Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
February 25, 2010
Scarlet Letter, The Crucible Synthesis
Sin and Its Necessarily Public Penitence
Sin is what keeps humans from divinity; how people deal with sin is how they can differentiate themselves. People can either atone for their sins, or completely ignore that they did them. Repentance is difficult, even for the greatest people, for pride is constantly overriding moral decisions. Some people believe that they need to be forgiven or even feel sorry; even if they do, why does it matter? Is it not said that only God may judge? By forcing someone to apologize, and seeing them badly if they do not do so, are humans not stepping on the Almighty’s toes? Excuses, excuses. To get around this, many people believe that by not speaking of what was done, over time the sin will fade into nothingness. Like footsteps on the sandy shore of life, the waves of time will wash away any traces of mistakes or wrongdoings. Simply because there is no light in the room does not make it empty, a simple inspection will undoubtedly reveal chairs and tables. When a human being ignores their sin they believe it is gone forever, but repression is never helpful and almost always hurtful; public repentance always has the best outcome with redemption and how that person is seen. Not only is this perfectly noticeable in everyday life, but in literature as well. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, affairs take place, in each couple with one character speaking out about what happened, and the other remaining silent. In both examples, the character that speaks out always is a better viewed character with more positive happenings, and the silent character is punished. In The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter, public repentance is more effective because it causes the characters to actually take responsibility for their actions, leading to moral growth, whereas private repentance leads to pain and anguish.
The prime example of triumph from public confession is from The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne confessed her sins to the public in the very beginning, which saved her in the end and even made her a better person. While her husband was away, she had an affair and became pregnant; therefore she had no way to keep her affair a secret. Her punishment was cruel and unusual by today’s standard, but ended with amazing results. The townspeople forced her to wear a scarlet ‘A’ to let everyone know she was an adulterer, and then made her stand on a scaffold in the town square. As all eyes are fixed on her, Hester experienced the consequences of what she had done. By having no way to back out of her punishment and dealing with it head on, Hester was able to repent more effectively. An interesting factor was Hester’s A; they made her stitch it herself, and as she leaves the jail where they kept her, she held her head high displaying the baby and her A; “The young woman… with a burning blush, and yet a haughty smile…looked around…On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and…gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 50). Hester specifically makes her A gaudy because she wants everyone to look at it. Hester understand what she did was very wrong and that she deserves to be punished for it. Although it is very painful and damaging for her, Hester goes through her public punishment anyway.
As the story continues, the nature of the townspeople towards her undergoes a large change. They began to change the meaning of her scarlet letter: “Many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (146). Compared to other characters in the novel, Hester is viewed as most pious, generous, and dedicated. She is able to have her child and get through her penance and remain a good person because she was forced to repent immediately and without mercy. By having this extreme penance, she was redeemed the most. The reader views Hester as a good character throughout the book because of her full public repentance, which gives her the air of fully honest and strong-willed.
John Proctor from The Crucible was ashamed of what he had done, and tried to hide his affair. Only three people knew in the beginning: himself, the girl he got involved with Abigail Williams, and his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth constantly scolded him for it, making it seem that public humiliation would be the worst way to go. However, it was the best option that he denied. After having Elizabeth swear she would tell no one, Proctor goes to court. During the court, Proctor must prove that Abigail is not the holy tool they make her out to be. The only way to do that is to admit to lechery. When Proctor finally does, there is a slight enlightening in the court but they cannot be sure he is truthful. Declaring that his wife knows, the court calls in Elizabeth. Of course she does not say anything, wishing to protect her husband, leading to distrust from the court. This situation could have been avoided all together if Proctor had confessed to lechery in the first place.
Eventually, Proctor is able to capture the courts understand, and their view of Abigail changes. From this point on, the reader notices a change in Proctor as well; he is more proud and resilient, defying the courts. Proctor becomes more respectable and certainly more admirable, and he is able to die willingly. Proctor does not agree to sign his statement that he works for the devil, because by doing this he condemns himself and others. In addition to a death sentence, Proctor will not sign for another reason; “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life!...I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (143). He prides his name because it represents all that he is, and now that he confessed, he feels that he means more.
Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter wanted desperately to be revealed as Hester has, for he was the one with whom she cheated. Dimmesdale kept his sin a secret, fearing the consequences, perhaps not for himself though. He continues to attempt confessions, using vague language but never saying it outright. Dimmesdale goes through a vicious cycle in his attempts to repent for his sin. The cycle began with Dimmesdale’s sin; Dimmesdale hates sin. He then feels the need to repent because of this hate. However, he cannot repent because it will shake the faith of the townspeople. He does not risk the damage because he holds the Christian faith as most important. Following, he feels need to do something, more precisely say something. So, he preaches to the people how bad he is. By doing this, they only put him on a higher pedestal and bask in his deeper shadow: “if [Dimmesdale] discern such sinfulness in his own white soul, what horrid spectacle would he behold in thine or mine!”(131). Finally by being more highly revered, Dimmesdale hates himself even more, which begins the cycle again. In the end with his dying breath, Dimmesdale confesses to his affair with Hester.
During most of the novel there are two conflicting views of Dimmesdale; either he is a concerned, pious man, or a cowardly one. Dimmesdale was viewed in a positive light because while he did not confess, he sure enough suffered. He suffered because he actually cared for the people, and sacrificed his health for their religion. However, Dimmesdale was very well a coward in some respects. He made plenty of attempts to confess, but only once did he actually explain exactly what he did. When he confessed, he died right after so he would not go through the consequences.
Abigail Williams from The Crucible felt empowered by forcing Proctor to cheat on his wife and did not attempt to repent in the least. Until Proctor revealed the two of them, she had thought it would remain a secret forever. Instead of feeling any sort of guilt for her sin, Abby viewed it as love between herself and Proctor. She then utilizes this vision to fuel her desire for Proctor. Abby twists her clearly malevolent intentions to eliminate Elizabeth, into a romantic crusade. This war for love is only desired by Abby, Proctor has no intention of ever being with her; “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I'll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby” (23). This infuriated Abby, pushing her to enact her vengeance, the entire time using Proctor’s lechery as blackmail to keep him from interfering. During this fiasco, Abby viewed her sin as a good thing and nothing but.
Through her wicked, selfish nature Abigail is a very off-setting character for the reader; there are several reasons that she is seen as an obvious antagonist. One is by using the protagonist Proctor for her own selfish gain. Two is because she feels no remorse by any of the damage caused by her reckless nature. This leads to three, because she makes absolutely no attempt to repent for her sins, and actually intended on keeping it a secret. By going the complete opposite direction of repentance, Abby’s end is worse than that of any character: “The legend has it that Abigail turned up later as a prostitute in Boston” (146). The reader is completely satisfied by this ending because she was a snide, contemptuous, immoral young girl only worthy of a loveless end.
By publicly atoning for one’s sins, a person is able to get the full redemption. Because peers are mostly harsh and unrelenting in their punishment, public confessions are not well received. By exacting an extreme amount of punishment, a sinner is able to see how bad their sin really was. Only through harsh consequences will a human learn the degree of their mistakes; this idea is called negative reinforcement. For example, if a dog tears up a pillow and the owner proceeds to give the dog a harmless yet firm smack on the nose with a newspaper, eventually the dog will associate the impulse to tear up something with a negative result like being struck. For humans the principle is the same; by receiving such shame and degradation, a sinner will always remember that feeling and take that sensation into consideration when faced with the option to sin. By privately bearing a sin, a person can find ways to make the sin not seem so bad. As human beings, people want to protect themselves, and because of pride they will attempt to create excuses. However if the guilty person were brought before others, they would not fair so well. In The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter, the characters that confess to their sins publicly are redeemed more greatly by the end of the book because it causes them to actually take responsibility for their actions. Hester began with public confession and lived a good life, Proctor began in private and half way through confessed publicly and he died an honorable death, Dimmesdale remained private until he used his last breath to confess then died with hints of cowardice, and Abigail never confessed publicly at all and became a prostitute. Comparing this series of decaying publicity and happy endings, it is plain to be seen that public penance is much more effective in higher doses. After all, if one cannot be truthful to others about the bad one has done, how can they be expected to believe in the good?
Work Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1850.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin, 1976.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Character Analysis- Pearl
Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
February 21, 2010
Scarlet Letter
Characterization-Pearl
Pearl Prynn is an odd, impish young girl, intent on punishing the two people whose love and sin she manifests.
Pearl is introduced as “being of great price,-purchased with all [Hester] has,-her mother’s only treasure!”(Hawthorne 81), yet more subtly as a rose: “to symbolize some sweet moral blossom…or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow”(46). To some of the townspeople she seems to be of demonic origin, which is understandable considering how she acts. Pearl enjoys being her mother’s torment as well as her father’s, Dimmesdale; she constantly reminds them both of their sin. Pearl seem so very intrigued by the scarlet letter, and at times reminds Hester specifically of it; “Pearl put up her mouth and kissed the scarlet letter too!”(190). As for Dimmesdale, she constantly call to attention his habit of holding his hand over his heart. But between them pearl is “the oneness of their being”(186). She is both of theirs, their treasure and their pain, bought with a cost greater than life.
Pearl is like the tattoo of a partner you though you would be with forever; you cannot rid yourself of it, yet every time you see it, you remember the mistake you made.
A modern day connection would be to the Cheshire Cat of Wonderland. It seems as though he only exists to torture you, by say forcing you to wear your scarlet letter, or causing the queen of hearts to threaten you. But after further inspection, he keeps on track, as does Pearl. When the Cheshire Cat asks Alice questions, they force her to question herself which lead her through Wonderland. When Pearl refuses to kiss Dimmesdale, she is imparting punishment on him, until he admits his sin.
AP English 11
February 21, 2010
Scarlet Letter
Characterization-Pearl
Pearl Prynn is an odd, impish young girl, intent on punishing the two people whose love and sin she manifests.
Pearl is introduced as “being of great price,-purchased with all [Hester] has,-her mother’s only treasure!”(Hawthorne 81), yet more subtly as a rose: “to symbolize some sweet moral blossom…or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow”(46). To some of the townspeople she seems to be of demonic origin, which is understandable considering how she acts. Pearl enjoys being her mother’s torment as well as her father’s, Dimmesdale; she constantly reminds them both of their sin. Pearl seem so very intrigued by the scarlet letter, and at times reminds Hester specifically of it; “Pearl put up her mouth and kissed the scarlet letter too!”(190). As for Dimmesdale, she constantly call to attention his habit of holding his hand over his heart. But between them pearl is “the oneness of their being”(186). She is both of theirs, their treasure and their pain, bought with a cost greater than life.
Pearl is like the tattoo of a partner you though you would be with forever; you cannot rid yourself of it, yet every time you see it, you remember the mistake you made.
A modern day connection would be to the Cheshire Cat of Wonderland. It seems as though he only exists to torture you, by say forcing you to wear your scarlet letter, or causing the queen of hearts to threaten you. But after further inspection, he keeps on track, as does Pearl. When the Cheshire Cat asks Alice questions, they force her to question herself which lead her through Wonderland. When Pearl refuses to kiss Dimmesdale, she is imparting punishment on him, until he admits his sin.
Character Analysis- Hester
Rachael Kerr
AP English11
February 21, 2010
Scarlet Letter
Characterization-Hester
Hester Prynn is a strong-willed, dedicated Christian woman whose defiant nature turns her punishment into praise.
In the beginning, Hester is introduced to us as simply a defiant adulteress with child. But as the story goes on, it is revealed why Hester committed this act. She was in a loveless marriage that she never consented to; “I felt no love, nor feigned any” (Hawthorne 69). Continuing, the nature of her lechery is defined: it was a passionate affair with a man she still loves; Reverend Dimmesdale. After Hester’ daughter Pearl has been born, Hester can be further described as a dedicated mother, intent on bringing her daughter up in the Christian faith, even though Pearl does not admit to being taught any sort of religion. Nearing the end of the book, Hester’s reputation in the village has done a complete turnaround. Through her generous nature to the people of the town, despite their complete contempt for her, Hester has changed the meaning of the Scarlet Letter; “it imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness…amid all peril”(147). Even after her punishment is over Hester continues to wear her Scarlet Letter, and this shows how greatly she understands the severity of what she did and that she must repent.
Hester Prynn is like edelweiss, a white flower able to grow in rocky soil and partial shade; by overcoming obstacles, and actually preferring the hindrances, Hester is able to become the most beautiful blossom.
A modern day connection would be to Susan B. Anthony. Only by undergoing public scrutiny, such as wearing men’s’ bloomers or a scarlet A, were both women able to gain respect and admiration.
AP English11
February 21, 2010
Scarlet Letter
Characterization-Hester
Hester Prynn is a strong-willed, dedicated Christian woman whose defiant nature turns her punishment into praise.
In the beginning, Hester is introduced to us as simply a defiant adulteress with child. But as the story goes on, it is revealed why Hester committed this act. She was in a loveless marriage that she never consented to; “I felt no love, nor feigned any” (Hawthorne 69). Continuing, the nature of her lechery is defined: it was a passionate affair with a man she still loves; Reverend Dimmesdale. After Hester’ daughter Pearl has been born, Hester can be further described as a dedicated mother, intent on bringing her daughter up in the Christian faith, even though Pearl does not admit to being taught any sort of religion. Nearing the end of the book, Hester’s reputation in the village has done a complete turnaround. Through her generous nature to the people of the town, despite their complete contempt for her, Hester has changed the meaning of the Scarlet Letter; “it imparted to the wearer a kind of sacredness…amid all peril”(147). Even after her punishment is over Hester continues to wear her Scarlet Letter, and this shows how greatly she understands the severity of what she did and that she must repent.
Hester Prynn is like edelweiss, a white flower able to grow in rocky soil and partial shade; by overcoming obstacles, and actually preferring the hindrances, Hester is able to become the most beautiful blossom.
A modern day connection would be to Susan B. Anthony. Only by undergoing public scrutiny, such as wearing men’s’ bloomers or a scarlet A, were both women able to gain respect and admiration.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Scarlet Letter Short Paper
Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
February 12, 2010
Scarlet Letter Short Paper
Dimmesdale’s Perfect Punishment
Human beings enjoy finding flaws in others, and making them repent for them. It is found to be amusing when one can look upon the stories of a person’s life and point out where they had gone wrong. A sense of pride is derived as the center of attention squirms while explaining themselves; this discomfort is punishment enough. Is it amusing-then-when someone goes as far as to actually punish themselves? It is not; sympathy arises as well as offers for assistance- sometimes even admiration for self-control. This situation plays over in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. After committing adultery but never being publicly punished like his partner Hester Prynne, Reverend Arnold Dimmesdale harbors a seed of guilt that grows. But this form of punishment fits Dimmesdale in the best way a consequence can. The perfection of Dimmesdale’s punishment lies in three factors: the punishment itself, how it relates to him, and that he sees it as a blessing.
The best way to describe Dimmesdale’s torment is a vicious cycle. The cycle began with Dimmesdale’s sin; Dimmesdale hates sin. He then feels the need to repent because of this hate. However, he cannot repent because it will shake the faith of the townspeople. He does not risk the damage because he holds the Christian faith as most important. Following, he feels need to do something, more precisely say something. So, he preaches to the people how bad he is. By doing this, they only put him on a higher pedestal and bask in his deeper shadow: “if [Dimmesdale] discern such sinfulness in his own white soul, what horrid spectacle would he behold in thine or mine!”(Hawthorne 131). Finally by being more highly revered, Dimmesdale hates himself even more, which begins the cycle again. This torture does not only affect Dimmesdale because of the pain in inflicts, but because he is able to see the affects past himself.
Dimmesdale’s torture is especially poignant for him. To begin with, Dimmesdale cares; he cares that he has sinned and not yet confessed. In addition, by not confessing he has led the townspeople astray. Dimmesdale cares that the people are praising someone who is not what they appear to be. As he explains to Hester; “Lost as my own soul is, I would still do what I may for other human souls! I dare not quit my post, though an unfaithful sentinel, whose sure reward is death and dishonor, when his dreary watch shall come to an end!” (178). Dimmesdale is actually concerned about whether the townspeople remain virtuous or not, and this is where it is understood why he does not want to confess. He worries about the name of the church and faith of the people; if they see that the one that was always regarded as most holy has failed and sinned, what hope do they have? By not confessing and causing guilt that is slowly killing him, Dimmesdale desires to save the innocence in the people, which he himself has lost. Not only does Dimmesdale care, but his punishment is ironic in what it requires. Dimmesdale attempts to make his way around confessing by making his guilt obvious. For example, by standing on the scaffold in the town square and screaming, Dimmesdale wanted people to come running and catch him standing where so many other sinners have stood before: “It is done…The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me [Dimmesdale] here!” (135). However, the people only continue his cycle by respecting him and feeding his guilt. Dimmesdale wants someone else to reveal him, but what he needs to do that actually continues his cycle. Interestingly- and perhaps obviously- enough, Dimmesdale does not complain about his punishment, quite the opposite. He finds that his torment is a blessing and praises God for the opportunity bestowed upon him.
It is quite curious to believe that guilt twisted into physical anguish could be a blessing from God, but for Dimmesdale it is perfectly befitting. He believes this for a few reasons; first of all, his sin is secret. This fact is important because Dimmesdale believes that retribution is between a sinner and God. He expresses that “the heart, making it guilty of such secrets, must perforce hold them, until the day when all hidden things shall be revealed. Nor have I so read or interpreted Holy Writ, as to understand the disclosure of human thoughts and deeds, then to be made, is intended as a part of the retribution” (119). Second, Dimmesdale believes that everything that happened after he sinned was sent from God as a chance to repent: “[God] hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions. By giving me this burning torture to bear upon my breast….By bringing me hither, to die this death of triumphant ignominy before the people. Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost forever!”(229). By sending him the tools with which to punish himself, by sending Hester’s revenge-driven husband Roger Chillingworth, and by allowing an ignominious death before his followers, Dimmesdale understand that he is being offered a test. Going through this test is a rite of passage, and success will allow him into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Dimmesdale died knowing that he was able to repent in this life, so as to be better prepared for Heaven: “were I worthier to walk there, I could be better content to toil here” (111). It would be strange to describe a punishment as perfectly fitting, but it must be in Dimmesdale’s case. Dimmesdale’s actual punishment, how this punishment struck him, and that he saw it as God’s blessing were all factors in its effect. The actual punishment was an unending cycle, feeding the dark seed of guilt growing in his heart. This affected him so harshly because he is truly considerate of his sins and his responsibility to the morality of the townspeople. Finally, he interpreted all of the negative events as divine chances to make up for what he had done. Only a man so concerned as this-with such a dedication to himself, his people, and his God- would be able to die with the assurance of Heaven.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1850.
AP English 11
February 12, 2010
Scarlet Letter Short Paper
Dimmesdale’s Perfect Punishment
Human beings enjoy finding flaws in others, and making them repent for them. It is found to be amusing when one can look upon the stories of a person’s life and point out where they had gone wrong. A sense of pride is derived as the center of attention squirms while explaining themselves; this discomfort is punishment enough. Is it amusing-then-when someone goes as far as to actually punish themselves? It is not; sympathy arises as well as offers for assistance- sometimes even admiration for self-control. This situation plays over in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. After committing adultery but never being publicly punished like his partner Hester Prynne, Reverend Arnold Dimmesdale harbors a seed of guilt that grows. But this form of punishment fits Dimmesdale in the best way a consequence can. The perfection of Dimmesdale’s punishment lies in three factors: the punishment itself, how it relates to him, and that he sees it as a blessing.
The best way to describe Dimmesdale’s torment is a vicious cycle. The cycle began with Dimmesdale’s sin; Dimmesdale hates sin. He then feels the need to repent because of this hate. However, he cannot repent because it will shake the faith of the townspeople. He does not risk the damage because he holds the Christian faith as most important. Following, he feels need to do something, more precisely say something. So, he preaches to the people how bad he is. By doing this, they only put him on a higher pedestal and bask in his deeper shadow: “if [Dimmesdale] discern such sinfulness in his own white soul, what horrid spectacle would he behold in thine or mine!”(Hawthorne 131). Finally by being more highly revered, Dimmesdale hates himself even more, which begins the cycle again. This torture does not only affect Dimmesdale because of the pain in inflicts, but because he is able to see the affects past himself.
Dimmesdale’s torture is especially poignant for him. To begin with, Dimmesdale cares; he cares that he has sinned and not yet confessed. In addition, by not confessing he has led the townspeople astray. Dimmesdale cares that the people are praising someone who is not what they appear to be. As he explains to Hester; “Lost as my own soul is, I would still do what I may for other human souls! I dare not quit my post, though an unfaithful sentinel, whose sure reward is death and dishonor, when his dreary watch shall come to an end!” (178). Dimmesdale is actually concerned about whether the townspeople remain virtuous or not, and this is where it is understood why he does not want to confess. He worries about the name of the church and faith of the people; if they see that the one that was always regarded as most holy has failed and sinned, what hope do they have? By not confessing and causing guilt that is slowly killing him, Dimmesdale desires to save the innocence in the people, which he himself has lost. Not only does Dimmesdale care, but his punishment is ironic in what it requires. Dimmesdale attempts to make his way around confessing by making his guilt obvious. For example, by standing on the scaffold in the town square and screaming, Dimmesdale wanted people to come running and catch him standing where so many other sinners have stood before: “It is done…The whole town will awake, and hurry forth, and find me [Dimmesdale] here!” (135). However, the people only continue his cycle by respecting him and feeding his guilt. Dimmesdale wants someone else to reveal him, but what he needs to do that actually continues his cycle. Interestingly- and perhaps obviously- enough, Dimmesdale does not complain about his punishment, quite the opposite. He finds that his torment is a blessing and praises God for the opportunity bestowed upon him.
It is quite curious to believe that guilt twisted into physical anguish could be a blessing from God, but for Dimmesdale it is perfectly befitting. He believes this for a few reasons; first of all, his sin is secret. This fact is important because Dimmesdale believes that retribution is between a sinner and God. He expresses that “the heart, making it guilty of such secrets, must perforce hold them, until the day when all hidden things shall be revealed. Nor have I so read or interpreted Holy Writ, as to understand the disclosure of human thoughts and deeds, then to be made, is intended as a part of the retribution” (119). Second, Dimmesdale believes that everything that happened after he sinned was sent from God as a chance to repent: “[God] hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions. By giving me this burning torture to bear upon my breast….By bringing me hither, to die this death of triumphant ignominy before the people. Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost forever!”(229). By sending him the tools with which to punish himself, by sending Hester’s revenge-driven husband Roger Chillingworth, and by allowing an ignominious death before his followers, Dimmesdale understand that he is being offered a test. Going through this test is a rite of passage, and success will allow him into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Dimmesdale died knowing that he was able to repent in this life, so as to be better prepared for Heaven: “were I worthier to walk there, I could be better content to toil here” (111). It would be strange to describe a punishment as perfectly fitting, but it must be in Dimmesdale’s case. Dimmesdale’s actual punishment, how this punishment struck him, and that he saw it as God’s blessing were all factors in its effect. The actual punishment was an unending cycle, feeding the dark seed of guilt growing in his heart. This affected him so harshly because he is truly considerate of his sins and his responsibility to the morality of the townspeople. Finally, he interpreted all of the negative events as divine chances to make up for what he had done. Only a man so concerned as this-with such a dedication to himself, his people, and his God- would be able to die with the assurance of Heaven.
Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1850.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Abigail's Fall From Power
Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
January 5, 2010
The Crucible Long Paper
Abigail’s Appeal is Only Skin Deep
What is it about aesthetics that makes humans’ perception of character twist? Is it because they want to believe that the beautiful are the same inside and out? Obviously, this is not always true; many attractive people abuse this ‘gift’ to get what they desire. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, one character uses this misperception to elevate herself into a large accumulation of power. Abigail Williams, an aesthetically pleasing seventeen year old girl, wields this beauty to not only bend one man to lechery, but also to manipulate the court system to turn tables on her enemies. Abigail’s rise to power was due to her splendor, but her fall was when the other characters realized it was only skin deep.
As she is first introduced, Abigail is extremely beautiful with a knack of dissembling which summarizes her ability to flaunt herself and tear things apart very well. Her strong personality and overbearing pride is what allows her to bend other young women to her will. Other girls are not the only people she bends to her will; she uses her overwhelming beauty to lead John Proctor to adultery. In fact, this is her beginning motive for all of the “witch” non-sense. Abigail wishes so much to be with John that she will do anything to be with him: “You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 24). Following his rejection, Abigail seeks her revenge and begins accusing Proctor’s wife Elizabeth of witchcraft. The power continues to go to Abigail’s head which leads her to accuse more and more people of witchcraft: “Abigail: I saw Sarah Good...Goody Osborne...Bridget Bishop...Goody Sibber with the Devil!”(48). From the start, she a conniving and sly, but is unable to steal her prize--John Proctor's heart. She disguises herself as a holy follower of God, like the rest of the townsfolk, to deceive them. She walks among them, appearing like the exact opposite of what she is: innocent and pure. Abigail is forever on the prowl and trying to get to Proctor. Keeping with her facade, she lashes out at other villagers in an attempt to secure John for herself.
As if it was not obvious enough, Abigail is hated by the readers. In being a deceitful, overbearing, manipulative yet “strikingly beautiful” (8) young girl, readers harbor a resentment as anyone would. Abigail is a ‘evil’ person in regards to human definition of character in society; she is not a person that would represent a model citizen. Although she is not the only sinner, Abigail is more detested because she is a ‘wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing.’ People hate seeing, knowing, and being around other people who they would call ‘fake’ or ‘two-faced’: basically, those who do not appear as they truly are. A perfect parallel would be to Angelica from the cartoon Rugrats. Angelica was a cruel, mean-spirited little girl and all the babies knew it, but the adults (the people who ‘matter’ and ‘can do something about her’) saw her as a little angel. This enraged the watcher because of their innate hatred of pretenders, and the fact that because of this charade, Angelica was able to squirm out of trouble. Fortunately, Abigail receives her just desserts in the end. By becoming a prostitute for a living, Abigail’s end is riddled with poetic justice. Abigail used her looks to get through life, thereby never learning a trade or how to do anything really. When she ran away, she needed a job to support herself and because she only had her looks, her only option was prostitution. Is it not ironic that the adulteress was punished with the choice of life by unwanted sex or death?
While some of the similar emotions readers have are coincidental, others are felt by all because Miller designed the events of the story to make the readers feel this way. For example, the readers’ feelings for Abigail come about mostly through the situations she is seen in. If she was just a bad character, the readers would dislike her, but not as much as they do when she specifically does something to aggravate them. First, the readers do not like Abigail because of who she is, and want to see her get caught. So Miller puts her in situations, where the illusion is that she will be caught, to excite the reader. Then, he makes Abigail weasel herself out of it to excite feelings of anger, frustration, and disappointment. For instance, just as Abigail is about to be revealed as a liar, she bats her eyelashes and creates another lie that will take the negative attention away from her, and draw in sympathy: “Abigail, looking about in the air, clasping her arms about her as though cold: A wind, a cold wind, has come…Your Honor, I freeze!”(108). Now, what is it about being human that makes readers feel this way? It is the innate expectancy that justice will be served. When Abigail does not receive her punishment, readers feel a grab-bag of emotions, ranging from jealousy to rage; the jealousy is for her getting away with literally murder, which the average human could not do, and the rage is because she was simply able to get power, and then abuse it.
Abigail’s beauty unfortunately allowed her to by proxy end lives of many innocent people, and this clearly demonstrates the very human flaw of believing that beauty requires something more than luck to receive. However, when it is revealed that Abigail lied about almost all of her facts, people begin to perceive her differently: “Danforth, as though with new eyes, looks at Abigail” (105). This is when she began to fall; Abigail tried to gain too much power as she desired to have and eat her proverbial cake. Her beauty was her power, the hollowness of it was her flaw. When she began, she only wanted to have John to herself by killing Elizabeth: “[Abigail] drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife!”(19). While this was malevolent enough, if Abigail left it at that, she might have gotten away with it. Then because no one found out about, even when she was questioned about it, Abigail felt a rush of false immunity. This immunity only worked for a short while because it was paired with her good looks. Finally, an epiphany came about: just because Abigail is attractive does not mean she is necessarily telling the truth.
From this point on, Abigail was not seen as infallible; in fact it was quite the opposite because now all the characters (including the judges) knew that she was lying the entire time. For Abigail, this was the point where she knew she had to run away, which led her to her paradoxical end of prostitution; this seems like a suitable end for a character such as Abigail. Abigail’s beauty is a hollow mask, much like the love a customer feels for a prostitute; the love is supposed to be there because it is essential to love making, but-much like Abigail’s character in lacking amiable qualities-it becomes half-done and pointless. After all, what is the point of a magnificently radiant flower when you know it is rotting from the inside out?
AP English 11
January 5, 2010
The Crucible Long Paper
Abigail’s Appeal is Only Skin Deep
What is it about aesthetics that makes humans’ perception of character twist? Is it because they want to believe that the beautiful are the same inside and out? Obviously, this is not always true; many attractive people abuse this ‘gift’ to get what they desire. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, one character uses this misperception to elevate herself into a large accumulation of power. Abigail Williams, an aesthetically pleasing seventeen year old girl, wields this beauty to not only bend one man to lechery, but also to manipulate the court system to turn tables on her enemies. Abigail’s rise to power was due to her splendor, but her fall was when the other characters realized it was only skin deep.
As she is first introduced, Abigail is extremely beautiful with a knack of dissembling which summarizes her ability to flaunt herself and tear things apart very well. Her strong personality and overbearing pride is what allows her to bend other young women to her will. Other girls are not the only people she bends to her will; she uses her overwhelming beauty to lead John Proctor to adultery. In fact, this is her beginning motive for all of the “witch” non-sense. Abigail wishes so much to be with John that she will do anything to be with him: “You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 24). Following his rejection, Abigail seeks her revenge and begins accusing Proctor’s wife Elizabeth of witchcraft. The power continues to go to Abigail’s head which leads her to accuse more and more people of witchcraft: “Abigail: I saw Sarah Good...Goody Osborne...Bridget Bishop...Goody Sibber with the Devil!”(48). From the start, she a conniving and sly, but is unable to steal her prize--John Proctor's heart. She disguises herself as a holy follower of God, like the rest of the townsfolk, to deceive them. She walks among them, appearing like the exact opposite of what she is: innocent and pure. Abigail is forever on the prowl and trying to get to Proctor. Keeping with her facade, she lashes out at other villagers in an attempt to secure John for herself.
As if it was not obvious enough, Abigail is hated by the readers. In being a deceitful, overbearing, manipulative yet “strikingly beautiful” (8) young girl, readers harbor a resentment as anyone would. Abigail is a ‘evil’ person in regards to human definition of character in society; she is not a person that would represent a model citizen. Although she is not the only sinner, Abigail is more detested because she is a ‘wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing.’ People hate seeing, knowing, and being around other people who they would call ‘fake’ or ‘two-faced’: basically, those who do not appear as they truly are. A perfect parallel would be to Angelica from the cartoon Rugrats. Angelica was a cruel, mean-spirited little girl and all the babies knew it, but the adults (the people who ‘matter’ and ‘can do something about her’) saw her as a little angel. This enraged the watcher because of their innate hatred of pretenders, and the fact that because of this charade, Angelica was able to squirm out of trouble. Fortunately, Abigail receives her just desserts in the end. By becoming a prostitute for a living, Abigail’s end is riddled with poetic justice. Abigail used her looks to get through life, thereby never learning a trade or how to do anything really. When she ran away, she needed a job to support herself and because she only had her looks, her only option was prostitution. Is it not ironic that the adulteress was punished with the choice of life by unwanted sex or death?
While some of the similar emotions readers have are coincidental, others are felt by all because Miller designed the events of the story to make the readers feel this way. For example, the readers’ feelings for Abigail come about mostly through the situations she is seen in. If she was just a bad character, the readers would dislike her, but not as much as they do when she specifically does something to aggravate them. First, the readers do not like Abigail because of who she is, and want to see her get caught. So Miller puts her in situations, where the illusion is that she will be caught, to excite the reader. Then, he makes Abigail weasel herself out of it to excite feelings of anger, frustration, and disappointment. For instance, just as Abigail is about to be revealed as a liar, she bats her eyelashes and creates another lie that will take the negative attention away from her, and draw in sympathy: “Abigail, looking about in the air, clasping her arms about her as though cold: A wind, a cold wind, has come…Your Honor, I freeze!”(108). Now, what is it about being human that makes readers feel this way? It is the innate expectancy that justice will be served. When Abigail does not receive her punishment, readers feel a grab-bag of emotions, ranging from jealousy to rage; the jealousy is for her getting away with literally murder, which the average human could not do, and the rage is because she was simply able to get power, and then abuse it.
Abigail’s beauty unfortunately allowed her to by proxy end lives of many innocent people, and this clearly demonstrates the very human flaw of believing that beauty requires something more than luck to receive. However, when it is revealed that Abigail lied about almost all of her facts, people begin to perceive her differently: “Danforth, as though with new eyes, looks at Abigail” (105). This is when she began to fall; Abigail tried to gain too much power as she desired to have and eat her proverbial cake. Her beauty was her power, the hollowness of it was her flaw. When she began, she only wanted to have John to herself by killing Elizabeth: “[Abigail] drank a charm to kill John Proctor’s wife!”(19). While this was malevolent enough, if Abigail left it at that, she might have gotten away with it. Then because no one found out about, even when she was questioned about it, Abigail felt a rush of false immunity. This immunity only worked for a short while because it was paired with her good looks. Finally, an epiphany came about: just because Abigail is attractive does not mean she is necessarily telling the truth.
From this point on, Abigail was not seen as infallible; in fact it was quite the opposite because now all the characters (including the judges) knew that she was lying the entire time. For Abigail, this was the point where she knew she had to run away, which led her to her paradoxical end of prostitution; this seems like a suitable end for a character such as Abigail. Abigail’s beauty is a hollow mask, much like the love a customer feels for a prostitute; the love is supposed to be there because it is essential to love making, but-much like Abigail’s character in lacking amiable qualities-it becomes half-done and pointless. After all, what is the point of a magnificently radiant flower when you know it is rotting from the inside out?
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Character Analysis-Abigail Williams
Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
December 17, 2009
The Crucible Characterization
Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams is a treacherous young woman whose appearance as the word of God conceals her devilish nature.
As she is first introduced, Abigail is beautiful with a knack of dissembling which summarizes her ability to flaunt herself and tear things apart very well. Her strong personality and overbearing pride is what allows her to bend other young women to her will. Other girls are not the only people she bends to her will; using her overwhelming beauty to lead John Proctor to adultery. In fact, this is her beginning motive for all of the “witch” non-sense. Abigail wishes so much to be with John that she will do anything to be with him: “You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 24). Following his rejection, Abigail seeks her revenge and begins accusing Proctor’s wife Elizabeth of witchcraft: “She thinks to dance with [Proctor] on [his] wife’s grave!” (110). The power continues to go to Abigail’s head which leads her to accuse more and more people of witchcraft: “A wind, a cold wind, has come. Her eyes fall on Mary Warren” (108).
Abigail Williams is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. From the start, she a conniving and sly, but is unable to steal her prize--John Proctor's heart. She disguises herself as a holy follower of God, like the rest of the townsfolk, to deceive them. She walks among them, appearing like the exact opposite of what she is: innocent and pure when she is really vile and deceitful. Abigail is forever on the prowl and trying to get to Proctor. Keeping with her facade, she lashes out at other villagers in an attempt to secure John for herself.
A modern day parallel would be from the movie Coraline. In Coraline, Coraline meets her ‘other-mother’ who treats her in just the way Coraline wishes. The other-mother seems to be a great find from wonderful turn of events; however this is a gross misnomer. In the end, it is revealed that all the other-mother is after is Coraline’s eyes.
AP English 11
December 17, 2009
The Crucible Characterization
Abigail Williams
Abigail Williams is a treacherous young woman whose appearance as the word of God conceals her devilish nature.
As she is first introduced, Abigail is beautiful with a knack of dissembling which summarizes her ability to flaunt herself and tear things apart very well. Her strong personality and overbearing pride is what allows her to bend other young women to her will. Other girls are not the only people she bends to her will; using her overwhelming beauty to lead John Proctor to adultery. In fact, this is her beginning motive for all of the “witch” non-sense. Abigail wishes so much to be with John that she will do anything to be with him: “You loved me John Proctor, and whatever sin it is, you love me yet!”(Miller 24). Following his rejection, Abigail seeks her revenge and begins accusing Proctor’s wife Elizabeth of witchcraft: “She thinks to dance with [Proctor] on [his] wife’s grave!” (110). The power continues to go to Abigail’s head which leads her to accuse more and more people of witchcraft: “A wind, a cold wind, has come. Her eyes fall on Mary Warren” (108).
Abigail Williams is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. From the start, she a conniving and sly, but is unable to steal her prize--John Proctor's heart. She disguises herself as a holy follower of God, like the rest of the townsfolk, to deceive them. She walks among them, appearing like the exact opposite of what she is: innocent and pure when she is really vile and deceitful. Abigail is forever on the prowl and trying to get to Proctor. Keeping with her facade, she lashes out at other villagers in an attempt to secure John for herself.
A modern day parallel would be from the movie Coraline. In Coraline, Coraline meets her ‘other-mother’ who treats her in just the way Coraline wishes. The other-mother seems to be a great find from wonderful turn of events; however this is a gross misnomer. In the end, it is revealed that all the other-mother is after is Coraline’s eyes.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Crucible Apology Letter
December 18, 1698
Dear Elizabeth,
I know that as you are reading this right now, you are ready to counter and criticize everything I am about to say. But I beg you to open your heart and listen to what I have to say. I am not writing to defend myself or justify my actions; I only wish to apologize. I was stupid all those years ago, when I made John commit lechery. Then I sent all those people to their deaths, by my corrupt, childish vengeance. I find it hard every day to pull myself from my covers, and live with what I have done.
You have no need to punish me (though I do not blame you if it is your desire), I am already destined for Hell. No matter what I do, no matter how I change now, there is no way I can change what I did or who I was then. The demons of what I did, not only to you, John, and the townspeople, but my friends as well will haunt me for eternity. I twisted girls of a young age to become as demented as I was; how many of them will have further troubled lives because of what I did? I am still continually tormented by the extreme immaturity of my actions. I have affected so many people lives, all through one single temptation of the flesh.
I know you were angry at John, but if there was one favor I could ever ask, it is thus: Do not blame, or even be upset with John. The lechery was not even his doing! In actuality, I pressed him harder than he pressed me. I approached him and forced myself onto him, rather than the feeling being mutual. The entire ordeal was my fault, I beg for forgiveness, not for me, but for John. I lied, and by doing this I hurt someone I actually cared about.
I believe that what perhaps hurts me above all of this, is the fact that I abused a gift from God. God bestowed me with radiant beauty, a wonderful gift meant to bring joy to others, but instead I used it for personal gain. Oh how I will burn!
I do not deserve absolution for what I have done, but all I desire is that you know my sincerely apology.
Genuinely apologetic,
Abigail Williams
P.S. - I lied. Everything you just read was an out-right fallacy. I am happy that I got so many people involved; I am proud that I sent so many people to the gallows; I am exuberant that I was able to manipulate people with my beauty. Especially John. Oh, and I did not press him, he pressed me. He wanted it, he liked it. He told me that you were so frigid, he needed me! Do not think that this is the end, Elizabeth. Oh no, I have not yet finished my job. I got John, now it’s time to the rest of your family, starting with your children. See you again soon.
Dear Elizabeth,
I know that as you are reading this right now, you are ready to counter and criticize everything I am about to say. But I beg you to open your heart and listen to what I have to say. I am not writing to defend myself or justify my actions; I only wish to apologize. I was stupid all those years ago, when I made John commit lechery. Then I sent all those people to their deaths, by my corrupt, childish vengeance. I find it hard every day to pull myself from my covers, and live with what I have done.
You have no need to punish me (though I do not blame you if it is your desire), I am already destined for Hell. No matter what I do, no matter how I change now, there is no way I can change what I did or who I was then. The demons of what I did, not only to you, John, and the townspeople, but my friends as well will haunt me for eternity. I twisted girls of a young age to become as demented as I was; how many of them will have further troubled lives because of what I did? I am still continually tormented by the extreme immaturity of my actions. I have affected so many people lives, all through one single temptation of the flesh.
I know you were angry at John, but if there was one favor I could ever ask, it is thus: Do not blame, or even be upset with John. The lechery was not even his doing! In actuality, I pressed him harder than he pressed me. I approached him and forced myself onto him, rather than the feeling being mutual. The entire ordeal was my fault, I beg for forgiveness, not for me, but for John. I lied, and by doing this I hurt someone I actually cared about.
I believe that what perhaps hurts me above all of this, is the fact that I abused a gift from God. God bestowed me with radiant beauty, a wonderful gift meant to bring joy to others, but instead I used it for personal gain. Oh how I will burn!
I do not deserve absolution for what I have done, but all I desire is that you know my sincerely apology.
Genuinely apologetic,
Abigail Williams
P.S. - I lied. Everything you just read was an out-right fallacy. I am happy that I got so many people involved; I am proud that I sent so many people to the gallows; I am exuberant that I was able to manipulate people with my beauty. Especially John. Oh, and I did not press him, he pressed me. He wanted it, he liked it. He told me that you were so frigid, he needed me! Do not think that this is the end, Elizabeth. Oh no, I have not yet finished my job. I got John, now it’s time to the rest of your family, starting with your children. See you again soon.
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