The Scarlet Letter: Section 2 Blog 3

In chapter 8 of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the dispute over if Hester Prynne is capable to hold ownership over her daughter Pearl is disputed between Mr. Chillingworth, the governor, the minister, and Hester Prynne herself. The fact that there should even be an argument over whether a mother should have guardianship over her own child seems without debate in my opinion. I was slightly irritated with this idea, and therefore, sympathized with Hester, unable to imagine what life would be like to have one's child taken away especially when the child is the one positive result which came from a sin one is constantly reminded of. The diction used in this chapter helps describe the intense emotion of Hester and set the stage for sympathy evoked by the reader and intensity for the situation. " 'God gave me the child!..He gave her in requital of all things else, which he had taken from me. She is my happiness!..Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me, too! See ye not, she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved, and so endowed with a million-fold the power of retribution for my sin? Ye shall not take her! I will die first,"(Hawthorne,85)! the begging tone of Hester and the choice of words depict her helpless cry for Pearl and show Hester's pride in Pearl, despite where Pearl arose from or the struggles Pearl gives Hester. Overall, this the defining instance thus far in the book where Hester's love is most deeply conveyed.

The Scarlet Letter: Section 2 Blog 2

In my continuation of reading section two of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, more insight into Hester Prynne's child has been revealed. I noticed the literary technique of characterization being used in chapter six to describe Pearl in her growing and maturity from the infant that she was in the intro of the book to thus far. Pearl, described as being a lively image of sparkling radiance and childish playfulness is also portrayed as possessing passion and imagination. Pearl, named for her rarity and preciousness like a pearl has "the wild-flower prettiness of a peasant-baby, and the pomp, in little, of an infant princess. Throughout all, however, there was a trait of passion, a certain depth of hue, which she never lost; and if, in any of her changes, she had grown fainter or paler, she would have ceased to be herself,"(Hawthorne,68). By understanding features of Pearl and insight into her personality, connections and links can be made between her and similar attributes of Hester, and the fate and potential of Pearl being the daughter of Hester so strongly out casted from society. I feel Pearl will either rebel from her mother's control, seeing her mother's flaw and siding with society to mock and ridicule Hester, or be unable to be her own person, thus  being forever be marked by her mother's sin.

The Scarlet Letter: Section 2 Blog 1

Upon reading the second section of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne's disconnection from society is more deeply emphasized and explained by her refuge to a quiet small cottage near the water and outside of Salem's bustle. However, Hester still makes the occasional journey to town and has not been totally forgotten by society. In fact, though strongly detested for her crime, nobleman and respected officials will wear Hester's stitching on their uniforms. This I found to be quite ironic. Hester is labeled by society with the prominent etched "A" over her chest, and so too does Hester label many people is society, not in disrespect or to shame, but rather in the finest stitching. I found irony also in the fact that because of being an adulterer, Hester cannot embroider a women's veil for certainly an unfaithful woman cannot leave her work on a future bride indebted forever to their husband. "But it is not recorded that, in a single instance, her skill was called in aid to embroider the white veil which was to cover the pure blushes of a bride," (Hawthorne, 62). Overall, I am somewhat relieved to see Hester can still make a living and do work for others in society who do not denounce her occupation, but of course, Hester cannot fully live down the crime and there is restrictions to the extent of her work and who wears it.

Sorting Laundry

Elisaviette Ritche's poem Sorting Laundry conveys the speaker's relationship with the person being spoken to as a withstanding and loving partnership. This analysis of the woman's relationship with the man she loves is discovered through symbolic use of words such as "head over heals" "wrinkled to be smoothed, or else ignored" "and seams still holding our dreams,"(Ritche, pg 841). All of these referring to laundry but symbolic of the two's relationship. The extended metaphor giving the idea to the reader that the kind of relationship being  discussed is flawed, but works out. The two deeply love each other and enjoy one another's company even after some time: "recycling week after week,"(Ritche, line 17, pg 841). The tone in the first 14 short stanzas, all describing the items the speaker is folding and revealing their symbolism, is reflective but shifts in the last few stanzas. Once the speaker calls to mind a former lover of hers upon discovering his shirt amongst the pile, the speaker becomes more worrisome. The speaker ponders what would happen if the person being addressed would leave her, just as her former lover has gone. This idea shows a drastic shift from positive thinking and focusing on the good in the relationship, to troublesome over possibilities of a relationship no more. Overall the change in tone help to depict the speaker's internal worry amidst a situation that seemingly is going so well.

I taste a liquor never brewed

I taste a liquor never brewed by Emily Dickinson is an extended metaphor in which the speaker is comparing an appreciation for nature and summer with alcohol intoxication. It is made clear that the speaker is talkng of large consumption and intake of nature's beauty with the diction used "air, sun, summer days." The speaker gives figuative meaning to lines such as "inns of molten blue," to refer to the bright blue summer sky. This soaking in of the sun, done by the speaker, enjoying nature's blessings, cannot restrain himself from more and more admiration. "I shall but drink the more,"(Dickinson, line 12, pg 797)! While others become disinterested with nature after some time, the speaker admires all the more, that which the heavens praise. "Till seraphs swing their snowy Hats and Saints to windows run to see the little Tippler,"(Dickinson, lines 13-15, pg 797). The poem depicts a prasing and cheerful attitude and reaction from the seraphs and saints, one that would not be expected or likely if the poem was refering to alcohol intoxication.

Batter my heart, three-personed God

Paradox is one important and notable element in the poem Batter my heart, three-personed God by John Donne. The speaker, being "betrothed" to evil, seeks God to change themself, and the only means to do so, according to the speaker is imprisonment. "Take me to you, imprison me, for I, except you enthrall me,  never shall be free,"(Donne, lines 12-13, pg. 840). The paradox of imprisonment is used to show the speaker finds it necessary to put them in jail in order that they may be free. This seemingly contradiction  in fact shows some truth. God should lock them up so as to be with God and imprisoned from the evils that plague them. Imprisonment yields freedom from sin, temptations, and evil. Furthermore, the last stanza is also paradoxical: "Nor ever chaste, except you enthrall me,"(Donne, line 14, pg 840). The speaker will not be chaste if God does not grant them renewal and new form.The speaker wants God to ravish them into being one with God, and for God alone: chastity. There is a somewhat double meaning to this ravishness, the speaker being seduced into wanting God and on the flip side, being taunted and lured into sinfulness.

The Convergence of the Twain

In The Convergence of the Twain by Thomas Hardy imagery is used to convey the deep vain of the tremendous Titanic ship, marked with a lifestyle of wealth and taking immense form on the glassy sea, summoned by force to meet a terrible fate. Stanza IV depicts the showiness and wealth the ship is a symbol of: "Jewels in joy designed, to ravish the sensuous mind,"(Hardy, lines 10-11, pg.778). The speaker in the poem condones such a lavish lifestyle of jewels and riches and in a way, through the use of imagery it is understandable how the speaker sees the titanic in a picture of grandiose, pride, and vanity. "The smart ship grew in stature,grace, and hue,"(Hardy, lines 22-23, pg 779). The imagery evoked by these lines further the idea of the extravagance and huge the appearance of the ship and how it can be portrayed as being vain in it's greatness. Furthermore, the speaker goes from the opening stanza, the ship in solitude, standing lone in the sea, to meeting it's fate of ultimate consummation: convergence with an equally extravagant and vain structure, the iceberg, perfect that they are united to the same fate of coinciding together. Just as "The Immanent Will" or "Spinner of the Years" prepares this outcome, the force commands the result in the final stanza: 'Now!' Though, who The Immanent Will is or Spinner of the Years is unknown, the imagery of such a force or creature is shown as having stronger or more ultimate control over the fate of the Titanic, willing it to crash and sink.