1. Society vs. Wilderness · Hawthorne uses the motif of society and wilderness to contrast the social confines of the city and the wild free nature in the wilderness. In society everyone wears a mask to hide their real personality. They want to fit into the mold of society. In the wilderness everyone is allowed to be who they want to be and live through their own morals. An example is that Dimmesdale acts very fake and holy in the city but in the wilderness he is able to show his true colors.
2. Light vs. Dark · Light and Dark is also very prominent throughout the novel. The light is a symbol of hope, pureness and truth. In the light people try to hide their truths from being exposed because in the light nothing can be hidden. Darkness represents untruth. In the dark all the secrets can be exposed because they are not actually being exposed to everyone. Dark is were things are hidden and light is where they are revealed. An example is Dimmesdale would only stand on the scaffolding when it was dark because he knew that his secret would not really be revealed.
3. Mirrors · Mirrors are also very important to the story. Mirrors always reveal something in the reflection that they give. In mirrors people are able to see their self-image. In mirrors we are looking for imperfections. We are able to find secrets in reflections. Hester sees a distorted picture of the letter when she looked in the suit of armor. She saw that she had allowed the letter to compromise who she was and what she believed in. Her letter was her funhouse mirror.
3 Comments:
1. Society vs. Wilderness
· Hawthorne uses the motif of society and wilderness to contrast the social confines of the city and the wild free nature in the wilderness. In society everyone wears a mask to hide their real personality. They want to fit into the mold of society. In the wilderness everyone is allowed to be who they want to be and live through their own morals. An example is that Dimmesdale acts very fake and holy in the city but in the wilderness he is able to show his true colors.
2. Light vs. Dark
· Light and Dark is also very prominent throughout the novel. The light is a symbol of hope, pureness and truth. In the light people try to hide their truths from being exposed because in the light nothing can be hidden. Darkness represents untruth. In the dark all the secrets can be exposed because they are not actually being exposed to everyone. Dark is were things are hidden and light is where they are revealed. An example is Dimmesdale would only stand on the scaffolding when it was dark because he knew that his secret would not really be revealed.
3. Mirrors
· Mirrors are also very important to the story. Mirrors always reveal something in the reflection that they give. In mirrors people are able to see their self-image. In mirrors we are looking for imperfections. We are able to find secrets in reflections. Hester sees a distorted picture of the letter when she looked in the suit of armor. She saw that she had allowed the letter to compromise who she was and what she believed in. Her letter was her funhouse mirror.
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