The Scarlet Letter : One of my favorite books

[JackJani]

If you are currently reading this book and have any questions or need help understanding part of it, please do not hesitate to contact me..

I just finished reading the novel The Scarlet Letter, and here are a few of my opinions.

At first, I felt reluctant towards reading the book, thinking that it would be another one of those dreaded books we analyze in English class. Chapter 1 of the book is rather difficult to understand, not only due to its sophisticated vocabulary, but also because of Hawthorne's use of rich, descriptive imagery, symbolism, and other literary devices, which at first glance, might appear extremely confusing to the average reader. Yet, as I continued to read the next chapters, I felt more comfortable and I began to understand it quite well.

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One of the things I like about the book is its lack of long, wordy physical descriptions of the minor characters. I think that the way characters look is not something too important in many novels. For example, does it really matter if a man who meets the major character have blue eyes or brown eyes? or is 7 feet tall or 4 feet tall? In the case of this novel, Hawthorne only descriptively illustrates his major characters--- Pearl, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and the sinful Hester--- and does not spend too much time describing less important characters.

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One of the things I do not like about the book is its combination of events that appear to be so real and events that appear to be so planned and fake. For example, towards the middle of the novel, Pearl appears to have a spiritual union with the animals of the forest and she appears to enlighten them. I think that events such as these harm the quality of his work. It is true that good writers use events such as this one because they provide a theme or good imagery or symbolism. But Hawthorne's story appears so real, as real that it could have happened in real life, that little events such as these make his novel have the same made-up quality of cartoons.

But, overall I really enjoyed reading this book. Its content is fabulous, although sprinkled with unnecessary events such as the one above. And I
as I already mentioned, the book is filled with confusing words; "big" words. But this should not be a barrier for the reader, since the context helps him understand the meaning of the words.

If you are currently reading this book and have any questions or need help understanding part of it, please do not hesitate to contact me..

[Darlin]

The Scarlet Letter is one of my favorite books too. Having read nothing else by Hawthorne I was surprised that I did like it so much.

[mono]

Hello, JackJani, welcome to the forum.
How wonderful to see another fan of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter - most people, especially by requirement, dread reading it.
I read it first years ago in high school, but I do not think it really had an impact on me until years later when I read it again, and it resulted as one of my favorite novels. It seems very rich in symbolism on Hawthorne's ideas of deviance, self-reliance, independence, women's rights, and seemingly religious superstition. Pearl and Reverend Dimmesdale, oddly, interested me the most, and I would often wonder how Pearl would develop in later years; and I frequently wondered how Dimmesdale would turn out if the story continued.

[shortysweetp]

I was one of those that had to read it for class and it was ok i think I was appreciate it more now so maybe I will reread it.

[Bady_Bear]

I really got stuck in The Scarlet Letter, i have to read and answer the questions. I really don't understand anything. Can somebody help me? Add me in Yahoo : [email protected]

[mono]

I really got stuck in The Scarlet Letter, i have to read and answer the questions. I really don't understand anything. Can somebody help me? Add me in Yahoo : [email protected]

You can just post the questions here if you like, and I, or anyone else, could help.

[papayahed]

I was one of those that had to read it for class and it was ok i think I was appreciate it more now so maybe I will reread it.

What Shorty said. (Except I hated it in school).

[Bady_Bear]

i got a packet to answer the questions about Scarlet Letter from my English class. Would u guys please help me out:
Chapter 3:
#1. What information does the Governor, the clergyman and the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale try to get out of Hester Prynne?
#2. How does the Reverend Dimmesdale react to Hester Prynne's refusal to divulge who the father of the baby is?
#3. In response to the melodious words of the Reverend, what does the baby in Hester's arms do?
#4. Describe the man near the Indian that caught Hester Prynne's attention?
#5. What is the man's reaction to seeing Hester Prynne?
#6. Backing up.... What are the main points of Dimmesdale's eloquent plea on page sixty-three. Be detailed.

Those six questions i have to do over chapter 3, but i really don't understand what the author was talking about? Well, i understand the summary of the story, but i can't understand the details... therefore can u guys help me answer those 6 questions.
Thank you very much... and i'm looking for all of your reply.

[JackJani]

Bady Bear, to get each of your questions answered, I highly recommend you to visit http://www.sparknotes.com/ then search for The Scarlet Letter, and click on Chapter 3.

I just read what sparknotes has to say about Chapter 3, and they answered every single question you need help with. Just read their little summary.

[mono]

Chapter 3:
#1. What information does the Governor, the clergyman and the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale try to get out of Hester Prynne?

They question the father of Hester Prynne's child.

#2. How does the Reverend Dimmesdale react to Hester Prynne's refusal to divulge who the father of the baby is?

In a few words, he feels ashamed of himself.

#3. In response to the melodious words of the Reverend, what does the baby in Hester's arms do?

Pearl screams, and, no doubt, the Reverend thinks this as a significant sign.

#4. Describe the man near the Indian that caught Hester Prynne's attention?

I do not know of any Indian in chapter 3, but I remember Roger Chillingworth (Hester's husband) dresses in a combination of European and Native American attire. For obvious reasons he catches her attention and alerts her not to divulge his identity.

#5. What is the man's reaction to seeing Hester Prynne?

I highly doubt if Chillingworth wanted Hester to see him, so he feels shocked, and tells her not to disclose his true identity to anyone.

#6. Backing up.... What are the main points of Dimmesdale's eloquent plea on page sixty-three. Be detailed.

For this, I have no idea, since I may not own the same copy of The Scarlet Letter as you. I apologize, but hope I have helped.

[daveknockwin]

can anyone help? i have to do a dialectical journal of the first 7 chapters. i have to get 10 quotes from each chapter and analyze them.

[Natalie]

Ah! I am so frustrated - if I had a copy with me I could be so helpful - I read the poo out of this book and analyzed it until I was blue in the face at one point in life. Damn it's good. Anyway - so sorry - wish I could help - but I will say - the process of studying this work is worth the journey.
(I'm a cheezeball)

[rhei_27]

A friend of mine suggested that I should read The Scarlet Letter and I tried reading it but unfortunately I didn't finished it. It was quite boring for me. Perhaps this sembreak I'll try to read it again.

[helmetless2002]

i know 8 of them 10 quotes that my teacher gave me
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1- Like all that pertain to crime it seemd never to habe known a youthful era. Before this ugly edifice and between it adn the wheel-track of hte street was a grass polot overgornw with burdok pigweed and apple peru and such unsightly vegetation which evidently foung something congenial in teh soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilized society a prison



2-I found them gorwing on a grave which boe no tombstone nor other memorial of the dead man save these ugly weeds that have taken apon themselves to keep in rememberance. t hey grew our of his heart adn typify...some hideosu secret hat was buried with him adn whuch he had done better to confess during his lifetime.


if someone would interpet those that would be sooooooooo appreaciated

[lankan]

Can anyone help me find meaningful quotes on hester and chillingworth?