Syntactic Complexity and The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is typically one of the most challenging books secondary students read. Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter is typically one of the most challenging books secondary students read. One common challenge to a modern reader is the typical length of Hawthorne's sentences. One common challenge to a modern reader is the typical length of Hawthorne's sentences. His initial sentence is 45 words, and it is relatively simple to find many examples of sentences of more than 75 words. His initial sentence is 45 words, and it is relatively simple to find many examples of sentences of more than 75 words. Why we have come to expect shorter sentences? Why we have come to expect shorter sentences?

“Kernel Sentences" A kernel sentence is a sentence that contains only a noun and a verb. (I walk.) A kernel sentence is a sentence that contains only a noun and a verb. (I walk.) Expanded sentences are kernel sentences plus adjectives and adverbs (describing words). (I walk quickly.) Expanded sentences are kernel sentences plus adjectives and adverbs (describing words). (I walk quickly.) These sentences help the writer express thoughts that make the sentences clear and interesting to the reader. These sentences help the writer express thoughts that make the sentences clear and interesting to the reader.

Sentence Combining and Hawthorne Sentence 1 The woman was tall. The woman was tall. The woman was young. (WITH) The woman was young. (WITH) The woman had a figure of elegance. The woman had a figure of elegance. The elegance was perfect. The elegance was perfect. The elegance was on a large scale. The elegance was on a large scale. Hawthorne's original sentence: Hawthorne's original sentence: –The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale.

Sentence Combining and Hawthorne Sentence 2 She had hair. She had hair. Her hair was dark. (AND) Her hair was dark. (AND) Her hair was abundant. Her hair was abundant. Her hair was so glossy it threw off the sunshine with a gleam. (AND) Her hair was so glossy it threw off the sunshine with a gleam. (AND) She had a face. (WHICH, BESIDE BEING) She had a face. (WHICH, BESIDE BEING) Her face was beautiful from regularity of feature, (and) Her face was beautiful from regularity of feature, (and) Her face was beautiful from richness of complexion. Her face was beautiful from richness of complexion. Her face had the impressiveness. Her face had the impressiveness. The impressiveness was belonging to a brow and eyes. The impressiveness was belonging to a brow and eyes. Her brow was marked. Her brow was marked. Her eyes were deep (AND) Her eyes were deep (AND) Her eyes were black Her eyes were black

Hawthorne's original sentence She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes.

Sample Imitation The guitarist was talented. The guitarist was talented. The guitarist was cool. (WITH) The guitarist was cool. (WITH) The guitarist had a style of blues. The guitarist had a style of blues. The blues was jazzy. The blues was jazzy. The blues was from long ago. The blues was from long ago. The cool guitarist was talented, with a jazzy style of blues from long ago. The cool guitarist was talented, with a jazzy style of blues from long ago.

PURTIAN NEW ENGLAND M AN CANNOT ESCAPE O RIGINAL S IN. M AN CANNOT ESCAPE O RIGINAL S IN. G OD IS OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, AND OMNIPRESENT. G OD IS OMNIPOTENT, OMNISCIENT, AND OMNIPRESENT. F AITH IS GIVEN TO MAN. F AITH IS GIVEN TO MAN. E LECTION (P REDESTINATION ) E LECTION (P REDESTINATION )

PURTIAN NEW ENGLAND G OD ’ S ELECT ( CHURCH OFFICIALS ) CONTROL THE STATE (G OD ’ S DAMNED ). G OD ’ S ELECT ( CHURCH OFFICIALS ) CONTROL THE STATE (G OD ’ S DAMNED ). E NFORCE CORRECT OR SUPERFICIALLY CORRECT BEHAVIOR E NFORCE CORRECT OR SUPERFICIALLY CORRECT BEHAVIOR

PURTIAN NEW ENGLAND E STABLISH RIGID CONTROL OVER EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND BUSINESS E STABLISH RIGID CONTROL OVER EDUCATION, RECREATION, AND BUSINESS THEOCRACY = C HURCH AND S TATE ARE SYNONYMOUS. THEOCRACY = C HURCH AND S TATE ARE SYNONYMOUS.

H AWTHORNE ’ S W OMEN S TRONG, INDEPENDENT - MINDED AND SELF - CONFIDENT S TRONG, INDEPENDENT - MINDED AND SELF - CONFIDENT R EDEMPTIVE FIGURES FOR MEN R EDEMPTIVE FIGURES FOR MEN V ICTIMIZED AT THE HANDS OF MEN V ICTIMIZED AT THE HANDS OF MEN H E ALLOWS HIS OLDER FEMALE CHARACTERS TO BE CENTRAL FIGURES. H E ALLOWS HIS OLDER FEMALE CHARACTERS TO BE CENTRAL FIGURES. H E QUESTIONS THE ROLE OF DOMESTIC FEMALE CHARACTERS AND THEIR EMOTIONS AND ABILITIES OF REASON H E QUESTIONS THE ROLE OF DOMESTIC FEMALE CHARACTERS AND THEIR EMOTIONS AND ABILITIES OF REASON

H AWTHORNE ’ S S TYLE P RECISE DICTION P RECISE DICTION S KILLFUL DEVELOPMENT OF TONE AND MOOD S KILLFUL DEVELOPMENT OF TONE AND MOOD V IVID IMAGERY V IVID IMAGERY N O SLANG, VULGARISMS N O SLANG, VULGARISMS

H AWTHORNE ’ S S TYLE B EAUTIFUL METAPHORS, SIMILES, AND SYMBOLS B EAUTIFUL METAPHORS, SIMILES, AND SYMBOLS C LEAN, CLEAR, PRECISE LANGUAGE C LEAN, CLEAR, PRECISE LANGUAGE A LL CHARACTERS SOUND LIKE H AWTHORNE. A LL CHARACTERS SOUND LIKE H AWTHORNE. L ANGUAGE ALWAYS THE SAME L ANGUAGE ALWAYS THE SAME

H AWTHORNE ’ S S TYLE T OO MANY COMMAS T OO MANY COMMAS R AMBLING SENTENCES R AMBLING SENTENCES T OO MUCH SUMMARY ; NOT ENOUGH CONVERSATION T OO MUCH SUMMARY ; NOT ENOUGH CONVERSATION

METAPHORS “… FOUND SOMETHING CONGENIAL IN THE SOIL THAT HAD SO EARLY BORNE THE BLACK FLOWER OF CIVILIZED SOCIETY, A PRISON.” “… FOUND SOMETHING CONGENIAL IN THE SOIL THAT HAD SO EARLY BORNE THE BLACK FLOWER OF CIVILIZED SOCIETY, A PRISON.” “… A WILD ROSE - BUSH,… IN TOKEN THAT THE DEEP HEART OF N ATURE COULD PITY AND BE KIND TO HIM.” “… A WILD ROSE - BUSH,… IN TOKEN THAT THE DEEP HEART OF N ATURE COULD PITY AND BE KIND TO HIM.”

METAPHORS “T HIS ROSE BUSH … MAY SERVE... TO SYMBOLIZE SOME SWEET MORAL BLOSSOM.” “T HIS ROSE BUSH … MAY SERVE... TO SYMBOLIZE SOME SWEET MORAL BLOSSOM.” “… SHOULD HAVE THE HANDLING OF SUCH MALEFACTRESSES AS THIS H ESTER P RYNNE …I F THE HUSSY …” “… SHOULD HAVE THE HANDLING OF SUCH MALEFACTRESSES AS THIS H ESTER P RYNNE …I F THE HUSSY …”

METAPHORS “M ADAME H ESTER …B UT SHE — THE NAUGHTY BAGGAGE …” “M ADAME H ESTER …B UT SHE — THE NAUGHTY BAGGAGE …” “… HER HANDIWORK BECAME … THE FASHION.” “… HER HANDIWORK BECAME … THE FASHION.”

SIMILES “I T MIGHT BE, TO, THAT A WITCH, LIKE OLD M ISTRESS H IBBINS …” “I T MIGHT BE, TO, THAT A WITCH, LIKE OLD M ISTRESS H IBBINS …” “… WHEN THE MAN - LIKE E LIZABETH …” “… WHEN THE MAN - LIKE E LIZABETH …” “W HY, LOOK YOU, SHE MAY COVER IT WITH A BROOCH, OR SUCH LIKE HEATHENISH ADORNMENT,…” “W HY, LOOK YOU, SHE MAY COVER IT WITH A BROOCH, OR SUCH LIKE HEATHENISH ADORNMENT,…”

SIMILES “… THERE APPEARED, IN THE FIRST PLACE, LIKE A BLACK SHADOW EMERGING INTO THE SUNSHINE THE GRIM AND GRISLY PRESENCE OF THE TOWN - BEADLE,…” “… THERE APPEARED, IN THE FIRST PLACE, LIKE A BLACK SHADOW EMERGING INTO THE SUNSHINE THE GRIM AND GRISLY PRESENCE OF THE TOWN - BEADLE,…” “A ND NEVER HAD H ESTER P RYNNE APPEARED MORE LADY - LIKE …” “A ND NEVER HAD H ESTER P RYNNE APPEARED MORE LADY - LIKE …”

SIMILES “… THIS SCAFFOLD CONSTITUTED A PORTION OF A PENAL MACHINE … BUT WAS HELD … TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AN AGENT, IN THE PROMOTION OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AS EVER WAS THE GUILLOTINE AMONG THE TERRORISTS OF F RANCE.” “… THIS SCAFFOLD CONSTITUTED A PORTION OF A PENAL MACHINE … BUT WAS HELD … TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AN AGENT, IN THE PROMOTION OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP, AS EVER WAS THE GUILLOTINE AMONG THE TERRORISTS OF F RANCE.”

SIMILES “A WRITHING HORROR TWISTED ITSELF ACROSS HIS FEATURES, LIKE A SNAKE GLIDING SWIFTLY OVER THEM,…” “A WRITHING HORROR TWISTED ITSELF ACROSS HIS FEATURES, LIKE A SNAKE GLIDING SWIFTLY OVER THEM,…” “T HY ACTS ARE LIKE MERCY …B UT THY WORDS INTERPRET THEE AS A TERROR !” “T HY ACTS ARE LIKE MERCY …B UT THY WORDS INTERPRET THEE AS A TERROR !”

SIMILES “… THERE WAS AN AIR ABOUT THIS YOUNG MINISTER --- AN APPREHENSIVE, A STARTLED, A HALF - FRIGHTENED LOOK — AS OF A BEING WHO FELT HIMSELF QUITE ASTRAY AND AT A LOSS IN THE PATHWAY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE,…” “… THERE WAS AN AIR ABOUT THIS YOUNG MINISTER --- AN APPREHENSIVE, A STARTLED, A HALF - FRIGHTENED LOOK — AS OF A BEING WHO FELT HIMSELF QUITE ASTRAY AND AT A LOSS IN THE PATHWAY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE,…”

ALLUSIONS “I KNOW NOT L ETHE NOR N EPENTHE,…” “I KNOW NOT L ETHE NOR N EPENTHE,…” “T AKE HEED HOW THOU DENIEST TO HIM — WHO, PERCHANCE, HATH NOT THE COURAGE TO GRASP IT FOR HIMSELF — THE BITTER, BUT WHOLESOME, CUP THAT IS NOW PRESENTED TO THEY LIPS !” “T AKE HEED HOW THOU DENIEST TO HIM — WHO, PERCHANCE, HATH NOT THE COURAGE TO GRASP IT FOR HIMSELF — THE BITTER, BUT WHOLESOME, CUP THAT IS NOW PRESENTED TO THEY LIPS !”

PERSONIFICATION “H ER ATTIRE … SEEMED TO EXPRESS THE ATTITUDE OF HER SPIRIT, THE DESPERATE RECKLESSNESS OF HER MOOD,…” “H ER ATTIRE … SEEMED TO EXPRESS THE ATTITUDE OF HER SPIRIT, THE DESPERATE RECKLESSNESS OF HER MOOD,…” “A BLESSING ON THE RIGHTEOUS C OLONY OF M ASSACHUSETTS, WHERE INIQUITY IS DRAGGED OUT INTO THE SUNSHINE.” “A BLESSING ON THE RIGHTEOUS C OLONY OF M ASSACHUSETTS, WHERE INIQUITY IS DRAGGED OUT INTO THE SUNSHINE.”

WHAT’S IMPORTANT? Copy an important line or lines from the reading. Copy an important line or lines from the reading.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT? Restate the lines in your own words. Restate the lines in your own words.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT? Why are these lines important to the passage? Why are these lines important to the passage?

WHAT’S IMPORTANT? Why are these lines important to you? Why are these lines important to you?