"The child turned her eyes to the point indicated; and there lay the scarlet letter, so close upon the margin of the stream, that the gold embroidery was reflected in it." Pg. 162
An argument could almost be made that the scarlet letter acts as a dynamic character in this novel along with Hester and Dimmesdale. Indeed, the piece of fabric has an evolution throughout the work, because its connotation to Hester, Pearl, and the townspeople changes over the course of time and events. I will attempt to give my explanation of each evolution as I read them in the pages of this book. For Hester, the scarlet letter will always be a reminder of her affair with Dimmesdale and the public shame she must consequently endure. However, this quote above shows that the letter was also an instrument to her development, even if it was delayed. Over time the letter taught her that she could not be defined by it alone and that she truly loved Arthur regardless of the scrutiny such a relationship would cause. While it constantly admonished her, it also infused a confidence in Hester. For Pearl, the letter serves as her chief source of inquiry and entertainment. Because she lives away from the rest of the town with her mother, she is only exposed to adult behavior and quickly picks up on the differences in behavior her mom exhibits when in contact with the town. The letter is dynamic to Pearl because as a small child it was once normal but it grows into an obvious conspicous sign to her. For the townspeople, the letter represents their strict moral beliefs, but it also gives them the opportunity to develop forgiveness. Over time, they treat Hester less harshly and even begin to consider her a distinguishing mark for their town. Once chiefly important, the letter fades into the back of their minds.
I agree with everything you said! Although I didn't think of the scarlet letter acting as a dynamic character, I can definitely see what you mean. The scarlet letter means something different for everyone. In all of those differences, the way that people view the scarlet letter changes as well. I can definitely see why Nathaniel Hawthorne named the book the scarlet letter. A midst all of the other things that happen throughout this book, the scarlet letter is the main concept which connects everything.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the townspeople's interpretation of the scarlet letter is important, Probably more to Dimmesdale than to Hester. Hester's ridicule in town, despite the fact that she does not let it get to her, gauges the punishments that Dimmesdale administers to himself, aiming to make his pain worse than Hester's.
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