Puritanism, Theocracy, H awthorne, & you

1. Puritanism, Theocracy, Hawthorne, & you An Introduction to The Scarlet Letter

2. Nathaniel hawthorne • Born 1804 in Salem, MA • Died 1864 • Family descended from first settlers of Massachusetts colony • John Hathorne, judge in Salem Witch Trials • Friends with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Franklin Pierce • Published The Scarlet Letter in 1850, to some success

3. puritanism • Most of Hawthorne’s work deals with it as a subject • Used most evidently in The Scarlet Letter • Puritans – religious reformers who arrived in MA colony in 1630s from England under John Winthrop • Known for intolerance of differing ideas & lifestyles; repressive and authoritarian • In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne compares Puritan society to human society as a whole.

4. Why a book on puritanism? • Display human circumstances under extreme conditions • Immense pressure from society, religion, & government • American values, ways of thinking stem from this group

5. Theocracy • From Wikipedia • Theocracy describes a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion. • God is in charge of not only church, but state. • How is this different from U.S. government today? Why do you think this is?

6. Does theocracy still exist in our world today? • Iran • American Evangelical Movement • Israel? Take one of the articles and read it over with a partner. Then, on your note sheet, write whether or not you think the case you chose could fit the definition of theocracy.

7. The scarlet letter The Scarlet Letteris the story of Hester Prynne, a woman found guilty of adultery after having a child out of marriage, who becomes an outcast within the 17th century colony of Massachusetts. She is forced to wear the letter “A” at all times as a reminder of her sin and crime. Even though it could have resulted in a lighter punishment, Hester refuses to confess who the father of her child is.

8. The Scarlet letter’s cast of characters • Hester Prynne: wearer of the scarlet letter, from which the book gets its title. She was married to Chilling worth but he sent her to America. After waiting years for Chillingworth to join her, Hester has an affair with Rev. Dimmesdale and gives birth to his daughter, Pearl. She is punished for this crime by being cast out of the community, though this eventually gives her the outside perspective to make observations about those in town. • Pearl: Hester’s illegitimate child with Rev. Dimmesdale. Pearl is seen as a wild child and a troublemaker.

9. Cast of characters • Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale: One of the most respected preachers in town and Hester’s secret love. Dimmesdale is sick inside and out by the notion that the colonists look to him as a pillar of virtue when he believes he is the worst sinner of them all. • Roger Chillingworth: Hester’s husband, who keeps their marriage secret. After sending Hester ahead of him to America, he follows her, but is captured by Native Americans. When he is released, he joins the colony as a doctor. He later moves in with Dimmesdale and is determined to make his life miserable, believing he is Pearl’s real father.

10. Literary elements in The Scarlet letter • Romance • Use of symbolism • Critique of Puritanism • Transcendentalism

11. “The Custom House” • Introduction to novel • Customs : taxes paid on imports • Narrated by surveyor who shares many similarities with Hawthorne, the author • Narrator stumbles upon the manuscript detailing Hester Prynne’s life from 200 years ago along with her scarlet letter • Decides to write Hester Prynne’s story, not factually, but as a narrative

12. The Scarlet Letter & you • Answer one of the following in a short paragraph. • Think about a time when you felt left out of the group (whether friends, a club, a team, etc). How did it make you feel? What were you able see as an outsider as opposed to an insider? • Have you ever been embarrassed in public or in front of people you wanted to respect you? Describe that incident in detail. • Do you act one way when you are with your friends and another way when you’re by yourself? Explain the differences.