This passage, I found, both ironic and hilarious because the scarlet letter represents the exact opposite of greatness, and Hester Prynne acted with such arrogance and entered into the governor's hall anyways. The scarlet letter on her bosom had such a strange and extraordinary strength to repel, people, but, as seen in this case, it was seen as something that meant the possession of great power. The description in the passage also tells us that the letter itself was "glittering"; moreover, this is more evidence of Hester's great needlework. Previously in Chapter 5, Hawthorne had personified sin as Hester's needlework and it can be seen as why: her excellent skills in needlework was used to create the infamous scarlet letter. There could be some further trouble in the following chapters and scenes because Hester entered even though the Governor was busy, and the bond-servant let her. She has also been looking around at his stuff in the hall and in the garden.
In the passage, Hawthorne uses description and background information to first present the bond-servant and provide some context about the time period, such that the reader knows that during this period of time, indentured servants were still in dominant use, or at least, in Massachusetts they were. He also describes the architecture of the building or "the Governor's Hall," which gives more context of the time period. The door was of an "arched form" which tells the reader that this building is modeled on the Gothic style of the Renaissance period. The description provides further imagery so that the reader can picture the setting, as a rather gloomy place--the building is in Gothic style so it makes the setting rather eerie. Then, Hawthorne inserts dialogue between Hester and the bond-servant.
Questions:
- I don't understand why Hester would see an "evil spirit" in Pearl, if she is her only treasure? (pp. 88-89).
- What does Hester mean when she says "No, my little Pearl! Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee!" (pp. 94)
- What is the purpose of the nearly-three page description of Gov. Bellingham's hall?
#1
ReplyDeleteHester saw an "evil spirit" in Pearl probably due to how the child acted around her, and since Hester believes she has recieved the "sixth" sense to feel other people's sins she feels uncertain about herself. Also Hester seems to be hallucinating things probably due to the shock that she has to wear the letter and also the loneliness she is sharing with her daughter that doesnt understand the "grown-up" world.
#3
The purpose of the nearly-three page descripton of the hall is probaby to make us pause for a moment to take in the setting that would later on be important in the story. Also a pause to take in all the problems and characters that are involved in the story, to then later on present the major plot that would involve all of the characters that were presented in the beginning of Hester's seclusion.
#1: The way in which Pearl reacted when Hester tells her, “Child, what art thou?” is very surprising, even to me. She reacts as if there was an “evil spirit” in her, when she yells out that the “Heavenly Father” did not bring her here. Pearl is Hester’s only treasure but she in one odd child.
ReplyDelete#2: Hester tells her daughter that because she is not a “regular” mother. Other mothers will leave their reputation with their children, but Pearl has a mother with an “A” upon her bosom. So Hester tells her daughter that she has to find her own “sunshine” because she has none.
#1 At this moment Hester is confused. Hester feels so much guilt in herself that she begins to see Pearl as child of the devil.(pretty interesting and weird how Pearl smiles at the scarlet letter). Also, she begins to see evil in Pearl because ,maybe, Hester just wants to blurt out who Pearl father is.
ReplyDelete#3 Hawthorne provides a three page description of Governor's Bellingham hall because he wants to describe the structure and wants the reader to clearly memorize or remember how the hall looks like so when ,maybe, an important event is going to take place there or the secret is going to unravel at that particular place.(i am just assuming)
Response to #1
ReplyDeleteI am with you Yanel. I felt confused about this, as if Hester had bipolar feelings for her child, though I think she does. Pearl is the embodiment of her irrevocable sin, so she is bound to have some kind of negativity towards her. On the other hand, Pearl is still her one and only daughter, possibly on of the only humans that will give her the warmth and respect everyone needs to survive.
Response to #2
Hester life is in shambles, so bitterness is her new world. What sunshine does she have to give to Pearl? It is up to the little girl to create her own happiness and joy in a world that will treat her like garbage.