteristics EOL p Values feeling and intuition over reason – psychological effects of sin on characters

Faith in inner experience and power of imagination—effects inescapable because they occur in the mind

-Shuns the artificiality of civilization and seeks unspoiled nature – Hester’s isolation from society – forest scenes

Prefers youthful innocence to educated sophistication— Pearl compared to Dimmesdale and Chillingworth

Contemplates nature’s beauty as a path to spiritual and moral development - moral blossom of the rose

Looks backward to the wisdom of the past and distrusts progress Hawthorne looks to the lesson of the past – Puritan ancestors – progenitors

- Finds beauty and truth in exotic locales, the supernatural realm, and the inner world of the imagination - visions of the scarlet A -- was it on Dimmesdale’s breast

- Finds inspiration in myth, legend, and folk culture--- story from “Custom House” told by Surveyor Pue Relevance of “Custom House” fanciful account - Finding Pue’s account - account of life of Hester Prynne – fictional - Hawthorne - uses to bolster fake historicity p

Hawthorne a Dark Romantic EOL p Valued intuition over logic and reason - Like Puritans before him saw signs and symbols in human events - Agreed with Transcendentalists that spiritual facts lie behind the appearance of nature --- but --- disagreed that the facts are necessarily good, or harmless

Emphasized the Puritan mystical and melancholy aspects of thought Explored the conflict between good and evil the psychological effects of guilt and sin madness and derangement in the human psyche

DIALECTICAL JOURNAL One per chapter– 24 chapters What is it?? – method of having a conversation with a work of literature. Types of entries – -Textually implicit - Open ended - beyond the text - Combination

Textually implicit journal entry Focus on character require analysis and interpretation of a specific part of the text –- focus on characterization –Give adjective or phrase that can be inferred from the quote to describe the character, and then explain it

OPEN ENDED – BEYOND TEXT Intended to provoke a description of an abstract idea or issue –Focus on a literary device or concrete detail and its effect or purpose –DO NOT SIMPLY REPEAT WHAT THE DEVICE SAYS

COMBINATION COMBINATION OF OTHER TYPES – - -requires a quote passage of 2-3 sentences - reflect on how this passage is impt ---understanding of plot --shows character development