#50
Hester and the Physician
This chapter title is a comparison to Hester and Roger's progress over the course of seven years. Hester started off as a force of evil at the beginning of the book while Roger was upheld because he's a medicine man. The two have swapped positions. Hester has now become a major help to society to such an extent that they would gladly allow her to remove her patch. I'm not saying they'd completely forget what she did but she has definitely proven herself a good Samaritan to the Puritans. Roger has sunk low. A doctor is supposed to cure not kill yet Roger has developed this mentality through the idea of revenge. Revenge has altered and named him the new force of evil.
Perhaps Roger is still curing the situation. Dimmesdale is adamant about keeping his secret to the point of death. So maybe the only way that they could get it out of him was by putting him through immense guilt, forcing Roger to take matters into his own hands and retrieve the truth from the depths of hell.
Monday, November 25, 2013
S.L. chp. 14
#49
This unhappy person had effected such a transformation by devoting himself, for seven years, to a constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and gloated over.
Instead of devoting himself to medicine he has taken up a new practice. Hawthorn writes this section as if he were a doctor. The language analysis and analyzed just scream that to me and makes me wonder whether or not Hawthorn was the creator of the first mad scientist/doctor.
This unhappy person had effected such a transformation by devoting himself, for seven years, to a constant analysis of a heart full of torture, and deriving his enjoyment thence, and adding fuel to those fiery tortures which he analyzed and gloated over.
Instead of devoting himself to medicine he has taken up a new practice. Hawthorn writes this section as if he were a doctor. The language analysis and analyzed just scream that to me and makes me wonder whether or not Hawthorn was the creator of the first mad scientist/doctor.
S.L. chp. 14
#48
It seemed to be his wish and purpose to mask this expression with a smile; but the latter played him false, and flickered over his visage so derisively, that the spectator could see his blackness all the better for it. Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as if the old man's soul were on fire, and kept on smouldering duskily within his breast, until, by some casual puff of passion, it was blown into a momentary flame.
Chilingsworth is on his way out. He can hardly hide his satanic influences and this goes to show that too much of a "good" thing can be bad. He forces himself to be fake to hide from society since he'd pretty much be burned at the stake if they knew what he was really experiencing.
The use of two colors, black and red, give I guess an opening view of the spectrum of this society. White is pure, red is considered touched by Satan, and black means you have no hope of escaping his wrath. The glare of red light shines through Roger's eyes because the eyes are the window to the soul. Since he the man's soul is compared to a fire, his blackness could be similar to that of ashes.
A casual puff of passion is referring to his new found passion of destroying his enemies with small discrete strokes.
It seemed to be his wish and purpose to mask this expression with a smile; but the latter played him false, and flickered over his visage so derisively, that the spectator could see his blackness all the better for it. Ever and anon, too, there came a glare of red light out of his eyes; as if the old man's soul were on fire, and kept on smouldering duskily within his breast, until, by some casual puff of passion, it was blown into a momentary flame.
Chilingsworth is on his way out. He can hardly hide his satanic influences and this goes to show that too much of a "good" thing can be bad. He forces himself to be fake to hide from society since he'd pretty much be burned at the stake if they knew what he was really experiencing.
The use of two colors, black and red, give I guess an opening view of the spectrum of this society. White is pure, red is considered touched by Satan, and black means you have no hope of escaping his wrath. The glare of red light shines through Roger's eyes because the eyes are the window to the soul. Since he the man's soul is compared to a fire, his blackness could be similar to that of ashes.
A casual puff of passion is referring to his new found passion of destroying his enemies with small discrete strokes.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
S.L. chp. 14
#47
"A woman must needs follow her own fancy, touching the adornment of her person. The letter is gayly embroidered, and shows right bravely on your bosom!"
Roger is making a friendly comment about Hester's letter. He says that she has not become the letter she wears but instead the letter has become a symbol of her. Her fancy is of course sewing/embroidering and she has shown that through the needle work upon her scarlet letter. Chillingsworth states that the letter was gayly(happily) embroidered which is what Hester feels when she does what she likes. The word bravely makes me think back to the beginning of the book when she was on the scaffold and brave she had to be. The bright letter could've been taken by the civilians as a sort of taunt but instead took envy in her needle work. The moral is, believe in yourself and follow your heart.
"A woman must needs follow her own fancy, touching the adornment of her person. The letter is gayly embroidered, and shows right bravely on your bosom!"
Roger is making a friendly comment about Hester's letter. He says that she has not become the letter she wears but instead the letter has become a symbol of her. Her fancy is of course sewing/embroidering and she has shown that through the needle work upon her scarlet letter. Chillingsworth states that the letter was gayly(happily) embroidered which is what Hester feels when she does what she likes. The word bravely makes me think back to the beginning of the book when she was on the scaffold and brave she had to be. The bright letter could've been taken by the civilians as a sort of taunt but instead took envy in her needle work. The moral is, believe in yourself and follow your heart.
S.L. chp. 14
#46
"Were I worthy to be quit of it, it would fall away of its own nature, or be transformed into something that should speak a different purport."
Hester says that if she were worthy to be quit of it which means that she doesn't believe to she's ready. This could be because she enjoys bearing her letter or because she feels that people will treat her differently with out it. She could also just be trying to disagree with Chillingsworth since she knows that he is the one destroying Dimmesdale.
"Were I worthy to be quit of it, it would fall away of its own nature, or be transformed into something that should speak a different purport."
Hester says that if she were worthy to be quit of it which means that she doesn't believe to she's ready. This could be because she enjoys bearing her letter or because she feels that people will treat her differently with out it. She could also just be trying to disagree with Chillingsworth since she knows that he is the one destroying Dimmesdale.
Friday, November 22, 2013
S.L. chp. 13
#45
The old man, on the other hand, had brought himself nearer to her level, or perhaps below it, by the revenge which he had stooped for.
All of the characters have been altered. Pearl is now older and more mature in ways while Hester is like the town nurse instead of the village witch. Dimmesdale has been reduced to struggling for his life from the guilt he's been bearing and Chillingsworth has been deformed due to his evil ways. The two couples contrast each other with the results of their interactions.
Chillingsworth has literally begun to stoop to Hester's apparent level. Hawthorn says Roger has to stoop for revenge which would mean he would have to reach into the pits of hell to do such a thing.
The last sentence of chapter 13 says that is looking for roots and herbs to concoct his medicine withal. The word concoct is a parallel to chapter six as to when Hester and Pearl are still considered witches.
The old man, on the other hand, had brought himself nearer to her level, or perhaps below it, by the revenge which he had stooped for.
All of the characters have been altered. Pearl is now older and more mature in ways while Hester is like the town nurse instead of the village witch. Dimmesdale has been reduced to struggling for his life from the guilt he's been bearing and Chillingsworth has been deformed due to his evil ways. The two couples contrast each other with the results of their interactions.
Chillingsworth has literally begun to stoop to Hester's apparent level. Hawthorn says Roger has to stoop for revenge which would mean he would have to reach into the pits of hell to do such a thing.
The last sentence of chapter 13 says that is looking for roots and herbs to concoct his medicine withal. The word concoct is a parallel to chapter six as to when Hester and Pearl are still considered witches.
S.L. chp. 13
#44
At times, a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul, whether it were not better to send Pearl at once to heaven, and go herself to such futurity as Eternal Justice should provide.
Hester is doubtful, as most parents are, as to if her child will turn out successful. Hester worries that Pearl will become her and in turn fail. This section is bringing that idea back to the table. When Hester states that it may be better to send Pearl to heaven she is saying it might be better to give to another family. Not kill her. Hester would then continue on helping when and where she could.
At times, a fearful doubt strove to possess her soul, whether it were not better to send Pearl at once to heaven, and go herself to such futurity as Eternal Justice should provide.
Hester is doubtful, as most parents are, as to if her child will turn out successful. Hester worries that Pearl will become her and in turn fail. This section is bringing that idea back to the table. When Hester states that it may be better to send Pearl to heaven she is saying it might be better to give to another family. Not kill her. Hester would then continue on helping when and where she could.
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