1. Reading The Scarlet Letter in AP Language and Composition

2. Why read The Scarlet Letter in AP Language and Composition?
…to study it as a masterpiece of language  
…to study the details of language  
Nathaniel Hawthorne is an artist; this novel is his masterpiece. 
…questions…
 What elements of language did he use?
 What strategies were chosen with his reader and his purpose constantly in mind? 
We are ultimately studying his STYLE and the components that comprise it.

3. Style
author’s choice and arrangement of words in sentences (diction and syntax)
use of sensory and/or figurative language
tone
mood
   Look for:
length and complexity of the sentences
use of words that are obscure and/or archaic
allusions (Old Manse, the War of 1812 in “The Custom House,” etc.)
balanced, often parallel syntax
occasional metaphors
Excessive punctuation

4. Questions to ask yourself…
How was Hawthorne’s style created, and what is its effect on the reader?

5. “The Custom House” different style than the actual novel
important events of Hawthorne’s life
conventions that early novel writers used
Hawthorne’s prose style
You should be able to answer these questions:
What is romanticism?  
What is the purpose of this chapter?  
How does Hawthorne’s family history contribute to his attitude toward the Custom House and his place in society?

6. AP Questions
How would you describe Hawthorne’s attitude toward his former job and fellow workers?  Why do you think so?  (This is asking for TONE and evidence supporting your inference.)
In this essay, Hawthorne addresses the reader directly.  What effect does he create with this manner?
What effect does the detailed description of the scarlet letter have on you?

7. Some themes from The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter explores the effects of sin, guilt, punishment, and revenge.
Guilt can destroy a person, body and soul.
The punishment imposed on us by others may not be as destructive as the guilt we experience.
True repentence must come from within.
Revenge destroys the victim and the seeker.
Even well-intended deceptions and secrets can lead to destruction.
One must have the courage to be true to one’s self.
It is by recognizing and dealing with their weaknesses that people grow stronger.
The choices people make determine what they become.
Within each person is the capacity for both good and evil.

8. The Scarlet Letter is considered to be the world’s first truly symbolic novel
Some symbols to follow:
the scarlet letter itself/ the letter A
names
the forest
the scaffold
the prison
sunlight
the absence and presence of light
colors and absence of color
the rose

9. Rhetorical Devices
What is Hawthorne’s purpose, and how does using rhetorical devices help him convey his purpose to the reader?
Contrasts (good/evil, dark/light, forest/town, color/absence of color, supernatural/ reality, etc.)
Duality (How does Pearl’s character reflect the duality of the Puritan community?)
Ambiguity
 Allegory
Symbolism
Description
 Word Choice (diction)
Connotations (especially with names
Motifs (hand over heart, The Black Man, the color red)
Contradiction/
Irony

10. Your Assignment
As you read the novel, annotate it for the elements you read about above.  Use “Post-Its” and take notes in a notebook.  Identify stylistic choices as you read.  Analyze for their importance by asking questions, making connections, making predictions, and evaluating their effectiveness.  ­Create and list several high-level questions throughout the novel that are based on your findings.

11. Your Assignment
As we read this novel, you will be expected to bring forth numerous insightful details from the novel that convey Hawthorne’s style and purpose.  We will discuss the elements you bring to the table.

12. Examples (from chapter five):
How does Hawthorne depict Hester’s inner turmoil? 
o       Diction, figurative language, syntax, irony, tone
o       Chapter 5, paragraph 3—“I might be… martyrdom.”
How does Hawthorne use clothing to reveal Hester’s self-perception, the attitude of her neighbors, and the nature of her daughter’s conception?    
o       Again: diction, imagery, syntax, irony, tone
o      Chap. 5, paragraph 7—“Hester sought not…wrong, beneath.”

13. Questions involving allusion, irony, imagery, syntax, organization of details, and more:
What is Hawthorne’s attitude toward Hester?
o       Chap. 2, paragraph 11—“The young woman…by herself.”
What is Hawthorne’s attitude toward the man standing by the Indian in Chapter 3?
o       Paragraphs 1 and 2—“From this intense…his lips.”

14. Indirect characterization
 How does Hawthorne use setting, allusion, metaphor, irony, diction, and tone to reveal Chillingworth’s character in Chapter 9, “The Leech”?
In Chapter 22, “The Procession,” how does Hawthorne use irony and extended metaphor to reveal the conclusion?

15. Weekend Reading:
 “The Custom House”

16. “The Custom House” different style than the actual novel
important events of Hawthorne’s life
conventions that early novel writers used
Hawthorne’s prose style
You should be able to answer these questions:
What is romanticism?  
What is the purpose of this chapter?  
How does Hawthorne’s family history contribute to his attitude toward the Custom House and his place in society?