Chapter 2 Analysis
Hawthorne uses quite a bit of dialogue in chapter two. The dialogue is mostly among women in the market place who are watching Hester and trying to determine what her punishment should be. Some of the women say Hester should have a lesser punishment and some say that she deserves death. The use of dialogue characterizes the nature of Puritan society. It shows both the extreme harshness that many people employ, but it also shows the grace and forgiveness that others show.
Hawthorne also employs juxtaposition. He writes “there was the taint of deepest sin in the most sacred quality of human life” (Hawthorne 53). The juxtaposition of the words that describe heinous sin and sacred life convey that Pearl was someone born out of sin but was also someone who still was a human being that has value and purpose in this world. This rhetorical device also shows what Pearl means to Hester. Pearl is a living embodiment of Hester’s sin and yet Hester values her as a sacred thing.
The first description of her scarlet letter is chapter two. The author writes “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery, and fantastic flourishes of gold-thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 50). The use of diction like elaborate, fine and fantastic all are used to describe the letter A. These words make the A seem over the top and highly exaggerated. This represents how Hester’s sin is blown way out of proportion in the community.
Hawthorne also employs juxtaposition. He writes “there was the taint of deepest sin in the most sacred quality of human life” (Hawthorne 53). The juxtaposition of the words that describe heinous sin and sacred life convey that Pearl was someone born out of sin but was also someone who still was a human being that has value and purpose in this world. This rhetorical device also shows what Pearl means to Hester. Pearl is a living embodiment of Hester’s sin and yet Hester values her as a sacred thing.
The first description of her scarlet letter is chapter two. The author writes “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery, and fantastic flourishes of gold-thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 50). The use of diction like elaborate, fine and fantastic all are used to describe the letter A. These words make the A seem over the top and highly exaggerated. This represents how Hester’s sin is blown way out of proportion in the community.