Ch. 1 - 4 + Punishment by Seamus Heany

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Discussion of Ch. 1 to 4

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

(1804 - 1864)

published: 1850

https://www.sparknotes.com/nofear/lit/the-scarlet-letter/chapter-1/

Your first impression 

Draw a word web 

> show your first impression

> the book so far

> situation, setting, characters (list!)

Today's class:

1. Analysis ch. 1-4
2. Language and Style
3. Guided Questions
4. Central Theme + Another Text

Analysis ch. 1-4

Highlights per chapter

Themes 

 (Figurative) language and style

Figurative language

What is it?

Objects/characters > connected > symbolic meaning through simile, metaphor, allusion, personification,...

Language and Style

• long sentences (eg subclauses)
• many adjectives
• figurative language: metaphors, similes, symbols

symbolism, ch. 1

rosebush next to the prison door 

rosebush next to the prison door: human kindness > "the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him"

personification

"But on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-hush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in," 

The rose bush is personified to offer its fragrance to the prisoner.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

hyperbole

"as if her heart had been flung into the street for them all to spurn and trample upon." 

This line a hyperbole because it is exaggerating the extremities of the intensity surrounding Hester's situation.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

irony

"The scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as must always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame in a fellow-creature, before society shall have grown corrupt enough to smile, instead of shuddering at it. " 

The irony in this line is how they are suppose be a positive and pure society, yet the society has become corrupt enough to smile at another's punishment rather than shuddering at it.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

simile

"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." 

This simile is comparing the emotion taking over Roger Chillingworth's face to a snake gliding in plain sight.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

simile

"He now dug into the poor clergyman's heart, like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving into a grave, possibly in quest of a jewel that had been buried on the dead man's bosom, but likely to find nothing save mortality and corruption."

A simile is being used to compare Chillingworth digging into Dimmedale's heart to a miner searching for gold, or sexton delving into a grave.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

metaphor

"Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me, too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a millionfold the power of retribution for my sin?"

This is a metaphor because Hester is directly comparing Pearl to her scarlet letter. She says that Pearl reminds her of her sins, as does the scarlet letter.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

hyperbole

"as if her heart had been flung into the street for them all to spurn and trample upon." 

This line a hyperbole because it is exaggerating the extremities of the intensity surrounding Hester's situation.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

irony

"The scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as must always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame in a fellow-creature, before society shall have grown corrupt enough to smile, instead of shuddering at it. " 

The irony in this line is how they are suppose be a positive and pure society, yet the society has become corrupt enough to smile at another's punishment rather than shuddering at it.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

simile (1)

"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." 

This simile is comparing the emotion taking over Roger Chillingworth's face to a snake gliding in plain sight.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

simile (2)

"He now dug into the poor clergyman's heart, like a miner searching for gold; or, rather, like a sexton delving into a grave, possibly in quest of a jewel that had been buried on the dead man's bosom, but likely to find nothing save mortality and corruption."

A simile is being used to compare Chillingworth digging into Dimmedale's heart to a miner searching for gold, or sexton delving into a grave.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

metaphor

"Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me, too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a millionfold the power of retribution for my sin?"

This is a metaphor because Hester is directly comparing Pearl to her scarlet letter. She says that Pearl reminds her of her sins, as does the scarlet letter.

source: https://macknotebook.weebly.com/literary-devices.html

General themes TSL

https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-scarlet-letter/themes

some major themes highlighted:

Sin 

Adultery 

Punishment

       Sin and punishment

Discussion question from the workbook: the role of women and the types of reactions to Hester's plight we may expect from women. 

supportive? merciful? sympathetic? hostile?

Adultery is perceived as  great sin. Instead of death, however, they (the town fathers) make Hester stand on a platform for three hours , and wear a scarlet letter “A” on her bosom.

 'Punishment', a poem by Seamus Heaney 

here's a reading: 

Compare and Contrast

Background poem

An Irish girl marrying a British soldier was considered an adulteress, seen as an act of betraying Irish nationalism.

For this 'sin' there was only one possible punishment: execution by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) 

Similarities and Contrast:

themes: sin and punishment

figurative language

adulteress > punished 

time perspective 

Punishment - Seamus Heaney

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsoUBO0qRQg

https://allpoetry.com/poem/11645373-Punishment-by-Seamus-Heaney

Further reading: analysis of Punishment

https://owlcation.com/humanities/Analysis-of-Poem-Punishment-by-Seamus-Heaney

Questions?

What to do for the 2T? > send text 5 school days prior to 2T!

The Scarlet Letter?

Group work?