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The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864. Spent most of his life in Boston and Salem Changed the spelling of his last name to avoid association with Judge Hathorne Published over 100 short stories, novels, and non-fiction pieces

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The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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  1. The Scarlet Letterby Nathaniel Hawthorne

  2. Nathaniel Hawthorne 1804-1864 • Spent most of his life in Boston and Salem • Changed the spelling of his last name to avoid association with Judge Hathorne • Published over 100 short stories, novels, and non-fiction pieces • Worked in the Salem Custom House from 1839-1849 • Claimed to find the actual Scarlet Letter and its story in the attic of the Custom House…he edited the story and re-told it as a fictionalized version

  3. Historical Context • Puritan society: strict governance and punishments • Religion was the law: no separation of church and state • The novel is set 50 years before the Salem Witch Trials • Written as a criticism and warning against the Puritan society

  4. Literary Information • Style: Romantic/Gothic Detailed descriptions, old language, long sentences • Point of View: Omniscient All knowing, describing events after they took place, focuses on one character per chapter • Conflicts: Internal and External Woman vs. Society, Man vs. himself • Plot: Love Triangle and one woman’s story of survival, perseverance, and strength • Literary Devices: Foreshadowing and Symbolism

  5. Themes • The Power of Love If love is true, no law or rule can prevent it • Alienation To shun someone or force them to be an outcast • Appearance vs. Reality People and situations are not always what they appear to be • Breaking Society’s Rules What happens to those who break the rules of expected behavior in society?

  6. Symbols • “A” • Adultery/Alienated • This symbol changes meaning by the end of the novel • Colors • Black: Puritans, gloom, death, hidden • Red: Sin, passion • Light/Darkness • Light: exposure • Darkness: guilt & concealment • Forest • Freedom, natural world, natural laws, not man made laws • Pearl • Child, but symbolizes unsolved mystery and a reminder of sin

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