Full Answer
What is the narrator's character analysis in the Scarlet Letter?
The Narrator Character Analysis. The unnamed narrator is inspired to write The Scarlet Letter after discovering the scarlet letter and fragments of its story in an attic of the Custom House. He describes the novel as a tale of "human frailty and sorrow" and encourages the reader to heed its moral.
What is the point of view of the Scarlet Letter?
Point of View. The Scarlet Letter is written from an omniscient third-person perspective in which the narrator describes the thoughts and feeling of the main characters as well as the general sentiments of the townspeople, which shows how the characters function in their larger community.
What is the role of Pearl in the Scarlet Letter?
Hester plays many roles in The Scarlet Letter … read analysis of Hester Prynne The illegitimate daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale. Pearl serves as a symbol of her mother's shame and triumph.
What is the plot of the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne?
by: Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter is written from an omniscient third-person perspective in which the narrator describes the thoughts and feeling of the main characters as well as the general sentiments of the townspeople, which shows how the characters function in their larger community.
What does the scarlet letter mean in the book?
The letter, a patch of fabric in the shape of an “A,” signifies that Hester is an “adulterer.”.
Why does the narrator write?
He writes because he is interested in American history and because he believes that America needs to better understand its religious and moral heritage. Next section Hester Prynne.
What is Pearl's spirit?
Hester’s illegitimate daughter Pearl is a young girl with a moody, mischievous spirit and an ability to perceive things that others do not. For example, she quickly discerns the truth about her mother and Dimmesdale. The townspeople say that she barely seems human and spread rumors that her unknown father is actually the Devil. She is wise far beyond her years, frequently engaging in ironic play having to do with her mother’s scarlet letter.
Who is the narrator in The Salem Custom House?
The unnamed narrator works as the surveyor of the Salem Custom-House some two hundred years after the novel’s events take place. He discovers an old manuscript in the building’s attic that tells the story of Hester Prynne; when he loses his job, he decides to write a fictional treatment of the narrative. The narrator is a rather high-strung man, whose Puritan ancestry makes him feel guilty about his writing career. He writes because he is interested in American history and because he believes that America needs to better understand its religious and moral heritage.
Who is Hester's husband in the novel?
“Roger Chillingworth” is actually Hester’s husband in disguise. He is much older than she is and had sent her to America while he settled his affairs in Europe. Because he is captured by Native Americans, he arrives in Boston belatedly and finds Hester and her illegitimate child being displayed on the scaffold. He lusts for revenge, and thus decides to stay in Boston despite his wife’s betrayal and disgrace. He is a scholar and uses his knowledge to disguise himself as a doctor, intent on discovering and tormenting Hester’s anonymous lover. Chillingworth is self-absorbed and both physically and psychologically monstrous. His single-minded pursuit of retribution reveals him to be the most malevolent character in the novel.
Who is the father of Hester's child?
Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale is a young man who achieved fame in England as a theologian and then emigrated to America. In a moment of weakness, he and Hester became lovers. Although he will not confess it publicly, he is the father of her child.
Is Roger Chillingworth a monstrous character?
Chillingworth is self-absorbed and both physically and psychologically monstrous. His single-minded pursuit of retribution reveals him to be the most malevolent character in the novel. Read an in-depth analysis of Roger Chillingworth.
What is the narrator's perspective in Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter is written from an omniscient third-person perspective in which the narrator describes the thoughts and feeling of the main characters as well as the general sentiments of the townspeople, which shows how the characters function in their larger community.
How does the narrator address the reader?
The narrator addresses the reader directly, calling attention to the fact that we are participating in an interpretation of a work of fiction. After the initial framing device of the introduction, told from the point of view of two hundred years after the events, the entire story is told as a fictionalized re-creation of events ...
Why is the narrator important?
Since the characters are often reserved and secretive, the narrator’s commentary on what they are actually experiencing internally is very important. The narrator also frequently adds commentary about characters and their actions, which shapes the reader’s perception.
Why is the narrator in the Scarlet Letter in the third person?
There are two reasons why the third person omniscient is used in The Scarlet Letter: so the all-knowing narrator can act as God in a moral tale and so the narrator can know the thoughts, feelings, and actions of all the characters. Let's take a deeper look at these two reasons.
What does the narrator say about the rosebush in The Scarlet Letter?
In the first chapter of The Scarlet Letter, the narrator describes the novel's Puritan setting by giving details about a prison door and a nearby rosebush: 'It may serve, let us hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossom that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.'.
What is the point of view in The Scarlet Letter?
Point of view, or the perspective from which a story is told, is used in The Scarlet Letter to allow the all-knowing narrator to act as God in a moral tale and reveal the thoughts, feelings, and actions of all the characters. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Create your account.
What is a third person limited point of view?
Third person limited point of view is told from the perspective of a narrator who focuses on one character. So even though the narrator can see the actions of other characters, this is only done through the view of the main character. An example of third person limited point of view is Harry Potter, which tells a story from a narrator who focuses ...
What is the first person point of view?
First person point of view is told from the perspective of one character. This point of view uses words such as 'I' and 'me'. An example of first person point of view is found in To Kill a Mockingbird, which tells the story from the perspective of the main character: Scout.
What is the point of view in a novel?
In novels, there are four points of view: first person, second person, third person limited, and third person omniscient. First person point of view is told from the perspective of one character. This point of view uses words such as 'I' and 'me'.
Who is the father of Hester Prynne's child?
Ironically, a minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, is actually the father of Prynne's child, even though Prynne will not reveal his name. Overcome by guilt, Dimmesdale falls ill; he eventually confesses his sin in public and then dies in Hester's arms.