Scarlet Letter paper

Paper 3: The Scarlet Letter

Assignment: Write a paper on The Scarlet Letter based on one of the essay questions listed below.

Research: Since this paper will be written in class, you will not do any research for this paper. In fact, I expect you to use your own ideas and perceptions of the novel. You may use your cards and notes taken in class as long as information on the cards or notes did not come from outside sources such as Cliff Notes or an Internet website. You must, however, use a minimum of three quotations from the novel to support your ideas.

Minimum Length: 3 body paragraphs of at least 8 sentences each; short introductory and concluding paragraphs of 2-4 sentences each.

Topics: Below are essay questions from which you should choose to develop your paper.

1. Wearing the letter A was intended as Hester’s punishment to represent her sin although it comes to mean much more. Discuss the particular sins you would associate with Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. What letter or other symbol would you choose to represent the sin of each of those characters, and what punishment would be appropriate for their actions? Compare your ideas to the consequences suffered by Dimmesdale and Chillingworth in the novel.

2. Of what is each main character (except Pearl) in The Scarlet Letter guilty? In what distinctive ways does each character deal with his or her guilt? What is the ultimate effect of guilt on Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth? What does this suggest about the nature of guilt in human beings in general?

3. In Psalm 32, King David of Israel wrote about the consequences of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. From his rooftop, David spotted a beautiful woman bathing and decided he wanted her. He arranged to have her husband killed in battle, and then he married her. The prophet Nathan confronted David about his sin. Compare David’s reactions to his sin and guilt in verses 1-5 to the behavior of Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter. Note: your primary focus should be on how the character and behavior of Dimmesdale is illuminated by the story of David.

¹ Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. ² Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. ³ When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day along. ⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. ⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin. (NIV)

4. Three significant episodes in the novel occur on the town's scaffold. Explain the significance of the scenes and of the scaffold in relationship to one or more of the following motifs: sin, guilt, punishment and redemption; private and public identities; the nature of good and evil; darkness (night) and light (day); strength and weakness.

5. As the novel begins, the scarlet letter has one obvious meaning that overshadows the rest of Hester Prynne's life. As time goes on, however, the letter A takes on other meanings. What significance does this have for Hester? How does the meaning of the letter change, and under what circumstances? Look closely at references to the meaning of the A in Chapters 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 13, 18, and 24.

6. Discuss whether you agree or not with the following comment by literary critic Harry Levin in The Power of Blackness:

These two [Hester and Dimmesdale] have been a sinful pair, and he—by Hawthorne’s standard—has been more sinful than she. But the most sinful member of the triangle is, most unnaturally, the injured party. Dimmesdale atones for his trespass by his death; Hester for hers by her life; but for Chillingworth, avenging their violation of his existence, there can be no atonement. While their trespass has been sensual passion, Chillingworth’s is intellectual pride.

7. Choose one of the following themes and discuss how Hawthorne develops that theme through character, setting, and tone:

Ø Even well-meaning deceptions and secrets can lead to destruction.

Ø Revenge destroys both the victim and the avenger.

Ø Individuals must accept responsibility for their actions or suffer the consequences.

Ø It is by recognizing and dealing with one’s weaknesses that a person grows stronger.

Grading: the paper will be evaluated on the following skills.

	Organization: Clear thesis at end of introduction, 3 body paragraphs and a conclusion; introduction mentions author & title.
	Paragraph unity and development: clearly stated topic sentence and focus on that topic throughout each paragraph; body paragraphs should be a minimum 8 sentences, full of specific and concrete detail and examples.
	Use & incorporation of source material: at least one short quotation from the novel in each paragraph to support topic sentences. Use citations after all quotations and paraphrased references to specific passages. Discuss ideas with detail from the novel but do not retell all or a portion of the story; rather mention specific instances and details to support your ideas. Style: longer sentences of varying lengths and structures, using shorter sentences for emphasis; use transitional words and phrases within & between paragraphs. Word choice and tone: detailed & descriptive wording; formal tone and word choice; avoid 2nd person pronouns, colloquialisms, informal wording. Correctness: Proofread carefully for mistakes in grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling.

Procedure: These dates are approximate.

Feb. 22 - 24 Brainstorm topics, main ideas & details in class or for homework

Feb. 24 - 25 Develop thesis & outline; brainstorm/cluster details for paragraphs

Feb. 25 Turn in a copy of preliminary thesis and outline; keep a copy for yourself

Mar. 1 Preliminary thesis and outline returned; discussion of literary analysis guidelines

Mar. 1, 3 In class, develop a more detailed outline with quotations to use in paper

Mar. 7 Bring detailed outline with quotations to use

Mar. 8 Write rough draft in class

Mar. 9 Complete rough draft; revise & polish. See "Form for Final Copies of Papers" for more detailed instructions.

Guidelines for Writing About Literature

Assume your reader knows the story (unless instructed to give a plot summary).

Write about characters and events in the story in present tense. This is called the literary present.

Start with a clear topic sentence that identifies the story, author, and your topic. Don’t start with vague phrases such as "This story is about…" In a paper, you should mention author and title in the introduction, if not in the thesis statement.

State your ideas positively and clearly. Don’t belittle or undercut your ideas by suggesting your reader will be bored or unimpressed.

Avoid phrases such as "I think…" or "My opinion is…." Your name is on the paper, so your reader knows it is your idea.

Analyze the literature—don’t evaluate. Discuss what motivates a character or how the setting affects the plot rather than telling your reader your personal response. It is usually not your purpose to pass judgment on story or tell whether you liked it or not.

Maintain a formal approach to your subject and your reader. Don’t address your reader directly. Your focus should be on your subject, not your reader’s reaction to either the subject or your ideas.

Develop paragraphs logically, not chronologically. Don’t try to "cover" even a part of the story; instead, discuss how a particular element of the story conveys your main idea. Follow this structure:

STATE: Topic sentence stating your main idea, author, and title

DISCUSS: Discussion of the main idea, leading up to specific details and examples for support.

INTRODUCE: Introduction of supporting quotation, incorporating the quotation smoothly into a sentence. Don’t leave a quotation "floating" by itself. End with a citation in parentheses after the quotation. Also, use other supporting details paraphrased or summarized from the story.

EXPLAIN: Discuss how the quotation and examples you have cited support your main idea. Don’t assume your reader will make the same connections you do.

RELATE: Make the connection between your supporting ideas and your topic sentence. Do this in a concluding sentence.