Scarlet Letter Chapter 5, “Hester at Her Needle” Prompt 1
Hester Prynne struggles to find the true purpose of her life in New England. She is torn between the fact that she is either there because of her guilt and sin, or because of her love for Dimmesdale. Hawthorne emphasizes Hester's inner turmoil through the use of rhetorical devices such as figurative language, tone and diction.
Hester Prynne at first believes that the reason for her remaining in New England was because of her guilty conscience since committing adultery. However, in this passage, Hester seems to have a moment of realizing that she is not remaining in New England because of her guilt but because of her love for Dimmesdale. "It might be that another feeling kept her within the scene and pathway that had been so fatal. There dwelt, there trode, the feet of one with whom she deemed herself connected in a union that, unrecognized on earth, would bring them together before the bar of final judgment, and make that their marriage-altar, for a joint futurity of endless retribution." This quote shows how Hester wanted to believe that she and Dimmesdale might one day be allowed to be together "for a joint futurity of endless retribution." Hawthorn uses long sentences to show us that that Hester's inner turmoil causes her to suffer slowly and painfully over an extended period of time, which is what Chillingworth wants. Also, Hawthorne's diction is more complex and the use of strongly charged words such as fatal, dwelt, futurity, and retribution, supports the idea that Hester is suffering long and hard. Hawthorne could simply have said that Hester was suffering between trying to figure out the reason of her still being in New England but he doesn't because the choice of diction and syntax which he uses further emphasizes the inner turmoil which Hester Prynne experiences. Hawthorne's sophisticated language shows how Hawthorne uses diction to show how Hester is in a state of desperation. "Doubtless it was so, although she hid the secret from herself, and grew pale whenever it struggled out of her heart, like a serpent from its hole"
This quote supports the fact that Hawthorne uses sophisticated language to depict Hester's inner turmoil. His diction is long and complex which can be compared to Hester's inner turmoil. Also, in this quote, the simile with a serpent is used to compare Hester's suffering to a snake being taken out of its comfort zone.
When a serpent is provoked and taken out of its comfort zone, the snake
