Tuesday, January 15, 2013

End of Scarlet Letter

I was surprised that I was actually pleased with the ending of this book. I was expecting some non dramatic ending that would leave me hanging with an ultimate question about life. The way that Hawthorne ended the book answered questions and left the reader feeling satisfied. When Dimmesdale finishes his sermon, he finally grants Pearl her wish and invites them onto the scaffolding. He relies on Hester for her support and strength again like he did in the woods, as he finally confesses to the townspeople that he is the "one sinner of the world." When he takes off his shirt some of the townspeople claim they saw a red A on his chest similar to Hester's.
He then falls down and Pearl goes over to kiss him. Her kiss was like the kiss of death and shortly afterwards he dies. I'm happy that he tells the secret before he dies and I find the saying he finally "got it off his chest" ironic in this sense. Soon after Dimmesdale dies, Chillingworth dies as well. He most likely dies because as a leech he has nothing left to feed on or suck the life out of, ultimately giving him no purpose. Hester still wears the A which shows her strong will carrying through until the very end. The A represents her and the life she lived in this town and when she dies and is buried an A is placed on her gravestone that she shares with Dimmesdale. The A connects them for eternity and stands for the misery and pain they both felt for so long. Pearl finally becomes a human. Her only purpose was to torment her parents into revealing the truth, being the result of their sin.
I also liked how in the ending Hawthorne explained the fate of each of the characters and what came of them. It provided closure and some sort of explanation for the rest of the book. Overall I liked the book, even though at times it frustrated me. Bravo Hawthorne.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Dream Symbolism

Symbolism in dreams is interpreted by viewing ourselves and around the world us, it is a comparison that is brought to life by association. Similar to dreams, in literature they are used to better understand the underlying reasons for different actions or happenings that occur. In Lecture X, it said that symbols are stable translations that assist interpretation. The Interpretation of Dreams written by Freud, highlights the importance of dream symbolism and how it can be used to reveal inner desires and impulses. He states that nothing you do happens by chance; and all actions and thoughts are intertwined and controlled by some inner desire.(http://books.google.com/books?id=Sfz0l6WSqFgC&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=Introductory+Lecture+%22Symbolism+i#v=onepage&q=Introductory%20Lecture%20%22Symbolism%20i&f=false) By using dream interpretation in literature we can see the "id" (inner impulses, pleasures, desires, and urges) of the different characters.(http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtheory/freud.htm) This helps us better understand their motives and reasons for certain actions. It allows the reader to view the literature in a different way, further exposing them to hidden symbols.

The male genitals are represented in dreams as being anxious about someone or something in your life. Some of the common symbols are sticks, pencils, weapons, or fountains. The more difficult to understand but also the more popular is the symbol of reptiles, especially the snake.(http://www.dreamforth.com/search.php?query=snake&page) The snake in dreams represents repressed sexual desire or an inner conflict about how to express or experience ones sexuality. Snakes resemble the original sin, for it was a snake that convinced Adam and Eve to eat the apple.

Roger Chillingworth is introduced and his facial features are described as "A writhing horror twisted itself across his features, like a snake gliding swiftly over them, and making one little pause, with all its wreathed intervolutions in open sight." (57) He is described similarly to a snake which symbolizes the male genitals. But if looked at more in depth the word choice also represents those that describe snakes. Intervolution is the state of being coiled up, very similar to the shape of snakes when they are coiled up. Snakes represent the original sin which is a symbol for all of our sins. Roger Chillingworth stands for temptation, evil intentions, and all other sinful desires that one may have. By hiding his true identity he is "slithering" around. The snake in dreams or literature can represent someone who is heartless or evil, and in this case Roger Chillingworth is plotting revenge against Hester and is a cruel person.

The female genitals can be represented by jewels and treasures. They stand for someone who is loved deeply by the person or character being observed. (http://books.google.com/books?id=Sfz0l6WSqFgC&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=Introductory+Lecture+%22Symbolism+i) By naming Hester's daughter Pearl it symbolizes that Pearl is a treasure and worth a lot to her. "She had named the infant Pearl, as being of great price,-purchased with all she had,- her mother's only treasure!" (81) She is all Hester has and is the richest thing in her life. It is ironic that society punished her for her terrible sin, yet the sin graced her with a wonderful gift. Pearl is someone who is invaluable to her because the price she had to pay for her was her reputation and dignity. Hester passed along her stubborness, passion, and curiosity to her baby. Pearl is aware she is different, while her mother may consider her a gem, society views her as an outcast and as a product of sin. Even though she is a lovely child that is her mother's world, she is also a constant reminder that she was what caused the scarlet letter to be branded into Hester's life permanently. 






http://www.dreamforth.com/search.php?query=snake&page=1

http://books.google.com/books?id=Sfz0l6WSqFgC&pg=PA183&lpg=PA183&dq=Introductory+Lecture+%22Symbolism+i


http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtheory/freud.htm