Agenda•1.BriefIntroductionofthePlot•2.TheScarlettLetterandPuritanism•3.ThewritingskillsinScarlettLetter.2.TheScarlettLetterandPuritanism•WhatthemainattitudeHawthorneheldinScarlettLetter?•MixedbutContradictoryPOSITIVE•EveryonecarriesthestainofSINDetails•Theywerehercountrywomen:andthebeefandaleoftheirnativeland,withamoraldietnotawhitmorerefined,enteredlargelyintotheircomposition.Thebrightmorningsun,therefore,shoneonbroadshouldersandwell-developedbusts,andonroundandruddycheeks,thathadripenedinthefar-offisland,andhadhardlyyetgrownpalerorthinnerintheatmosphereofNewEngland.(Chapter2)Details•InthatolddaytheEnglishsettlerontheserudeshores—havingleftking,nobles,andalldegreesofawfulrankbehind,whilestillthefacultyandnecessityofreverencewasstronginhim—bestoweditonthewhitehairandvenerablebrowofage—onlong-triedintegrity—onsolidwisdomandsad-colouredexperience—onendowmentsofthatgraveandweightyorderwhichgavetheideaofpermanence,andcomesunderthegeneraldefinitionofrespectability.(Chapter22)Negative•HesterPrynne•Thefighter•HesterPrynneimbibedthisspirit.Sheassumedafreedomofspeculation,thencommonenoughontheothersideoftheAtlantic,butwhichourforefathers,hadtheyknownit,wouldhaveheldtobeadeadliercrimethanthatstigmatisedbythescarletletter.•Rejection----Solitude----ThinkBeyondthePuritanismsphere•ArthurDimmesdale•Victim•InMr.Dimmesdale’ssecretcloset,underlockandkey,therewasabloodyscourge.Oftentimes,thisProtestantandPuritandivinehadplieditonhisownshoulders,laughingbitterlyathimselfthewhile,andsmitingsomuchthemorepitilesslybecauseofthatbitterlaugh.•Amongmanymoralswhichpressuponusfromthepoorminister’smiserableexperience,weputonlythisintoasentence:—‘Betrue!Betrue!Betrue!Showfreelytotheworld,ifnotyourworst,yetsometraitwherebytheworstmaybeinferred!’Details•Thewidecircumferenceofanelaborateruff,beneathhisgreybeard,intheantiquatedfashionofKingJames’sreign,causedhisheadtolooknotalittlelikethatofJohntheBaptistinacharger.•(Chapter8)Writhingskills•Symbol•Allthesegianttreesandbouldersofgraniteseemedintentonmakingamysteryofthecourseofthissmallbrook;fearing,perhaps,that,withitsnever-ceasingloquacity,itshouldwhispertalesoutoftheheartoftheoldforestwhenceitflowed,ormirroritsrevelationsonthesmoothsurfaceofapool.•Withthesewordssheadvancedtothemarginofthebrook,tookupthescarletletter,andfasteneditagainintoherbosom.Hopefully,butamomentago,asHesterhadspokenofdrowningitinthedeepsea,therewasasenseofinevitabledoomuponherasshethusreceivedbackthisdeadlysymbolfromthehandoffate.Closure•ManyachurchmembersawI,walkingbehindthemusic,thathasdancedinthesamemeasurewithme,whenSomebodywasfiddler,and,itmightbe,anIndianpowwoworaLaplandwizardchanginghandswithus!Thatisbutatrifle,whenawomanknowstheworld.(Chapter22)•Itboreadevice,aherald’swordingofwhichmayserveforamottoandbriefdescriptionofournowconcludedlegend;sosombreisit,andrelievedonlybyoneever-glowingpointoflightgloomierthantheshadow•‘ONAFIELD,SABLE,THELETTERA,GULES