The allegorical significance of the scaffold is that it is the place were Hester is put to be condemned and Dimmesdale feels that to ease his guilt for hiding his secret sin, (that he is Pearl's father) he should should stand there too. The meteor shower, where the meteor looked like an "A", took place when Hester and Dimmesdale were both on the scaffold at the same time. The allegorical significance of this is that together they both hurt but when they were together, eventhough no one knows about Dimmesdale's guilt, some mirical happened, just like the mirical of Pearl happened. The allegorical significance og Pearl is that a great thing can come out of a horrible situation. To Hester, Pearl is the only good thing in her life, but to everone else Pearl is the devil child and a horrible mistake.
The scaffold symbolizes public shame. It some what contradicts the Puritan society. Puritans are so reserved and modest. Public humiliation just does not seem Puritan. The Puritans of the community also take part in the mocking and gossiping about Hester on the scaffold. When Hester, Dimmsdale, and Pearl all stand on the scaffold, it is a reminder about the sin they commited. While on the scaffold, a metor shower occurs creating a red "A" in the sky. Many people of the town see the "A" as a sign that Governor Winthrop made it to heaven and that he would be okay. But Dimmsdale and Hester saw it as a reminder of their sin of adultery. Dimmesdale's pain is eating him up inside. Dimmesdale becomes very ill. Although he shows all physical signs of sickness, his doctor, Chillingworth, knows that he is holding sin deep inside him. Somehow Chillingworth is able to detect that something is wrong in his mind as well as in his body. Dimmesdale denies that anything is wrong because, of course, he is not going to let his secret out. It is very ironic that Dimmesdale's doctor happens to be Chillingworth, Hester's first husband. Chillingworth begins to become very dark and almost evil. People describe him almost as the living devil. I feel that because he knows that Dimmesdale is hiding something he is becoming weary of what is to happen later on. I also think that Chillingworth's guilt is hurting him too. He also had a secret lover and he knows that Hester did too. Also, I believe that guilt can eat a person up inside. That is exactly what is happening to Dimmesdale. I think eventually he will be the one to break down and spill all his secrets, which in turn will affect Hester. Chillingworth also makes an important discovery. At night, Chillingworth makes his way into Dimmesdale's room and pulls up his shirt discovering a remarkable sight...which will be revealed later in the book.
Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold where Hester felt her pain, and wher the pain was felt from holding up Pearl. Pearl is the embodiment of the sin that Hester and Dimmesdale committed. He is full of hate for himself and can not stand himself. Pearl is a living and constant reminder of his shame and the Shame of Hester. She is an object that is allegorical because she is not just a daughter, but a symbol, and a feeling.The scaffold is another reminder of this embarressment and shame that Dimmesdale feels. The sight of it brings back memories that he can not ignore and society traumatizes Dimmesdale and Hester because society shuns the idea of adultery and hates it. Many of the things in Dimmesdale's life remind him of his decision. The meteor shower looked like an "A" in the sky, showing and reminding Dimmesdale once again. Almost all of the symbols in the story are about remembering the adultery, and it taking over the adulterers lives and who they are.
Dimmesdale's pain is definately alligorical in the Scarlet Letter. He feels pain in his chest which is interesting because that is the location of his secret scarlet letter. I think that this pain is representative of his feeling of guilt and sin. He trys to escape from his sin every way possible by avoiding having to tell the truth. He has prayer services, extended time meditating, and he even holds a prayer service on the scaffold in which Hester was tormented years earlier. As of where I am in the story, it seems as though he is finally realizing that the only way that he will feel any better about himself, the only way that he can relieve the chest pains, is to reveal himself to his fellow villagers.
Hawthorne uses different examples that would classify the story as an allegory. For example, the dark and gloomy setting in the first chapter, from the peoples attitudes to the gloomy town it self, symbolizes the problemed society we live in. The society which Hawthorne describes is hypocrital and harshly judgemental. The gloomy and dark setting could be relating to Hesters emotions due to the infliction and torment of other people in the community. Furthermore, Hawthorne includes many other allegories such as the flower in front of the prison representing that "the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to (the prisoner)." Nature remains innocent and pure. Since the "N" in nature is captalized it is possibly that it signifies God. God is the creator, and also takes pity and would remain kind to the sinners in soceity. However people have the free will to make their own judgements and rules for themselves, not regarding others feelings or reasons of action. Characters also serve as forms of allegory. The baby Pearls character is allegorical in the sense that something good can come out of something bad. In the story she is known as a product of sin. However, she as an individual is innocent. The community still is quick to judge and publicly torment Hester and Pearl because the society they live in permits it okay to act with such behavior. Hawthorne uses allergories to represent this unjust and hypocritical society.
heavymetal-- very good critical and creative thinking. The capital N to indicate God in Nature is right on I think as is the weather reflecting Hester's state of mind. Nothing really specific for this section though.
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The allegorical significance of the scaffold is that it is the place were Hester is put to be condemned and Dimmesdale feels that to ease his guilt for hiding his secret sin, (that he is Pearl's father) he should should stand there too. The meteor shower, where the meteor looked like an "A", took place when Hester and Dimmesdale were both on the scaffold at the same time. The allegorical significance of this is that together they both hurt but when they were together, eventhough no one knows about Dimmesdale's guilt, some mirical happened, just like the mirical of Pearl happened. The allegorical significance og Pearl is that a great thing can come out of a horrible situation. To Hester, Pearl is the only good thing in her life, but to everone else Pearl is the devil child and a horrible mistake.
The scaffold symbolizes public shame. It some what contradicts the Puritan society. Puritans are so reserved and modest. Public humiliation just does not seem Puritan. The Puritans of the community also take part in the mocking and gossiping about Hester on the scaffold. When Hester, Dimmsdale, and Pearl all stand on the scaffold, it is a reminder about the sin they commited. While on the scaffold, a metor shower occurs creating a red "A" in the sky. Many people of the town see the "A" as a sign that Governor Winthrop made it to heaven and that he would be okay. But Dimmsdale and Hester saw it as a reminder of their sin of adultery. Dimmesdale's pain is eating him up inside. Dimmesdale becomes very ill. Although he shows all physical signs of sickness, his doctor, Chillingworth, knows that he is holding sin deep inside him. Somehow Chillingworth is able to detect that something is wrong in his mind as well as in his body. Dimmesdale denies that anything is wrong because, of course, he is not going to let his secret out. It is very ironic that Dimmesdale's doctor happens to be Chillingworth, Hester's first husband. Chillingworth begins to become very dark and almost evil. People describe him almost as the living devil. I feel that because he knows that Dimmesdale is hiding something he is becoming weary of what is to happen later on. I also think that Chillingworth's guilt is hurting him too. He also had a secret lover and he knows that Hester did too. Also, I believe that guilt can eat a person up inside. That is exactly what is happening to Dimmesdale. I think eventually he will be the one to break down and spill all his secrets, which in turn will affect Hester. Chillingworth also makes an important discovery. At night, Chillingworth makes his way into Dimmesdale's room and pulls up his shirt discovering a remarkable sight...which will be revealed later in the book.
Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold where Hester felt her pain, and wher the pain was felt from holding up Pearl. Pearl is the embodiment of the sin that Hester and Dimmesdale committed. He is full of hate for himself and can not stand himself. Pearl is a living and constant reminder of his shame and the Shame of Hester. She is an object that is allegorical because she is not just a daughter, but a symbol, and a feeling.The scaffold is another reminder of this embarressment and shame that Dimmesdale feels. The sight of it brings back memories that he can not ignore and society traumatizes Dimmesdale and Hester because society shuns the idea of adultery and hates it. Many of the things in Dimmesdale's life remind him of his decision. The meteor shower looked like an "A" in the sky, showing and reminding Dimmesdale once again. Almost all of the symbols in the story are about remembering the adultery, and it taking over the adulterers
lives and who they are.
Dimmesdale's pain is definately alligorical in the Scarlet Letter. He feels pain in his chest which is interesting because that is the location of his secret scarlet letter. I think that this pain is representative of his feeling of guilt and sin. He trys to escape from his sin every way possible by avoiding having to tell the truth. He has prayer services, extended time meditating, and he even holds a prayer service on the scaffold in which Hester was tormented years earlier. As of where I am in the story, it seems as though he is finally realizing that the only way that he will feel any better about himself, the only way that he can relieve the chest pains, is to reveal himself to his fellow villagers.
Hawthorne uses different examples that would classify the story as an allegory. For example, the dark and gloomy setting in the first chapter, from the peoples attitudes to the gloomy town it self, symbolizes the problemed society we live in. The society which Hawthorne describes is hypocrital and harshly judgemental. The gloomy and dark setting could be relating to Hesters emotions due to the infliction and torment of other people in the community. Furthermore, Hawthorne includes many other allegories such as the flower in front of the prison representing that "the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to (the prisoner)." Nature remains innocent and pure. Since the "N" in nature is captalized it is possibly that it signifies God. God is the creator, and also takes pity and would remain kind to the sinners in soceity. However people have the free will to make their own judgements and rules for themselves, not regarding others feelings or reasons of action. Characters also serve as forms of allegory. The baby Pearls character is allegorical in the sense that something good can come out of something bad. In the story she is known as a product of sin. However, she as an individual is innocent. The community still is quick to judge and publicly torment Hester and Pearl because the society they live in permits it okay to act with such behavior. Hawthorne uses allergories to represent this unjust and hypocritical society.
heavymetal-- very good critical and creative thinking. The capital N to indicate God in Nature is right on I think as is the weather reflecting Hester's state of mind. Nothing really specific for this section though.
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