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Rise of nationalism brought new interest in American Past
legend and folklore became unofficial record of American character and belief
developed a sense of national past and an emerging national character

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Emphasized beauty, strangeness, and mystery of nature
not as a machine but as an organic process, constant development, and change
its many changes serves as an expression of our own inner changes
mystery and imagination became part of our hertiage

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emphasis on emotions, intuition, and the individual
interior world is not ruled by reason
interest in the irrational depths of human nature
examination of our psychological reactions to death, grief, sin

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They wished to cleanse themselves of envy, vanity, and lust so as to love God and God’s creation wholeheartedly. But they recognized that people cannot simply decide to convert their feelings; no amount of prayer, churchgoing, or Bible reading can make people love what they do not love. Puritans believed that feelings could be changed only through grace, the miracle by which God grants some people the ability to love truly. They spent much of their lives examining their feelings for signs of grace.

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They desired to return Christianity to the simple forms of worship described in the New Testament. This meant eliminating whatever religious practices had come into being since the time of Christ, which the Puritans regarded not as God-given commands but as human decorations. In striving for plainness, they met for worship not in ornate cathedrals with stained-glass windows, but in square wooden buildings, painted white and stripped of ornament.

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Puritan’s conviction that they were carrying to America true Christianity as decreed by God led them to see their lives in the New World as a divine mission. They believed that America was a place specifically appointed by God to be an example to the rest of the world, a “city upon a hill.”

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The society itself tries to replicate and strive for perfection similar to City Upon a hill. In their search for perfection or to become this Utopia they corrupt themselves and become a Dystopia instead (Chillingworth 45). 

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The society itself tries to replicate and strive for perfection similar to City Upon a hill. In their search for perfection or to become this Utopia they corrupt themselves and become a Dystopia instead (Chillingworth 45). 

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In chapter 15, Pearl created her own letter A out of grasses and seaweed. “As the last touch to her mermaid’s grab, Pearl took some eelgrass, and imitated, as best she could, on her own bosom, the decoration with which she was so familiar on her mother’s” (174). This is nature because she makes the letter out of grasses, but it symbolizes her childhood curiosity.

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There will always be some sort of sin, whether big or small, that exists in a society. It is inevitable that the “Black man,” or Chillingworth, will come into society and disrupt it in some way (59).

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There will always be some sort of sin, whether big or small, that exists in a society. It is inevitable that the “Black man,” or Chillingworth, will come into society and disrupt it in some way (59).

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“On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter ‘A’” (51). While the Puritans desired plainness in their society, with their clothing, their architecture, and their lifestyles, they contrast themselves by designing an intricate, colorful design to point out a sinner in their community.

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“On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter ‘A’” (51). While the Puritans desired plainness in their society, with their clothing, their architecture, and their lifestyles, they contrast themselves by designing an intricate, colorful design to point out a sinner in their community.

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Hester’s transformation of an evil thing to a kind and pure one.

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Hester’s transformation of an evil thing to a kind and pure one.

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Hester takes the scarlet letter and changes the community’s view of it from evil and shameful to something kind, helpful, and pure. “Such helpfulness was found in her—so much power to do good and power to sympathize—that many people refused to interpret the scarlet “A” by its original signification. They said it meant “Able”; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (158). This also highlights the forgiveness within human nature. Eventually, the majority of the community chooses to forgive Hester for her mistakes and gives her back her humanity.

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The Puritans Perfectly show that America is a gift from God and is this “city upon a hill” but that only gets you so far. American gave them the opportunity to be a great society but instead of purifying the Church of England their strict values make them an embodiment of sin.

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“Hester Prynne, therefore, did not flee. On the outskirts of town, within the verge of the peninsula , but not in close vicinity to any other habitation, there was a small thatched cottage” (77-78). Hester was isolated from society so that God could bestow his grace upon her and cleanser her of her sin and cleanse the society of the sin that had occurred.

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“With her native energy if character and rare capacity, it could not entirely cast her off, although it had set a mark upon her more intolerable to a woman’s heart than that which branded the brow of Cain.” (pg 81)

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“With her native energy if character and rare capacity, it could not entirely cast her off, although it had set a mark upon her more intolerable to a woman’s heart than that which branded the brow of Cain.” (pg 81)

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The motif of past is demonstrated through the use of incorporating this biblical influence. Cain is referring to the story of Cain and Able. The bible is a timeless book that has been used for reference for so long. Using the Bible shows a example from the past that continues it’s use through to the present.

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Hester gradually starts to believe, from the Scarlet Letter, that it can only be removed by “divine providence” which fits into divine mission. She starts to lose her uniqueness and blends in more with the Puritan society. Their main belief is about God and Hester starts to adapt to this. 

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Hester gradually starts to believe, from the Scarlet Letter, that it can only be removed by “divine providence” which fits into divine mission. She starts to lose her uniqueness and blends in more with the Puritan society. Their main belief is about God and Hester starts to adapt to this. 

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Mr. Dimmesdale’s guilt for not confessing that he is the father of Pearl has taken a huge mental and physical toll on him as Dimmesdale falls into human nature. “While thus suffering under bodily disease, and gnawed and tortured by some black trouble of the soul, and given over to the machinations of his deadliest enemy, the Reverend Dimmesdale had achieved a brilliant popularity in his sacred office” (137). From this quote, we see that because of human nature Dimmesdale had become his own worst enemy, sickening his body and soul. Dimmesdale reaction is the psychological result of the pressure he puts on himself because of not confessing his sins of adultery.

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“The great vault brightened, like the dome of an immense lamp. It showed the familiar scene of the street, with the distinctness of midday, but also with the awfulness that is always imparted to familiar objects by an unaccustomed light” (150). This is nature because there was a light which shined on Hester and Dimmesdale which put a light or a spotlight and brought them out of the dark and displayed their problems and brings their problems forward

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“ ‘Why dost thou smile so at me?’ inquired Hester, troubled at the expression of his eyes. ‘Art thou like the Black Man that haunts the forest round about us? Hast thou enticed me into a bond that will prove the ruin of my soul?’ ” (74) This is nature because it emphasizes the darkness in the world, and takes place in a forest.

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“It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself” (Hawthorne 52). The Puritans use a simple and plain letter “A” to symbolize so much for the community. Because Hester has this letter, it is known to everyone that she should be shunned and shamed for her sin.

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Dimmesdale, instead of trusting in God’s grace to purify him, attempts to purify himself. “He thus typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but could not purify, himself” (Hawthorne 141 )

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“A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments and gray, steeple-crowned hats… The founders of a new colony” (45). The puritan community had desired a more simpler version of living and this quote had described how they established a new colony, but based off of the words ‘sad’ and ‘gray’ it describes how they did not want a very detailed community and just wanted to ‘purify’ everything. Gray stands for neutrality and balance, but it also stands for loss. I think what Hawthorne is trying to get at here is that the society has lost its previous past extras.

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‘… there are few things—weather in the outward world, or, to a certain depth, in the invisible sphere of thought—few things hidden from the man who devotes himself earnestly and unreservedly to the solution of a mystery” (72).
- Chillingworth seeks revenge upon the man who Hester had relations with and is going to devote his whole life to it. This turns out to be foreshadowing because we still see him preying on Dimmesdale in recent chapters

“Hast thou not tortured him enough to?” said Hester, noticing the old man’s look. “Has he not paid thee all” (168)?
“No!—no!—He has but increased the debt!” Answered the physician; and as he proceeded, his manner lost its fiercer characteristics and subsided into gloom (169).
- Even after seven long years of causing misery for Dimmesdale, Chillingworth still feels that he deserves more punishment. Over the years, he has built up his hatred for Dimmesdale and turned into a form of the devil, trying to disrupt life and attack people

Chillingworth also believes that he is merely a character filling the villain role and he has now power to make his own choices about his actions. This thought process leads to him causing Dimmesdale suffering because he won’t change his lifestyle due to thinking that he is required to hurt Dimmesdale for enternity.

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On page 45, the community is already going against the perfection of Divine Mission because they realize the prisons and graveyards are necessary for the society to function.

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Pearl, despite being born as a subject of sin remains trapped in childhood innocence. Pearl is awed by trivial things such as, “gleaming armor” or how she began to, “cry for a red rose, and would not be pacified,” until she acquired one, showing Pearl’s childlike attributes (Hawthorne 102 and 103). Even though Pearl is the living embodiment of the Scarlet Letter, her nature remains as pure as a child. These contrasting natures overlap when her nature is describes as, “appear[ing] to possess depth, too, as well as variety; but—or else Hester’s fears deceived her—it lacked reference and adaptation to the world in which she was born in” (87). Pearl’s nature is formed by the isolation she is born into. While she possesses childlike qualities, she remains living memory of Hester’s sin which may foreshadow a change in her childlike nature to a more sinful nature.

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Through the Puritans’ efforts of removing the influence of the Church of England in their society, the ideas are still prevalent in the fact that the Governor’s house was a mansion representing the wealth and prosperity of the upper class. The mansion for a leader of Puritan society contrasts the ideals of Puritan society as a whole. While trying to purify themselves, they fail to realize that they are still carrying on beliefs of the old world

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Through the Puritans’ efforts of removing the influence of the Church of England in their society, the ideas are still prevalent in the fact that the Governor’s house was a mansion representing the wealth and prosperity of the upper class. The mansion for a leader of Puritan society contrasts the ideals of Puritan society as a whole. While trying to purify themselves, they fail to realize that they are still carrying on beliefs of the old world

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Chillingworth’s side for mercy and self-blame

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Chillingworth’s side for mercy and self-blame

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Though Chillingworth is often portrayed as merciless, hateful, and vengeful, he switches, as is part of human nature, between a more forgiving, self-blameful side. He says things like, “We have wronged each other” and goes into detail saying, “Mine was the first wrong, when I betrayed thy budding youth into a false and unnatural relation with my decay,” (72). He admits his faults and does clear some personal guilt showing a more human side to himself that is not otherwise seen often.

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“Let the black flower blossom as it may! Now go thy ways, and deal as thou wilt with yonder man” (171). The black flower represents the problems that will be a result of Hester exposing the secret identity of Chillingworth.

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In the American belief, life is uncontrolled and free. The forest is some where uncontrolled where nature roams. In Puritan life, their society is very controlled and clean, and they believe the forest is where the Devil lives in the uncontrolled habitat.

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Nature is reflecting Hester’s mind: dark and gloomy with little spots of sunshine.
Her sunshine is Pearl and the possibility of seeing Dimmesdale.

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Nature reflects Hester’s own life, with the sun shining in the forest only when Pearl is present. When Hester comes near the sun, the light vanishes, as if shunning her sin. This also references the quote where Hester tells Pearl to gather her own sunshine, when they visited the governor’s house.

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Pearl is told to chase or catch her sunshine in the forest before it disappears. Hester wants Pearl to hold onto her innocence and keep her happiness.

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The Puritans believe in a Divine Mission to uphold their society as perfect to the rest of the world. As Hester continues her charity work and the scarlet letter begins to stand for “Able,” the Puritans are impressed with her strength. They start to point Hester out to strangers as “our Hester—the town’s own Hester” (159) and brag about how compassionate she is. They turn Hester, a sinner, into their Divine Mission.

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In chapter 16 the forest is dark, but spotted with rays of sunshine. This reflects Hester’s life as it involves very dark moments, but also very loving and kind moments. For example, in chapter 2, Hester walks out of the dark prison with and then being shown in a ray of sunshine that seems to only illuminate Hester and Pearl.

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Pearl is extremely connected to Nature when she is in the forest with the brook or water. Hawthorne is comparing Pearl to the brook. He is saying that the brook is babbling and somber just like a young child. Water is the universal symbol for femininity.

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The babbling brook serves as a symbol for femininity. Pearl keeps asking the brook questions, like how she asks Hester questions. And, both Hester and the brook are described as sad.

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Human nature is not predictable. Everyone expects Pearl to turn out sinful because she is a result of sin but by comparing her too the brook, we see her pureness and joy or sunshine.

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Pearl is compared to a bird throughout the story, but it is more prevalent in this chapter. She represents curiosity and how a bird can fly around freely and is guided by curiosity.

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Human nature is easily tempted and will go through things they nearly can resists. The minister is tempted 5 times in chapter 20 but is strong willed and resists them all just like how Jesus resists the 3 temptations in the Bible.

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In contrast to grace, Mistress Hibbins suggests that Pearl’s real father is actually the devil (the black man).

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The puritans whole idea of society is for it to be as plain as possible, yet the town fathers show off their wealth and power during the procession

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God grants Dimmesdale grace to make it through the town and still keep him morals in tact despite being tempted so many times.

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“We must not always talk in the market-place of what
happens to us in the forest.” This quote represents the divide between nature and society. Nature is the only place that Hester and Dimmesdale can truly be in love it recognizes their love and lets them embrace each other no matter their past. This shows Hawthornes message that humans must rely on nature rather than the laws of man to be happy.

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“The Puritans compressed whatever mirth and public joy they deemed allowable to human infirmity” (225). This shows the Puritan nature since they compress their emotions for the festival because they were all raised on not showing emotion. Therefore, this is an example of how the puritans show the motif human nature because they’re lack of emotional expression is their human nature.

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Human nature is shown when mistress hibbins tries to invite pearl to come to visit the black man with her in the forest. This shows that human nature is too try and drag people down with you when you are doing bad, instead of leaving them be

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Dimmesdale knows he is going to publicly reveal his secret to the town, which is why he goes up to give his sermon looking healthier and more energetic. He is going to cleanse his soul, which makes all humans feel better.

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God grants Dimmesdale the courage to speak his mind and write a speech that will set him free on Election Day.

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In chapter 23 the the sun is said to shine down upon Dimmesdale as he stands on the scaffold(249)

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In chapter 23 the the sun is said to shine down upon Dimmesdale as he stands on the scaffold(249)

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This could symbolize many different aspects of this moment. Dimmesdale is letting go of the weight of the secret he has carried for so long. He is gaining back some of his purity and his happiness. This could also be since the family is reunited and when the family is together, the sun tends to shine upon the union that which nature approves.

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In chapter 23 Pearl is described as someone who’s purpose is to bring salvation and peace to her mother and Dimmesdale. In the novel, the strangeness in her actions, her hate for Chillingworth, her questions about the Black Man, and her relationship with her parents ultimately led to the climax.

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In chapter 23, Pearl allows Dimmesdale to kiss her in his final moments(251).

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In chapter 23, Pearl allows Dimmesdale to kiss her in his final moments(251).

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Once Dimmesdale admits to the community that Pearl is his daughter, she can finally accept him as her father. Just as it is her nature to love her mother, it is in her nature to lover her father as well and after everything that they’ve been through she can forgive him immediately and kiss him.