The Scarlet Letter Pearls Impact on Main Themes free essay sample

Impact on the Main Themes In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Pearl is a bastard child living in Boston during the 1600’s. Although she is the youngest character, she is arguably the most important because she emphasizes the main points in the story indirectly through her observations and questions. Two of the main points are that the scarlet letter represents sin and that sin is an inevitable part of life. Throughout most of the book, all the townspeople and even her own daughter, Pearl, associates the scarlet letter as a symbol of adultery, which is a sin. During their walk in the forest, Pearl makes several comments that reveal her opinions on the impact of the scarlet letter in her mother’s life. Firstly, she points out that â€Å"the sunshine does not love† her mother and when it sees her, the sunshine â€Å"runs and hides itself† due to the fact that â€Å"it is afraid of something on [her] bosom† (Hawthorne 220). We will write a custom essay sample on The Scarlet Letter: Pearls Impact on Main Themes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In this context, the sunshine refers to the innocence and the pureness of oneself which is the opposite of the scarlet letter, which represents sin. Because Hester committed adultery and is forced to wear the scarlet letter, the sunshine does not shine upon her because she is neither pure nor innocent. Additionally, the sunshine is also a representation of the community, because they too tend to ostracize her for the same exact reason. Since the sunshine and the scarlet letter are two polar opposites, they tend to avoid each other. In contrast, Pearl realizes that she is â€Å"a child† and since she does not â€Å"wear [anything] on [her] bosom†, then the sunshine will not flee from her (Hawthorne 221). Pearl indirectly makes the connection that the scarlet letter is a negative symbol, due to the fact that sunshine tries to avoid her mother, who wears it all the time. Conversely, due to the fact that she is a child and does not bear the sinful meaning of the scarlet letter on her bosom, the sunshine welcomes her under its rays. Even from a very young age, Pearl understands that the scarlet letter dictates her mother in every way. She also understands that it is a symbol of sin and nothing good can amount to it since sinful people are often ignored. Similarly to the point mentioned above, Pearl again, indirectly finds out that sin is a part of growing up. After making the association that the scarlet letter is a sinful thing, she tells her mother that she does not wear the scarlet letter yet. Hester responds to Pearl and says that she hopefully never will. Pearl is confused, and proceeds to ask her mother if the scarlet letter â€Å"will not come of its own accord when [she] [is] woman grown† (Hawthorne 221). The confusion among the young character reveals that she believes that her mother represents all the women in the community. By that, Pearl essentially believes that it is only natural that all people will eventually become sinful and bear the scarlet letter to represent it. It is a valid point but, Hester does not tell her whether she’s correct with the assumption. Instead, Hester avoids the topic and tells Pearl to â€Å"runaway†¦and catch the sunshine! It will soon be gone† (Hawthorne 221). Hester’s response can be interpreted in both a literal and figurative way. The literal response is telling her daughter to run and play before its starts getting dark. The figurative meaning is much more complex. In the paragraph above, sunshine has already been identified as ones pureness and innocence. When Hester tells her daughter that the sunshine is receding and advises Pearl to catch it while she still can, she is emphasizing the fact that sin is a part of life. Like the rotation of the sun, there comes a time in the day where it sets and all becomes dark. Pearl is currently pure and innocent because she is in the sunlight. However, her mother warns her that the sunlight is not going to be present forever and once it gets dark, she too will be sinful. The combined information about Pearl’s assumption and Hester’s figurative response to her daughter reveals to the reader that sin is an inevitable part of life. Pearl, being the youngest character, does not have the maturity to understand the complex world around her. However, her indirect observations and questions highlight the main points in the story. In this case, a few lines of her interaction with her mother reveals that her mother’s scarlet letter is a representation of sin and that sin is an inevitable part of life, which Hawthorne feels very strongly about.

Free Essays on The Concept Of Diversity

Diversity is the â€Å" differences and similarities in the experiences, needs, and beliefs of people. â€Å" (Lum, pg 3.) There are many ways to classify diversities yet all agree that diversities are not a choice. Diversities relates to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and size to name a few. The experiences of diversity that a person has make up their life. â€Å" Finding out about these multiple identities which shape the critical consciousness of an individual is part of understanding the unique diversity of a person.â€Å"(Lum, pg40.) My Own Diversity What makes me diverse? I am a female, a mother, student, computer operator, 35, Caucasian, single, Irish, English, American Indian, a Veteran, and an actor. I was born in Michigan however, my dad was in the military so, we moved. Following in my father’s footsteps I also joined the military this exposed me to 45 different states and 7 different countries. With the exposure to different lifestyles nothing is as shocking as it was when I first joined the military. My morals have not changed, just the way I apply them to others. What I expect from myself in the next 5 years is to finish my MFA in Theater and to continue raising my children to the best of my ability. The Diversity of a Group Native Americans have 55 different tribes in North America. Even though it seems that this is a large number of tribes, it was not until the census in the 1990 that more people declared their ancestry. Native Americans were forced into assimilation in earlier years because of their heritage; however, in today’s society the Native Americans are protected by Constitutional amendments, which allow them to preserve their heritage. With the approval of the gaming laws on Native American Reservations, it provides Native Americans employment and a growth in income. Yet with all the progression that the Native American society has made a misconception of teepee’s and alcoholics still exists in... Free Essays on The Concept Of Diversity Free Essays on The Concept Of Diversity Diversity is the â€Å" differences and similarities in the experiences, needs, and beliefs of people. â€Å" (Lum, pg 3.) There are many ways to classify diversities yet all agree that diversities are not a choice. Diversities relates to age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and size to name a few. The experiences of diversity that a person has make up their life. â€Å" Finding out about these multiple identities which shape the critical consciousness of an individual is part of understanding the unique diversity of a person.â€Å"(Lum, pg40.) My Own Diversity What makes me diverse? I am a female, a mother, student, computer operator, 35, Caucasian, single, Irish, English, American Indian, a Veteran, and an actor. I was born in Michigan however, my dad was in the military so, we moved. Following in my father’s footsteps I also joined the military this exposed me to 45 different states and 7 different countries. With the exposure to different lifestyles nothing is as shocking as it was when I first joined the military. My morals have not changed, just the way I apply them to others. What I expect from myself in the next 5 years is to finish my MFA in Theater and to continue raising my children to the best of my ability. The Diversity of a Group Native Americans have 55 different tribes in North America. Even though it seems that this is a large number of tribes, it was not until the census in the 1990 that more people declared their ancestry. Native Americans were forced into assimilation in earlier years because of their heritage; however, in today’s society the Native Americans are protected by Constitutional amendments, which allow them to preserve their heritage. With the approval of the gaming laws on Native American Reservations, it provides Native Americans employment and a growth in income. Yet with all the progression that the Native American society has made a misconception of teepee’s and alcoholics still exists in...

12 Angry Men Essay Example For Students

12 Angry Men Essay Every man put on trial is considered innocent until proven guilty. In 12 Angry Men Essay this theory can almost be considered false to the jurors involved in this murder case. But one man can be credited with sticking to the innocent until proven guilty theory that most likely saved a mans life. This juror must show 11 other jurors that he can prove with enough valid evidence that this boy is be wrongfully accused of killing his father. Reginald Rose shows us how that one mans integrity can prove to make a big difference in a kids life. Juror #8 can be credited with saving someones life. Under intense and hostile scrutiny juror #8 is the only juror to vote not guilty on the stabbing death of a boys father. #8 doesnt believe straight out that this boy is innocent of this crime. #8 believes that it would wrong to send a boy off to be executed without discussing it first. Jurors #3 and #10 are the most hostile of the jurors. They believe deep down that this boy killed his father. They believe that everything they heard in the courtroom holds true and they dont really want to see this kid live any longer. Juror #8 still had reasonable doubt about the murder. He doesnt want to vote guilty until he has enough evidence that this boy did indeed kill his father. Many different points are made about the boy who supposedly stabbed his father, that are cross examined well by juror #8 who still stands alone at not guilty. All of the evidence that the 11 jurors found contains flaws in them. For instance the woman who supposedly witnessed the stabbing wasnt wearing her glasses. Also the stab wound in the boys father was made so that a taller man or boy could have made that type of wound with a switchblade knife. When these key pieces of evidence becomes clearer to the 11 jurors we start to see jurors questioning there own guilty vote. #9 is the second juror to vote guilty, because he too has some reasonable doubt. As more evidence is put on the table the 12 jurors come together and decide that this boy is innocent. In conclusion, juror #8 believes that every person is innocent until proven guilty. He was given many pieces of key evidence that showed this boys guilt but the evidence was examined carefully, and as more evidence was put out more jurors believed this boy was indeed innocent bringing them all together to believe this boys innocence English Essays .

Discussion 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Discussion 6 - Essay Example They have very accurately turned their tourism into an ecotourism which actually deals with tourism on educational basis and does not necessarily require the encouragement of buildings and economic activity. In result they can emphasis more on research and development in a professional way. They are also practicing â€Å"sustainable development† with the development of more â€Å"national parks† which lemmatize the economic constraints. Every tourism industry is based on some guiding principles and follows specific rules and regulations. Moreover the authorities, which majorly work under the government make sure to follow every rule to make tourism successful. They promote understanding and enjoyment of the national reserves and parks, conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of a country and seek to foster the economic and social well-being of the country by working closely with local

E-Commerce Purchasing Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

E-Commerce Purchasing Behaviour - Assignment Example 5. I worry about providing financial and personal information, whether it’s safe to use a credit card; retailers have sufficient controls in place to keep my data safe; personal information remains private 6. The web vendor would be competent, honest, and not seek to take advantage of me. For me, it’s important that the product be delivered in a timely fashion, that a web vendor be honest in its dealings and not seek to take advantage of its customers 12. I believe that airline websites have the necessary technology knowledge, will perform to the utmost for their customers’ benefit, and that technical failure is pretty unlikely. I can always predict the performance of the websites from my past experience. I tend to relax when I’m dealing with airline websites; they demonstrate the airlines’ belief that the customer is always right 19. A trustworthy website will ensure the product is reliable; an online store that seems reliable will encourage me to repurchase more often. I will repurchase if the purchase terms and conditions are clear and the technical infrastructure is dependable 5. I worry about providing financial and personal information, whether it’s safe to use a credit card; e-commerce retailers have sufficient controls in place to keep my data safe; personal information remains private 6. The e-commerce vendor would be competent, honest, and not seek to take advantage of me. For me, it’s important that the product be delivered in a timely fashion, that an online vendor be honest in its dealings and not seek to take advantage of its customers 12. I believe that airline websites have the necessary technology knowledge, will perform to the utmost for their customers’ benefit, and that technical failure is pretty unlikely. I can always predict the online performance from my past experience. I tend to relax when I’m dealing with airline

Characterisation Essay Example for Free

Characterisation Essay Main character: The character that plays the biggest role in the plot of the story. Major character: Characters that play a big role in the story. Minor character: Characters that play a minor role in the story. Round characters: Round characters are like real people. They have complex, multi-dimensional personalities. They are capable of growing and changing. They are often, but not always, major characters. Flat characters: They have one-dimensional personalities. They represent or portray one particular characteristic. They are a type, e. g. the jealous lover, the fool or the grumpy, old man. They are often, but not always, minor characters. Dynamic characters: They change as a result of their experiences. Static characters: They do not learn from their experiences, and, thus, remain unchanged. How does the author convey character? 1. Telling: The narrator tells how the character is, feels, thinks, etc. 2. Showing: The character reveals his or her personality through what the character says and does. 3. Setting: The author might use the setting (time and place) to say something about the character, e.g. about the character’s emotions or feelings. 4. Comparison to other characters: It might be useful to analyse how the character relate to the other characters in the story, e.g. if there are characters that are in opposition to, or different from, the character in question. 5. Appearance: The character’s clothes, looks and general appearance can often tell us something about the character’s personality. Questions to ask when analysing characters: 1. Is the character a main, major or minor character? 2. Is it a round or a flat character? 3. Is it a dynamic or a static character? 4. Does the author reveal the character through showing or telling, or both? 5. What does the way the character speaks reveal about his character? 6. What does his behaviour reveal about his character?  7. Is she similar or different from other characters in the story? How does she relate to the other characters? 8. Has the setting shaped the character’s personality? 9. Does the setting reflect the character’s mood or emotional state?

Man vs. Himself: Betrayal and Abandonment Shown in Arthur Miller’s Deat

Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman tells the story of a man trying and failing to obtain success for him and his family. Willy Loman, a traveling salesman, has been trying to ‘make it big’ for the majority of his life. Miller’s play explores the themes of abandonment and betrayal and their effects on life’s success. Willy sees himself as being abandoned by his older brother, Ben, and constantly views his sibling’s betrayal as one that changed his prospects forever. Willy, in turn, is guilty of a different type of abandonment and betrayal of his sons, especially Biff. Willy first experiences abandonment through the actions of his brother, Ben Loman. In the first act, Willy sees Ben in his dream, â€Å"walking away down some open road; I was going to find father in Alaska†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Miller 1575). Willy continues a discussion with his brother in which Ben lies and jokingly admits going to Africa. Willy regrets not going with Ben to Africa, because that is where Ben became rich. Because he was not as successful as his brother, Willy views Ben’s going to Africa as a betrayal. Willy’s issues with abandonment began at a young age. He suffered a lot emotionally and he strived to find a role model. This emotional instability and lack of a role model continued to affect Willy later in life physically, Centola makes the comment â€Å"something which often surfaces in his contradictory statements and emotional outbursts† (1). Willy would be vigorous, energetic, and nimble for one minute and then moody, sulky, and cheerless the next. This abandonment and self-worth continued to suffer and became evident when he started a family of his own. This motif of abandonment and betrayal is carried through to Willy’s son, Biff. Biff feels betrayed whe... ... in a cyclical fashion. The Loman family gets so wrapped up in betrayal that it eventually takes someone’s death for the family to finally be ‘free’. Works Cited Centola, Steven R. "Family Values in Death of a Salesman." CLA Journal 37.1 (Sept. 1993): 29-41. Literature Resource Center. Web. 7 Dec. 2010. Martin, Robert A. "The Nature of Tragedy in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." South Atlantic Review 61.4 (Fall 1996): 97-106. Literature Resource Center. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. Miller, Arthur. â€Å"Death of a Salesman.† The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Alison Booth, J. Paul Hunter, and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton, 2005. 1556-1621 Print. Ribkoff, Fred. "Shame, Guilt, Empathy, and the Search for Identity in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman." Modern Drama 43.1 (Spring 2000): 48-55. Literature Resource Center. Web. 2 Dec. 2010.