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Forest & Wilderness - Where witches gather and souls are signed away to the devil; the world of dark, evil, passion, emotions, and the unknown. The natural world isn't governed by man-made Puritan laws. Concealment.

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Evil, the Devil. The corruption of the community, for which they want to blame on something else

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Hester's greatest treasure, but also her greatest price. The embodiment of the Scarlet Letter constantly reminding her of her sin, but uncontrollably loving her as a mother.

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Identity, Shame, Sin and Grace. The danger of symbolically thinking.

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Crime and punishment being part of an otherwise civilized society. The harsh justice of the puritans.

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God sees Dimmesdale and his two other sins on the scaffold, and showing them thier own sin through the meteor. Others see it as a message commemorating the deceased Governor, proclaiming him an angel.

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Chillingworth has to remorse when he spends 7 years psychologically torturing Dimmesdale, keeping him alive with his medicines and extending his suffering. Chillingworth lets his want for revenge destroy him internally and externally, ruining his chances of happiness and empty after the death of Dimmesdale. But sort of redeems himself by giving Pearl and Hester the money they need to escape their community.

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Hester is not allowed to sew certain items nor able to have a connection with anyone of the community, and leads to her moral deterioration. Isolation allows Hester to become empowered, the letter they hoped would make her think about her actions and want to redeem herself, made her uncaring to what the community had to say or think of her allowing her to become her own person.

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Dimmsdale is seen as a holy man, but because of his disgust by the concealment of his adultery with hester, corruption he feels the needs to punish himself, in hopes that it can redeem him, in this becoming his own saviour and god and his demon and destroyer. Hester is put to public disgrace and social boycott. Chillingworth's sin is his want and need for revenge, he see's how Dimmesdale suffers, but admits that he can't stop and continues torturing a tortured the man, not only is he hurting those around him, but also his humanity.

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Pearl is evidence to the passion which Dimmesdale and Hester share, she came about because of thier sinful deeds. In the forest when She asks for pardon for having concealed Chillingworth's identity, his opinion of her deeply matters to her, because even when the world and Heaven looked down on her, she bore it, but she couldn't stand to have the man she has feelings for her also turn from her, and he does, because unlike Chillingworth who couldn't find it in himself to forgive her, Dimmesdale cares enough about her to forgive her, and they make plants to run away together.

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Hester wears her symbol of shame publicly, eventually making her resistant, but forgiven and respected by the community. While Dimmesdale's is hidden, he's full of self-blame and guilt, making him sick and holding his regret for sin. Chillingworth wronged his wife by enticing her to marry out of greed and possession as opposed to love. The Puritans use public shaming and blame, pushing Hester and Dimmesdale to the edge and making them contemplate even worse actions.

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Chillingworth rejects Hester, having had his pride as a man denoted, and the struggles between his heart, former affections for her, and the head, speculation, reflection, study.  Brining suffering on himself due to his disregard of the basic laws of human affection & brotherhood. Dimmesdale's words at the beginning of the story reveal that while he is publically telling her to reveal the name of her partner in crime, he is really telling her not to, showing his true cowardice.

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LIFE IN PURITAN 17TH CENTURY, MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY

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LIFE IN PURITAN 17TH CENTURY, MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY

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Family was an important aspect of thier lives, many kept journals of thier daily lives.
Women weren't allowed to vote or make decision in church. They worked in the home and garden.
Men who followed the church and chosen, were allowed to vote.
Literacy was high among them because they wanted their children to be able to read the Bible, and a school supported by taxes was mandatory.
They attended church at least 2 times a week, and after a government meeting would follow. Church members had to pay tithes.
Those who did not follow the word of God were punished harshly

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Puritanism, sought to "purify" the Church of England of Roman Catholic remnants, that Puritans claimed to have been retained after the religious settlement during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
Believed it was necessary to be in a covenant relationship with God to redeem oneself from sin, that God had chosen to reveal salvation through preaching and the Holy Spirit was the energizing instrument of salvation.

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A theocratic government was established with franchise limited to church members. Leaders zealously sough to prevent independent views of religion

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Born in Salem, Massachusetts, July 4, 1804.
He was an only son idolized by both his mother and two sisters.
A leg injury forced him to remain immobile for a considerable period, during which he developed a taste for reading and thinking.
With aid from his wealthy uncles, he attended Bowdoin College. His refusal to participate in public speaking prevented his achievement of an outstanding academic recourt. Returning from Bowdoin, he spent 1825-1837 in isolation, during which he learned to write tales and sketches, that are still unique.
Most of his early stories were published anonymously in magazines and giftbooks. His stories came slowly but steadily into favour, and the best of them have become American classics.
By his accounts, it was the love of his Salem neighbor, Sophia Peabody, that brought him from his seclusion, out into the world.
Hawthorne obtained the position of surveyor in 1846, (mapping of new lands), in the Salem Custom House, but due to his political ties, was relieved of this position in 1848. This gave him time to write, The Scarlet Letter.
Hawthorne wrote the campaign biography of Franklin Pierce, and was therefore appointed the post of American consul at Liverpool, England after Pierce was elected president.
His life began to fail him, and due to his refusal to go through medical examination, details of his declining health remain a mystery. He died May 19, 1864, after having set off for New Hampshire hills with Franklin Pierce, hoping to regain his health, and died the second night in Plymouth, New Hampshire, presumably in his sleep.

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1. Marsh. “Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.” pp. 1–7., doi:9/10/20018. Honors 10

2. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “Biography of Nathaniel Hawthorne.” The Literature Network: Online Classic Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays & Summaries, www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/

3. “Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, www.notablebiographies.com/Gi-He/Hawthorne-Nathaniel.html.

4. Shmoop Editorial Team. “The Scarlet Letter in The Scarlet Letter.” Shmoop, Shmoop University, 11 Nov. 2008, www.shmoop.com/scarlet-letter/scarlet-letter-symbol.html.

5. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Puritanism.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 3 Jan. 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/Puritanism.

6. “Themes in The Scarlet Letter.” Conflict between Faith and Doubt in Galileo, www.bachelorandmaster.com/britishandamericanfiction/themes-in-the-scarlet-letter.html#.W5xTZOjwZEZ.

7. “The Puritan Daily Life: Research Topic Ideas on Life as a Puritan in the Colonies.” Bright Hub Education, 13 Apr. 2015, www.brighthubeducation.com/history-homework-help/112142-daily-life-of-a-puritan-colonist/.