Communicating Through Music in Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin Essay

Generally, solid family connections have been stressed by American culture. Solid family ties have been critical to keeping up sound ways of life and connections across numerous societies, including African American culture. Sonny, the more youthful sibling in James Baldwin’s â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, has experienced a heroin habit which made him separate from the two his folks and his more established sibling. The paper depicts two siblings who battle with their troublesome Harlem condition, social issues, and their enthusiastic separation from each other. As the siblings battle with their inward clashes and outward ecological battles, they are brought together through a typical subject in the paper: music. Baldwin engages Sonny with an endowment of unprecedented musicianship, and utilizations this blessing to illuminate and enable the storyteller. Baldwin’s exposition portrays the preliminaries of the storyteller on his excursion to self-disclosure and the s iblings preliminary of remaking their thoughtful bond with music as their guide. The paper utilizes music as a type of correspondence between the siblings and represents it as an amazing power in their relationship. In Baldwin’s exposition, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, the storyteller and Sonny are enabled through music, and through this strengthening, the music can revive and remake the siblings relationship. During the primary portion of the twentieth century, Harlem turned into a central hub for African American culture and thoughts. Home to the Harlem Renaissance, Harlem housed numerous powerful African American pioneers and affected quite a bit of African American culture of the twentieth century. Harlem’s populace detonated during the 1920s-30s because of the Harlem Renaissance, and kept on growing until arriving at its top during the 1950s. The time of the 195... ...frican American Musicians as Artists, Critics, and Activists. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 2002. 54-100. EBSCOhost. Web. 8 May 2015. Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin. Short Story Criticism. Ed. Anna Sheets-Nesbitt. Vol. 33. Detroit: Gale Group, 1999. 115-157. Writing Criticism Online. Hurricane. Web. 3 May 2015. http://galenet.galegroup.com.db24.linccweb.org/servlet/LitCrit/lincclin_spjc/FJ3593150004 Tracey, Sherard. Sonny’s Bebop: Baldwin's Blues Text as Intracultural Critique. African American Review32.4 (1998): 691-705. JSTOR. Web. 9 May 2015. .

Chronicle of a Death Foretold theme anaylsis Essay Example For Students

Account of a Death Foretold topic anaylsis Essay In the novella Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Gabriel Garcia Marquez recounts to an account of a man whom two siblings murder for the sake of respect. This story happens in the ahead of schedule to mid twentieth century in a poor agrarian town in Columbia, South America. Santiago Nasar has been named as the man that took Angela Vicarios virginity and the twin siblings must slaughter him to reestablish respect to their familys name. This town is an extremely little very close network where everybody knows every other person and the vast majority are connected here and there. When something incorrectly happens to a family in this network, the entire town is wronged as it were. Since the individuals in this network are poor the main way they can win and keep regard is respect. Respect is, basically, the main thing individuals in little networks, for example, this one have, close to family. In the event that a family is disrespected in this network, they lose the regard of the network and either reestablish respect, move out of the network, or live in disgrace in the network, the last of which is never a choice. So when the siblings discover their sisters virginity has been taken by another man and disgraced their family, they should reestablish respect to the familys name and slaughter the man who did it. I think the topic of this novella is the means by which significant respect is in a little network, for example, the one in this story. The novella begins with the passing of the primary character, Santiago Nasar. After that the story begins before Angela Vicarios wedding and works up to the homicide. After we, the peruser, discover that Santiago Nasar is going to pass on we discover why. The story begins several days prior to the wedding when everybody is anticipating the appearance of the neighborhood priest. A rich child of a legislator goes to the town to discover a lady of the hour. The affluent man, Bayardo San Roman, finds a lady, Angela Vicario, and concludes that he needs to wed her. The Vicario family is moderately poor and must choose the option to part with their little girl to Bayardo. Angela Vicario just challenged allude to the burden of an absence of adoration, yet her mom wrecked it with a solitary expression: Love can be adapted as well' (p. 35). The mother discloses to Angela that despite the fact that she doesn't cherish Bayardo and has never met him she will figure out how to adore him, similarly as Mr. also, Mrs. Vicario figured out how to cherish one another. And all he needed to do was show up on the running board for everybody to understand that Bayardo San Roman would wed whomever he picked. It was Angela Vicario who didnt need to wed him. He appeared to be an over the top man for me, she let me know. Moreover, Bayardo San Roman hadnt even attempted to court her, yet had beguiled the family with his appeal (p. 34). Since Bayardo is a well off man the Vicario family gets an opportunity to raise their economic wellbeing inside their locale just by being connected, by marriage, with Bayardo San Roman. Normally the family needs to make the most of this open door regardless of whether Angela wouldn't like to wed Bayardo. From the outset the Vicario siblings, Pedro and Pablo, don't have the foggiest idea or like Bayardo San Roman, however in the wake of a monotonous night of drinking with him they are excited that he will end up being their brother by marriage. After the wedding the entire network is welcome to the enormous after gathering that proceeds considerably after the recently marries leave the gathering to perfect the marriage. Adventitiously, the Vicario siblings and Santiago Nasar remain up the entire evening drinking at the neighborhood whorehouse ignorant that the following morning they will slaughter Santiago. .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 , .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .postImageUrl , .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .focused content territory { min-stature: 80px; position: relative; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 , .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:hover , .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:visited , .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:active { border:0!important; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .clearfix:after { content: ; show: table; clear: both; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 { show: square; progress: foundation shading 250ms; webkit-change: foundation shading 250ms; width: 100%; mistiness: 1; change: darkness 250ms; webkit-change: haziness 250ms; foundation shading: #95A5A6; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:active , .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:hover { murkiness: 1; progress: obscurity 250ms; webkit-progress: obscurity 250ms; foundation shading: #2C3E50; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .focused content region { width: 100%; position: rela tive; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .ctaText { outskirt base: 0 strong #fff; shading: #2980B9; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: striking; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; content design: underline; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .postTitle { shading: #FFFFFF; text dimension: 16px; textual style weight: 600; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; width: 100%; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .ctaButton { foundation shading: #7F8C8D!important; shading: #2980B9; fringe: none; outskirt span: 3px; box-shadow: none; text dimension: 14px; textual style weight: intense; line-tallness: 26px; moz-outskirt sweep: 3px; content adjust: focus; content embellishment: none; content shadow: none; width: 80px; min-tallness: 80px; foundation: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/modules/intelly-related-posts/resources/pictures/straightforward arrow.png)no-rehash; position: total; right: 0; top: 0; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:hover .ctaButton { foundation shading: #34495E!important; } . u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641 .focused content { show: table; tallness: 80px; cushioning left: 18px; top: 0; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641-content { show: table-cell; edge: 0; cushioning: 0; cushioning right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-adjust: center; width: 100%; } .u51e69ffc884964659f3defcc140d9641:after { content: ; show: square; clear: both; } READ: How to Tame a Wild Tongue and The Squirrel Mother EssayWhen Bayardo and Angela attempt to perfect the marriage, he discovers that she is certifiably not a virgin and he restores her to her family in disfavor. The siblings, who show up home after Angela is returned, discover that she is anything but a virgin, as indicated by Bayardo, and ask her who shamed their family by taking her virginity. In spite of the fact that it is muddled to the peruser, she says that Santiago Nasar has taken her virginity. Since the familys name has been disrespected, the best way to reestablish respect is slaughter Santiago Nasar. The following morning, the Vicario siblings stroll around town searching for Santiago and telling everybody in the town that they are going to execute him. A great many people don't trust them since they thought the siblings were kidding and still alcoholic from the earlier night. Nearly the entire town, with the exception of Santiago Nasar, discovers that the Vicario siblings need to slaughter him, yet nobody makes enough of an effort to prevent it from occurring. At a certain point, the city hall leader takes the blades they intend to use from the siblings and sends them home. At that point they return home and get more blades and come back to town notice everybody that they are going to slaughter Santiago. Santiagos companion Cristo Bedoya runs all around town attempting to discover Santiago yet is past the point of no return with the message. In any event, during the homicide Santiago never discovers why the Vicario siblings need to slaughter him. After the homicide, the Vicario family departs town, the Vicario siblings are each condemned to three years in jail, and when they get out Pablo weds his previous sweetheart and Pedro goes into the military. Angela Vicario, who presently lives with her mom, acknowledges she has begun to look all starry eyed at Bayardo San Roman and composes a letter ordinarily for a long time to him. Despite the fact that he never opens the letters he comes back to Angela and they get hitched. All in all, the entire book rotates around the topic of how significant respect is to a little, ruined network, for example, the one in this book. At the point when you are poor, you have no significant resources aside from your family and your respect. On the off chance that you don't have respect, at that point in all likelihood your family doesn't simply by affiliation. So in the event that you have no respect, at that point you don't have anything. The homicide of Santiago Nasar was a respect murdering. Despite the fact that the family moved away after the homicide it was normal by a great many people in the network as the best way to reestablish the great name of the family. Respect executing was an excepted type of common obligation that the men in a family should perform on the off chance that they would prefer not to be marked as outsiders and avoided in the general public. Since the siblings just got three years in jail, the peruser can tell that the respect slaughtering was an excepted type of revenge by a family. The peruser and the storyteller never discover why Angela Vicario named Santiago Nasar, yet the tattle in the town says that it was to secure her first darling, which is never affirmed in light of the fact that Angela stays away forever to her alleged sweetheart after the murdering.

5 Books to Read While Staring Death in the Face The List List #351

5 Books to Read While Staring Death in the Face The List List #351 The List List, a weekly roundup of the best bookish lists, is sponsored by The Plus One  from HarperCollins 360. Polly Spencer is single and turning thirty, but seriously, she’s fine. Even if she’s still stuck at Posh! magazine writing about royal babies and the chances of finding a plus one to her best friend’s summer wedding are looking worryingly slim. But it’s a new year, and Polly’s determined that over the next 365 days she’ll remember to shave her legs, drink less wine, and get her s**t together. Her latest piece is on the infamous Jasper, Marquess of Milton, undoubtedly neither a plus one nor ‘the one.’ She’s heard the storiesâ€"there’s no way she’ll succumb to his charms… at Brightly, 15 Great Read-Aloud Books for Older Kids at Bustle, 20 New Books to Read This Summer, According to Authors at Electric Literature, 10 Charming Jerks in Fiction at Epic Reads, 13 Young Adult Anthologies and Short Story Collections Your Shelves Will Thank You For at the Guardian, 10 Teenage Friendships in FictionFrom Dicken to Ferrante at LitHub, 5 Books of Narrative History at Paste Magazine, 10 Must-Listen Audiobooks for Wedding Season at Read It Forward, Our Favorite Memoirs from the Last 10 Years at Riveted Lit, 11 Inspiring Books for New Graduates at TIME, The 10 Best Nonfiction Books of 2019 So Far at Tor, 5 Books to Read While Staring Death in the Face at the Washington Post, 20 Books to Read This Summer

Essay about The Power of Horace McCoy’s They Shoot...

The Power of Horace McCoy’s They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Professor’s Comment: The premise of this essay is to highlight the capacity of Noir literature to defy Modernist values and pioneer later avant-garde literary movements. This student produced a focused, organized, well supported essay. Nearly half a century has passed since most films and texts in the Noir tradition were created, yet one may wonder how much is really known about these popular American products. Scholars remain fascinated by many aspects of Film Noir, yet it appears that its fictional precursors (such as the texts of Cain, McCoy and Hammett) may have been too quickly ignored within the canon. Many have enthusiastically studied, for example, Film Noir’s†¦show more content†¦In its commitment to entropy and semi-nihilistic sense of an ending, They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? expresses Post-Modern themes of chaos and anarchy, and critiques of Modernist (a) meta-narrative, (b) idealism and (c) abstract theorizing. In order to discuss such reiteration and negation of Modernist themes in the novel, a brief discussion of Modernism is necessary. The term ‘Modernism’ refers to the drastic shift in aesthetic and cultural values of art and literature following the First World War. The movement marked a noticeable break from the ordered, stable and inherently ‘meaningful’ texts of the nineteenth century and from Victorian optimism, instead presenting a profoundly pessimistic picture of society. In literature, Modernism became synonymous with the works of Eliot, Joyce, Woolf, Yeats, Pound and Stein, among others. Recognizing the failure of language to ever fully communicate meaning (â€Å"That’s not it at all, that’s not what I meant at all† laments Eliot’s Prufrock), the Modernists were usually more concerned with an exploration of form than the development of content. In doing so, it established a new fragmented, non-chronological style of poetic narration and form. Modernism’s acclaimed emphasis on formal experimentation, however, was also the source of its derision: the movement was

Develop a Complete Student Code of Conduct

Many schools incorporate a student code of conduct that they expect their students to follow. It should mirror the overall mission and vision of the school. A well-written student code of conduct should be simple and cover basic expectations that each student should meet. It should entail the essential elements that if followed will lead to student success. In other words, it should serve as the blueprint that allows every student to succeed. A well-written student code of conduct is simple in nature including only the most critical expectations.   The needs and limiting factors in each school are different. As such, schools must develop and adopt a student code of conduct that is tailored to their specific needs.   Developing an authentic and meaningful student code of conduct should become a school-wide effort that involves school leaders, teachers, parents, students, and community members. Every stakeholder should have input as to what should be included in the student code of conduct. Providing others a voice leads to buy-in and gives the student code of conduct more authenticity. The student code of conduct should be evaluated every year and changed whenever it is necessary to fit the ever-shifting needs of the school community. Sample Student Code of Conduct While attending school during regular hours or during school-sponsored activities, students are expected to follow these basic rules, procedures, and expectations: Your first priority at school is to learn. Avoid distractions that interfere with or are counter-intuitive to that mission.Be in the assigned place with appropriate materials, ready to work at the designated time that class begins.Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself and never intentionally harm another student.Use school appropriate language and behavior at all times while maintaining friendly and courteous behavior.Be polite and respectful to everyone including students, teachers, administrators, support staff, and visitors.Follow individual teacher instructions, class rules, and expectations at all times.Do not be a bully. If you see someone being bullied, intervene by telling them to stop or immediately report it to school personnel.Do not become a distraction for others. Give every other student the opportunity to maximize their potential. Encourage your fellow students. Never tear them down.School attendance and participation in class are an essential part of the education al process. Regular attendance at school is necessary for student success. Furthermore, it allows students to achieve the maximum possible benefits from their educational experience. All students are encouraged to be present and prompt. School attendance is the responsibility of both parents and students.Represent yourself in a manner that you will be proud of in ten years. You only get one opportunity to get life right. Take advantage of the opportunities you have at school. They will help you be successful throughout your life.

Stereotypes Free Essays

In todays’ society it seems as though everyone is placed into a stereotype that has been developed of every race and how everyone within that race acts/or is. Stereotyping is an issue that affects all races and gender. If someone were to ask what is a women supposed to do when they grow up, is the typical response still to get married, be a stay at home wife and mother, while the father figure of the family goes to work to support the family? What about the women who don’t want to stay at home, the women who want to go and have a career? Stereotypes are present in everyday life, placing the idea that you are only allowed to do what is described in that stereotype. We will write a custom essay sample on Stereotypes or any similar topic only for you Order Now Women are not only affected by what a typical women should do stereotype, but as well as race stereotypes or stereotypes that are based on characteristics that are attained. Women are slowly, but surely starting to change the typically stereotype of them along with proving that they are more than just this object they are looked at as. Stereotypes are present in our lives from when we are a young age. Children’s’ television shows are just as guilty of this problem as regular television shows are. Dora the Explorer, for example, that teaches Spanish to children. But, the main character Dora is of course Hispanic, giving the impression that Hispanic people always speak Spanish to young children who have not been exposed to the multicultural world that America is because they simply wouldn’t be able to comprehend the idea. These stereotypes are even present while going through school being taught that there are different cliques and that you can only fit into one certain clique, like a jock, a nerd, or the dumb cheerleader. There cliques are revealed in multiple shows that attract teenagers. Not only is television responsible for teaching children these stereotypes from a young age, there also are the internet and magazines that contribute to this problem. Technology is not the only thing to blame; there is also influence by who you grow up around. You are not fully able to make your own decisions or opinions about certain things until you are an adult. The background of your childhood and who you grow up around greatly influence your opinions. Stereotyping only continues in television shows and movies that attractive adults. Examine a typical television sitcom, what role are the women characters playing? For example, in the television show, The Big Band Theory, one of the main characters is an attractive blonde woman who seems to lack intelligence at times. Her best friends in the sitcom are two guys that would fit a nerd type role. It is as if the â€Å"nerds† are only friends with her because of her looks. Stereotypes evident in our lives since we are young, giving the idea that you fit into one of these stereotypes. Such as if you are blonde, then you must be dumb or if you are Asian you must be intelligent. The idea that characteristics you hold places you into a certain stereotype and along with that stereotype you must do the things that are associated with that stereotype. On the other hand, there are many television shows and movies that actually challenge traditional views of women. For example, in the movie Legally Blonde, a blonde white woman in her middle 20’s named Elle Woods depicts what one would think of as â€Å"dumb blonde†. She wears all pink, almost always, her hair and make-up is always perfect and has that high pitch â€Å"like oh my god† voice. But she surprises everyone when she goes to Harvard Law School to become a lawyer; even the professors and fellow collages at the college doubt her. In the end, she prevails and surprises everyone with her knowledge. Elle Woods would be a perfect image of â€Å"girl power†. The thought that yes women can are smart enough to accomplish their dreams that not only men can go to college, get a degree, and become a high paid profession like a doctor or lawyer. There are tons of other movies and television shows that depict women the same way as Legally Blonde, so does that imply that women can eventually break these stereotypes that have been placed upon them? Many women do just what these movies and television shows depict women doing. More women go to college to earn degrees and obtain a high paying job. There are women that are doctors, surgeons, and the head CEO’s of companies in todays’ society. These women are the bosses of many other women, but more importantly men. These are prime examples that women are not just staying home taking care of the children in todays’ society, they are going to a well-paying job every day then coming home to do other responsibilities. Women as a whole are breaking these traditional stereotypes that haunt us all. But, the main question behind the problem of stereotyping is who is coming up with these stereotypes? It is not physically possible to classify multiple people into the same group, simply because everyone is an individual and is completely different from anyone else. Stereotypes are politically incorrect because of these facts. For example, the stereotype that all black people like fried chicken and watermelon. It is nearly impossible that every African American in the world likes these types of food; there is at least one that does not, therefore proving the stereotype invalid. But, we still use these stereotypes every day without even thinking about doing it and by doing these you are in return neglecting the fact that everyone is an individual. In order to stop stereotyping these types of issues must be looked at. While all stereotyping can be considered negative or hurtful depending on what is said. There is a difference between stereotyping and making an observation, as stated before stereotyping would be saying something like all African American people like fried chicken, while on the other hand saying something like there are many Asians at the Science and Engineering library on campus would be considered an observation. By saying an observation, it wouldn’t be considered a stereotyping because the observation is seen with that persons’ eyes therefore in their eyes it would be considered true. Alternatively, stereotyping is stating something that can’t be proven true and also usually possess some kind of hatred or hurtful feelings behind the statement. I believe that many people often get these two ideas mixed up with each other, causing further confusion and more hatred towards certain groups of people. Stereotyping is clearly a large problem in todays’ society. First, the problem needs to be addressed on where it starts, which is often at a young age. The surroundings in which you grow up influence your opinions and ideas as your mind develops which is often the beginning of this problem. This problem develops further with todays’ technology such as television, movies, the internet, and social networks. Technology is a large part of the stereotyping problem by continuing to show how women should act and be, but it also challenges the problem as well. In order to stop stereotyping, women need to continue to make advances in the world to prove that we are not just an object that stays at home and cleans. Women holding high paying jobs and taking care of themselves without any help is becoming a more common idea. I believe women are starting to change the common stereotype of them and with these advances the idea of stereotyping can start to come to an end but only with the help of everyone in todays’ society. How to cite Stereotypes, Papers

The Scarlet Letter Analysis Essay Example For Students

The Scarlet Letter Analysis Essay Nathaniel Hawthornes background influenced him to write the bold novel The Scarlet Letter. One important influence on the story is money. Hawthorne had never made much money as an author and the birth of his first daughter added to the financial burden (Biographical Note VII). He received a job at the Salem Custom House only to lose it three years later and be forced to write again to support his family (IX). Consequently, The Scarlet Letter was published a year later (IX). It was only intended to be a long short story, but the extra money a novel would bring in was needed (Introduction XVI). Hawthorne then wrote an introduction section titled The Custom House to extend the length of the book and The Scarlet Letter became a full novel (XVI). In addition to financial worries, another influence on the story is Hawthornes rejection of his ancestors. His forefathers were strict Puritans, and John Hathorne, his great-great-grandfather, was a judge presiding during the S! alem witch trials (Biographical Note VII). Hawthorne did not condone their acts and actually spent a great deal of his life renouncing the Puritans in general (VII). Similarly, The Scarlet Letter was a literal soapbox for Hawthorne to convey to the world that the majority of Puritans were strict and unfeeling. For example, before Hester emerges from the prison she is being scorned by a group of women who feel that she deserves a larger punishment than she actually receives. Instead of only being made to stand on the scaffold and wear the scarlet letter on her chest, they suggest that she have it branded on her forehead or even be put to death (Hawthorne 51). Perhaps the most important influence on the story is the authors interest in the dark side (Introduction VIII). Unlike the transcendentalists of the era, Hawthorne confronted reality, rather than evading it (VII). Likewise, The Scarlet Letter deals with adultery, a subject that caused much scandal when it w! as first published (XV). The book rev olves around sin and punishment, a far outcry from writers of the time, such as Emerson and Thoreau, who dwelt on optimistic themes (VII). This background, together with a believable plot, convincing characterization, and important literary devices enables Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter to the develop the theme of the heart as a prison. The scaffold scenes are the most substantial situations in the story because they unify The Scarlet Letter in two influential ways. First of all, every scaffold scene reunites the main characters of the novel. In the first scene, everyone in the town is gathered in the market place because Hester is being questioned about the identity of the father of her child ( Hawthorne 52). In her arms is the product of her sin, Pearl, a three month old baby who is experiencing life outside the prison for the first time (53). Dimmesdale is standing beside the scaffold because he is Hesters pastor and it is his job to convince her to repent and reveal t he fathers name (65). A short time later, Chillingworth unexpectedly shows up within the crowd of people who are watching Hester after he is released from his two year captivity by the Indians (61). In the second scene, Dimmesdale is standing on top of the scaffold alone in the middle of the night (152). He sees Hester and Pearl walk through the market place on their way back from Governor Winthrops bedside (157). When Dimmesdale recognizes them and tells them to join him, they walk up the steps to stand by his side (158). Chillingworth appears later standing beside the scaffold, staring at Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl. In the final scaffold scene, Dimmesdale walks to the steps of the scaffold in front of the whole town after his Election day sermon (263). He tells Hester and Pearl to join him yet again on the scaffold (264). Chillingworth then runs through the crowd and tries to stop Dimmesdale from reaching the top of the scaffold, the one place where he cant reach him (265). Ano ther way in which the scenes are united is how each illustrates the immediate, delayed, and prolonged effects that the sin of adultery has on the main characters. The first scene shows Hester being publicly punished on the scaffold (52). She is being forced to stand on it for three hours straight and listen to peop! le talk about her as a disgrace and a shame to the community (55). Dimmesdales instantaneous response to the sin is to lie. He stands before Hester and the rest of the town and proceeds to give a moving speech about how it would be in her and the fathers best interest for her to reveal the fathers name (67). Though he never actually says that he is not the other parent, he implies it by talking of the father in third person (67). Such as, If thou feelest it to be for thy souls peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer (67). Chillingworths first reaction is one of shock, but he quickly suppresses it (61). Since his first sight of his wife in two years is of her being punished for being unfaithful to him, he is naturally surprised. It does not last for long though, because it is his nature to control his emotions (61). Pearls very existence in this scene is the largest immediate effect of her parents crime (52). She obviously wou ld never had been there had her parents resisted their love for each other. The second scene occurs several years later and shows the effects after time has had a chance to play its part. It begins with Dimmesdale climbing the stairs of the scaffold in the middle of the night because it is the closest that he can come to confessing his sin (152). This scene is especially important because it shows how pitiful he has become. Dimmesdale shows just how irrational he is when he screams aloud because he fears that the universe is staring at a scarlet token on his breast (153). It also shows how much guilt he is carrying by the way he perceives the light from a meteor as the letter A. He believes it stands for adulteress while other people think it stands for angel since the governor just passed away (161). This scene also shows how Hester is managing her new situation. When Dimmesdale tells her to come up the scaffold and asks her where she has b! een, she replies that she has been measu ring the robe that the governor is to be buried in (158). This statement implies that Hesters reputation as a talented seamstress has spread. Ironically, her first well known piece of work was the scarlet letter that she wore on her chest. As a result, she owes her own success to her infamy. Besides growing older, Pearls most significant change is in her perceptibility (158). In this scene, she constantly asks Dimmesdale if he will be joining Hester and herself on the scaffold tomorrow at noon and accuses him of not being true (162). Neither Hester nor Dimmesdale ever told Pearl who her father was, but she figures it out by the way he always holds his hand over his heart (159). Chillingworths derangement is evident in this scene also. His contempt for Dimmesdale is so acute that he risks his cover when he gives him a look so vivid as to remain painted on the darkness after the bright meteor that just passed, vanishes (161). The third scene is very critical because it is the last gli mpse into every characters mind and the last time that everyone is alive. At this point in time, Dimmesdales fixation on his sin has utterly corroded him to the point of death. After he gives his election day sermon, he goes to the scaffold and asks Hester and Pearl to join him because he is so weak that he can hardly support himself (265). He finally exposes the truth and tells his followers of how he deceived them (267). The only good that comes out of conceding his guilt is that he passed away without any secrets, for he was already too far gone to be able to be saved (269). This scene is important to the characterization of Hester because it is the first time thatshe is not in complete control of her emotions (264). Her dream of escaping to England with Dimmesdale is lost when he decides to confess (264). The unanticipated arrival of Chillingworth and Dimmesdales feeble appearance distresses her, and for the first time, she can not control the outcome (264). The greatest transfo rmation in Pearls life occurs in this scene. While she used to be perceived as elfish, she now shows the first signs of normal human emotion. After Dimmesdale confesses his sin, she kisses his lips voluntarily (268). The great scene of griefhad developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her fathers cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it (268). Ultimately, Chillingworth takes a severe turn for the worse when Dimmesdale reveals his sin. Since Chillingworth based the rest of his life on playing games on Dimmesdales mind, he was left without any goals, and his life became meaningless (268). On that account, it is clear that Hawthorne uses the scaffold scenes, not only as a unifying device, but as a means to keep the reader interested in the novel by providing plenty of action. The main characters sharply contrast each other in the way they react to Hester and Dimmesdales sin. To begin, Hester becomes stronger, more enduring, and even more sympathetic. She becomes stronger because of all the weight she has to carry. She is a single mother who suffers all of the burdens of parenthood by herself. They live on the edge of town, and Pearl has no one to give her food, shelter and emotional support besides Hester. Pearl is especially difficult to raise because she is anything but normal. Hawthorne gives a pretty accurate description of Pearl when he writes: The child could not be made amenable to rules. In giving her existence, a great law had been broken; and the result was a being whose elements were perhaps beautiful and bril- liant, but all in disorder; or with an order peculiar to themselves, amidst which the point of variety and arrangement was difficult or impossible to be discovered (91). Hesters endurance is proven when the people of the colony completely change their opinion of her. While a lesser person would run from the hostile colonists, Hester wi thstands their insolence and pursues a normal life. After years of proving her worth with her uncommon sewing skills and providing community service, the colonists come to think of the scarlet letter as the cross on a nuns bosom, which is no small accomplishment (169). Hester also becomes more sensitive to the feelings and needs of other people. She feels that her own sin gives her sympathetic knowledge of the hidden sin in other hearts (87). So even though the people she tried to help often reviled the hand that was stretched forth to succor them, she continues her services because she actually cares (85). While Hester tries to make the best out of her situation, Dimmesdale becomes weaker by letting guilt and grief eat away at his conscience. Dimmesdale punishes himself by believing that he can never be redeemed. He feels that he will never be seen the same in the eyes of God, and that no amount of penitence can ever return him to Gods good graces. He is so touchy on this subject t hat when Hester says his good deeds will count for something in Gods view, he exclaims, There is no substance in it! It is cold and dead and can do nothing for me! (202). Dimmesdale also believes that his sin has taken the meaning out of his life. His lifes work has been dedicated to God, and now his sin has tainted it (202). He feels that he is a fraud and is not fit to lead the people of the town to salvation. The feeling is so oppressive that the chance of escaping his work and leaving with Hester and Pearl makes him emotionally (and probably mentally) unstable. He walks through the town with twice as much energy as normal, and he barely stops himself from swearing to a fellow deacon (229). When an old lady approaches him he can not remember any scriptures whatsoever to tell her, and the urge to use his power of persuasion over a young maiden is so strong that he covers his face with his cloak and runs off (230). The largest cause of Dimmesdales breakdown is the fact that he keep s his sin a secret. As Gods servant, it is his nature to tell the truth, so the years of pretending are especially hard on him. His secret guilt is such a burden that instead of going with Hester to England and perhaps having a chance to live longer, he chose to stand, confess and perish on the scaffold (268). Ultimately, Chillingworth responds to his wifes betrayal by sacrificing everything in order to seek revenge. After he discovers that his wife bore another mans child, Chillingworth gives up his independence. He used to be a scholar who dedicated his best years to feed the hungry dream of knowledge, but his new allegiance becomes finding and slowly punishing the man who seduced his wife (74). He soon becomes obsessed with his new mission in life, and when he targeted Reverend Dimmesdale as the possible parent, he dedic! ates all of his time to becoming his confidant in order to get his retribution (127). Vengeance was also one of the reasons that Chillingworth gives up his iden tity. The only way he can truly corrupt Dimmesdale is to live with him and be by his side all day, every day. The only possible way to do that is to give up his true identity as Roger Prynne, Hesters husband, and become Roger Chillingworth. Since the only person who knew his true identity is sworn to silence, he succeeds for a long time in tricking Dimmesdale until Hester sees that he was going mad and finally revealed Chillingworths true identity (204). His largest sacrifice is by far, his own life. After spending so much time dwelling on his revenge, Chillingworth forgets that he still has a chance to lead a life of his own. So accordingly, after Dimmesdale reveals his secret to the world, Chillingworth dies less than a year later because he has nothing left to live for (272). In conclusion, Hawthornes use of characterization gives the book a classic feeling by showing Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworths feelings indirectly through acts. The novel revolves around two major symb ols: light and darkness and the scarlet letter. The book is filled with light and darkness symbols because it represents the most common battle of all time, good versus evil. When Hester and her daughter are walking in the forest, Pearl exclaims: Mother, the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. Now see! There it is, playing, a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet (192). Hester tries to stretch her hand into the circle of light, but the sunshine vanishes (192). She then suggests that they go into the forest and rest (193). This short scene actually represents Hesters daily struggle in life. The light represents what Hester wants to be, which is pure. The movement of the light represents Hesters constant denial of acceptance. Hesters lack of surprise and quick suggestion to go into the forest, where it is dark, show s that she never expected to be admitted and is resigned to her station in life. Another way light and darkness is used in symbolism is by the way Hester and Dimmesdales plan to escape is doomed. Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the shadows of the forest with a gloomy sky and a threatening storm overhead when they discuss their plans for the future (200). The gloomy weather and shadows exemplify the fact that they cant get away from the repressive force of their sins. It is later proven when Dimmesdale dies on the scaffold! instead of leaving with Hester and going to England (269). A final example occurs by the way Hester and Dimmesdale can not acknowledge their love in front of others. When they meet in the woods, they feel that, No golden light had ever been so precious as the gloom of this dark forest (206). This emotion foretells that they will never last together openly because their sin has separated them too much from normal life. The scarlet letter also takes many different for ms in the novel. The first and clearest form that the letter A takes is Adulteress. It is apparent that Hester is guilty of cheating on her husband when she surfaces from the prison with a three-month-old-child in her arms, and her husband has been away for two years (53). Hence, the people look at the letter elaborately embroidered with gold thread and see a hussy who is proud of her sin (54). The second form that it takes is Angel. When Governor Winthrop passes away, a giant A appears in the sky. ! People from the church feel that, For as our good Governor Winthrop was made an angel this past night, it was doubtless held fit that there should be some notice thereof! (16). The final form that the scarlet letter take is Able. Hester helped the people of the town so unselfishly that Hawthorne wrote: Such helpfulness was found in her,so much power to do, and power to sympathize,that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by it s original significance. They said that it meant A ble; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a womans strength (167). Baby Growth and Development EssayIn closing, one of the most important reasons that The Scarlet Letter is so well known is the way Hawthorne leaves the novel open to be interpreted several different ways by his abundant use of symbolism. This background, together with a believable plot, convincing characterization, and important literary devices enables Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter to the develop the theme of the heart as a prison. Hawthorne describes the purpose of the novel when he says, Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worse, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred! (272). The theme is beneficial because it can be put into terms in todays world. The Scarlet Letter is one of the few books that will be timeless, because it deals with alienation, sin, punishment, and guilt, emotions that will continue to be felt by every generation to come.