Gothic Elements & Themes
Which feature of life in the early 19th century created a kind of fear and anxiety that Gothic writers expressed in their works of horror or tragedy?
the nation's aggressive, often violent approach to expansion
Hester Prynne is more honest about her sins than the other major characters; however, she still has faults. Which is an example of ambiguity in Hawthorne's characterization of Hester?
She has a child with another man while she is married.
Chillingworth bequeaths great wealth to Pearl upon his death. Which major theme in The Scarlet Letter does this act reveal?
the power of repentance
How did American Gothic literature differ from American Romantic literature?
It emphasized the darker, less noble aspects of human nature.
Why is Hester capable of thinking of a solution to their problems when Dimmesdale is not?
Her years of isolation have made her think differently than those constrained by society's laws.
What is the moment of greatest intensity, or the climax, of The Scarlet Letter?
Dimmesdale confesses and dies on the scaffold.
As a Gothic writer, Hawthorne choose subjects similar to those chosen by Poe and Melville. What is common in the writing of all three writers?
the power of repentance
In The Scarlet Letter, what is the effect of Hester's decision to dress Pearl in red clothing?
Pearl mirrors the scarlet letter.
Read these lines from The Scarlet Letter, about Roger Chillingworth: "His face darkened with some powerful emotion, which, nevertheless, he so instantaneously controlled by an effort of his will, that, save at a single moment, its expression might have passed for calmness. After a brief space, the convulsion grew almost imperceptible, and finally subsided into the depths of his nature." What does this characterization reveal about Chillingworth?
He can easily deceive others.
What Gothic element is present in Edgar Allan Poe's poetry and short stories?
omens of death
What is the impact of Hester's decision to reveal Chillingworth's identity to Dimmesdale?
It changes the course of events for all the major characters from this point on.
Why does Poe use a raven as the bird who visits the grieving speaker of the poem "The Raven?"
Ravens are symbols of bad fortune.
Narrators often reveal the writer's feelings about characters in a novel. What can we infer Hawthorne feels for Hester, the protagonist in The Scarlet Letter, based on the narrator's descriptions of her?
He sees Hester as a heroine.
There are many, many examples of textual ambiguity in The Scarlet Letter. What is the overall effect of using this device in a novel?
Readers must make their own interpretations of the events in the text rather than relying on the author to explain what he means.