Collaborative+Charts+for+The+Scarlet+Letter

For this assignment, you are expected to participate twice. First, you must contribute a cell (block of information) to the gcharacterization chart. Second, you must contribute a cell (block of information) to the theme OR the symbolism chart.
 * Directions for Participating in the Collaborative Chart.**

To edit the page, select "edit this page" at the top. The page will turn into an editable page similar to a word processor. Add your information to the chart, then save. Go back 5 minutes later and make sure that it has saved correctly. Prepare your thoughts before you "edit the page" so you can keep the time the page is open to a minimum. We want to decrease the likelihood that two people are trying to edit at the same time, as the page will only save one set of changes (the first one to open the page).

If you use a source, please cite it or LINK it.

You must participate ONCE in this chart (use direct text when possible) || Internal Characteristics (use direct text when possible) || Protagonist? Antagonist?
 * Characterization**
 * || External Characteristics

Static/Dynamic Round/Flat || Conflicts || Pursuits || Motivations || Cultural Influences || Significance of Name? || (Jack) || Hester Prynne's most valuable and motivating motivations was her daughter, Pearl. Her daughter was most important to her. Pearl was the only thing that kept her going through all the humilition and alienation agaisnst her community. Pearl is what kept her living, living with her sin. (Olivera) ||  ||   || (Gabby) ||  || Roger Chillingworth's name is very significant because it symbolizes his personality. The "Chilling" in Chillingworth shows that he is a very cold and vengeful person. He doesn't care about the feelings and needs of other people, only about his need for revenge against Hester. ||
 * Hester Prynne || "The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complextion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brow and deep black eyes. She was lady-like, too, after the manner of feminine gentility of those days..." ||  || Protagonist, Static, Round - Martha O. || She is punished for committing adultery. She is a sinner and is the face of public shame. Her conflict is self vs. society as she is banished to the outskirts of town and attempts to create a different meaning to the "A" on her chest. (Cody) || Hester tries to do charity work such as helping out the poor, in order to make up for her sins. Towards the end, she has a pursuit to leave the new world and start a new life with Pearl and the Minister.
 * Roger Chillingworth || ======“ A man well stricken in years, a pale, thin, scholar-like visage, with eyes dim and bleared by the lamp-light that had served the to pore over many ponderous books. Yet those same bleared optics had a strange, penetrating power, when it was their owner’s purpose to read the human soul. This figure of the study and the cloister, as Hester Prynne’s womanly fancy failed not to recall, was slightly deformed, with the left shoulder a trifle higher than the right.” Over time Chillingsworth’s great desire for revenge caused his face to take on the look of pure evil. Kaela N. :)====== || He wasn't willing to let go of his hatred for Hester and Dimmesdale, and that hatred continued to grow until he became evil. || Antagonist, Dynamic, Round - Randie :) || Roger Chillingworth is upset that his wife has confessed that she was never in love with him, and that she refused to tell him the name of the man who sinned with her.(Carly) ||  || Chillingworth's motivation was to find the father of Pearl. All he wanted was to get his revenge and that was his main motivation throughout the story. He didn't care about anything but keeping his identity as a "leech" and finding out the father which was Dimmesdale.
 * Arthur Dimmesdale || "Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale; a young clergyman, who had come from one of the great English universities, bringing all the learning of the age into our wild forest-land. His eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession. He was a person of very striking aspect, with a white, lofty, and impending brow, large, brown, melancholy eyes, and a mouth which, unless when he forcibly compressed it, was apt to be tremulous, expressing both nervous sensibility and a vast power of self-restraint" (Chapter 3 pg 46) (Charis) || The internal characteristics of Arthur Dimmesdale are, that he was unhappy with his choices and was overwhelmed with the sins that he has taken part in. He was too afraid to admit to his sins. -Hailey Sparco || Protagonist,static, round. Chris "the best" Kostur || Dimmesdale is the second adulterer in the story and he suffers throughout the story because he feels guilty for what he did to hester.(Vikash)

Dimmesdale’s conflict throughout the entire book is that he has committed adultery with Hester Prynne and as a result of the adultery Pearl is born. -Kristyn N || He wants to correct his life, and admit his sin but he is too afraid to do so until the end of the book.(Julie) || Puritans did not believe that sin could be forgaven. Since he is the reverend, he has to keep his sin a secret wich leads to his dead depression, and possibly death. || The culture had an influence on Mr. Dimmesdale because he didn't want to admit to his sin since he was a minister and the townspeople looked up to him. (Jessica) ||  ||
 * Pearl || She talks a lot, has brown hair "Hush, Pearl, Hush! Thou must not talk so:

"Beauty that became every day more brilliant" (Kiara) || “Certainly, there was no physical defect. By its perfect shape, its vigor, and its natural dexterity in the use of all its untried limbs, the infant was worthy to have been brought fourth to Eden; worthy to have been left there, to be playing with all the angels, after the worlds first parents were driven out.” || Protagonist and sometimes Antagonist Dynamic(cause she changed in the end) Round || Pearls conflict is between her and society as well as Pearl v.s Hester. the conflict between her mothers sin is living through Pearl and society see her and looks down upon her as well.

Bianca R ||  || Wilderness v. Civilization - Pearl is closer to the nature and wilderness rather than civilization. She has such a bright and optimistic attitude with unsophisticated innocence. She is contrasted with the children of the Puritan community, who are learned and educated on the concept of a gloomy Puritan belief - they are born as sinners. || Puritan beliefs against adultery. || Hester gave he daughter the name Pearl because just like the expensive pearl from the sea Hester's "little Pearl" was paid for with the highest price Hester could pay. Hester paid for pearl in the only thing she had full control over; her virtue. To be cast out of society and deemed a sinner was also part of that high tax. And a very high price that was that Hester paid for her little gem. Kristen Burgess ||

You must participate ONCE in either the symbolism or theme chart.

Chapters 1-8 || Textual Support from Middle: Chapters 9-16 || Textual Support from End: Chapters 17-24 || What is the symbol meant to represent? || How does the symbol change over the course of the novel? || m before his breast. It was revealed!” (pg.175) Kaela N. :) || "And thus, while standing on the scaffold,in this vain show of expiation, Mr. Dimmesdale was overcome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe were gazing at a scarlet token on his naked breast, right over his heart." (pg. 102)
 * Symbolism**
 * Symbol || Textual Support from Beginning:
 * The Scarlet Letter || The scarlet letter represents her everlasting sin of adultery. A young woman says "let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart."(pg. 36) Also, the letter alienated Hester, and made people of the Puritan community view her as different from themselves. "It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and inclosing her in a sphere by herself."(pg. 37) || The scarlet letter also represents the connection between Hester and dimmesdale, since they had sinned together. “Pointing her forefinger, first, at the scarlet letter on her bosom, then at the clergyman's own chest. ||  || The scarlet "A" is used to represent sin and anguish along with happiness. The "A" has different meanings to people other than what was originally intended. The scarlet "A" is the most important symbol in the Scarlet Letter. The letter "A" does not have a "universally symbolic relationship" with adultery. The letter "A" was the first letter of adultery and the Puritans put the negative connotation on the letter. The community interprets the cosmic "A" as Angel, signifying the passing of Governor Winthrop. The letter on Hester's bosom represented the sin of adultery, yet as that it meant different things to Hester, Dimsdale, Pearl, Chillingworth and the Puritan community. To Hester it represented "alienation and unjust humiliation" . || The scarlet letter symbolizes the wrong doing of Hester in the beginning of the novel, for it stands for adultery because Hester a married woman had an affair and a child with a man other than her husband. Throughout the novel Hester does many things that in today's society would be fit of redemption and although the Puritans cannot forgive her completely they do acknowledge he well doing and tell visitors of the town that she is their sweet Hester who cares for the poor and is so charitable. The townsfolk even go as far as to say to outsiders that to them the A stands for Able and she is their charitable sinner. Kristen Burgess ||
 * The Scaffold || The scaffold represents Punishment, shame, and confession. It was on the scaffold where Hester was publicly revealed and humiliated. There she stood with her child trying to use the result from sin (Pearl) to cover up the sin itself (adultery). Hester being on that scaffold caused Dimmesdale to feel shame because he had to act like he didn’t know who the man she committed adultery with was, when it was him. At the scaffold Dimmesdale finally confessed his act of sin with Hester right before he passed away. In a way the scaffold also represented people coming together. Pearl finally accepted Dimmesdale when he finally stood on the scaffold with her mother and her.﻿ “They beheld the minister, leaning on Hester’s shoulder and supported by her arm around him, approach the scaffold, and ascend its steps.” (pg.174) “ With a convulsive motion he tore away the ministerial band fro

The scaffold symbolizes shame. "Hester Prynne had lived through her first hour of public ignominy. The same platform or scafford, black and weather-stained with the strom or sunshine of seven long years, and foot-worn, too, with the tread of many culprits who had since ascended it, remained standing...." Page 101 (Jessica Webb) ||  || Page. 173 “This wrecked and wronged old man is opposing it with all his might! With all his own might and the friends! Come, Hester, come! Support me up yonder scaffold!” -Kristyn N. || I think it represents the revelation of truth because that was where Hesters sin was put alt in the open. It was also where Dimmesdale confessed his sin. || (Carly) ||  || Pearl is meant to represent the scarlet letter. She is actually reffered to as "the living scarlet letter." She is the living reminder of her mom's sin and won't let her forget the past. Pearl is there to show everyone what her mom has done if the letter is not enough. She is the living reminder. ||  ||
 * Pearl || Pearl was all that Hester had and was a representation of Hester's sin everyday. "She named the infant Pearl as being of great price."(pg.61) || Pearl punishes me too! See ye not, that she is the scarlet letter, only capable of being loved and so endowed with a million-fold the power of retribution for my sin? Page 77

Chapters 1-8 || Textual Support from Middle: Chapters 9-16 || Textual Support from End: Chapters 17-24 || Complete this Column LAST: What statement does the book present about this topic? Statement 1: || Complete this Column LAST: What statement does the book present about this topic? Statement 2: || (Carly) ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Theme**
 * Theme Stem || Textual Support from Beginning:
 * guilt/sin || Hester had the A put on her chest for Adultury for a reason, and that was because she commited a sin, and it was made for guilt because, she had to repay some how and it was that she had the A on her chest || Dimmesdale felt guiltier about his sins as the years passed. He hoped to relieve himself of his guilt by telling his church congregation that he was a vile and sinful person, but it ended up backfiring on him because the congregation respected him even more for what he said. Unfortunately, Dimmesdale felt even worse afterwards. “He had striven to put a cheat upon himself by making the avowal of a guilty conscience, but had gained only one other sin, and a self-acknowledged shame, without the momentary relief of being self-deceived.” (pg.99) - Martha Ofuani || Dimmesdale is finally relieved of his sin when he finally confesses everything on the Scaffold with Hester and Pearl by his side. He then feels that he can die in peace without feeling guilty about abandoning them in the beginning. || Dimmesdale is feeling really guilty that he had slept with Hester and always carves an A on his chest for the guilt he has to deal with for the rest of his life. ||  ||
 * vengeance ||  || Chillingsworth is driven by vengeance because someone has committed adultery with his wife. He is determined to find them and make them pay. || After Dimmesdale revealed the letter on his chest, Chillingworth could no longer toture him about the adultery; and that torment is what he lived his life for. Because that force was gone "All his strength and energy-all his vital and intellectual force- seemed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shrivelled away, and almost vanished from mortal sight..." and died within a year. || This Scarlet Letter reveals that vengeance can cause someone to change greatly, their morals, their personality, their motives in life. It can cause you to be someone your not and do things out of your character. For expample Chillingsworth changed greatly from he was originally because he was so focused on revenge against his wife Hester. (olivera) ||   ||
 * society and the individual ||  ||   || Finally Hesters bad reputation is looked at in different way. People are beginning to realize that she's actually a good woman. The outlook of Pearl also changes because she is looked at as a much sweeter child then she was orignally pictured as. (Abby G.) || Society affects what a person does, and that person may not always be accepted. The individual must take it upon themselves to make amends. ||   ||
 * women || Hester has the courage to continue to wear the scarlet letter with pride even after her punishment is over, and she raises Pearl as a single mother.