1. DARKNESS/LIGHT IN THE SCARLET LETTER Eddie Mezian Mrs. Halajian AP Literature and Composition 4 May 20154 May 20154 May 2015

2. DARKNESS ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET Evil Evil Chaos Chaos Associated with death and destruction Associated with death and destruction Trouble Trouble Opposite of “light” Opposite of “light”

3. DARKNESS ACCORDING TO THE SCARLET LETTER Evil Evil Destruction Destruction Trouble Trouble False False Fake Fake Hidden Hidden Obscure Obscure

4. LIGHT ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET Clearing up of things Clearing up of things Truth Truth Goodness found in everyone Goodness found in everyone The spiritual and the divine The spiritual and the divine Ultimate reality Ultimate reality Opposite to “darkness” Opposite to “darkness”

5. LIGHT ACCORDING TO THE SCARLET LETTER Truth Truth Reality Reality Revelation Revelation Benevolence Benevolence Goodness Goodness

6. EXAMPLE NUMERO UNO “His face darkened with some powerful emotion, which, nevertheless, he so instantaneously controlled by an effort of his will, that, save at a single moment, its expression might have passed for calmness. After a brief space, the convulsion grew almost imperceptible, and finally subsided into the depths of his nature.” (Ch. 3; pg. 52-53) - Foreshadows evil and danger - He is at the scene for a reason! (Most probably an evil reason)

7. EXAMPLE NUMERO DOS “Such an interview, perhaps, would have been more terrible than even to meet him as she now did, with the hot mid-day sun burning down upon her face, and lighting up its shame; with the scarlet token of infamy on her breast; with the sin-born infant in her arms; with a whole people, drawn forth as to a festival, staring at the features that should have been seen only in the quiet gleam of the fireside, in the happy shadow of a home, or beneath a matronly veil at church.” (Ch.3;pg. 54-55) “Such an interview, perhaps, would have been more terrible than even to meet him as she now did, with the hot mid-day sun burning down upon her face, and lighting up its shame; with the scarlet token of infamy on her breast; with the sin-born infant in her arms; with a whole people, drawn forth as to a festival, staring at the features that should have been seen only in the quiet gleam of the fireside, in the happy shadow of a home, or beneath a matronly veil at church.” (Ch.3;pg. 54-55) -”Lighting up” = clears everything in public, shamefully, demonstrates truth. -”shadow” = false identity, hidden shame

8. EXAMPLE NUMERO TRES “Old Roger Chillingworth, with a smile on his face, whispered something in the young clergyman's ear. Hester Prynne looked at the man of skill, and even then, with her fate hanging in the balance, was startled to perceive what a change had come over his features— how much uglier they were, how his dark complexion seemed to have grown duskier, and his figure more misshapen—since the days when she had familiarly known him.” (Ch.8; pg. 93) “Old Roger Chillingworth, with a smile on his face, whispered something in the young clergyman's ear. Hester Prynne looked at the man of skill, and even then, with her fate hanging in the balance, was startled to perceive what a change had come over his features— how much uglier they were, how his dark complexion seemed to have grown duskier, and his figure more misshapen—since the days when she had familiarly known him.” (Ch.8; pg. 93) -Foreshadows evilness and means of destruction. -Wants revenge

9. EXAMPLE NUMERO CUATRO “And he himself in so far as he shows himself in a false light, becomes a shadow, or, indeed, ceases to exist. The only truth that continued to give Mr. Dimmesdale a real existence on this earth was the anguish in his inmost soul, and the undissembled expression of it in his aspect.” (Ch.11; pg. 121) “And he himself in so far as he shows himself in a false light, becomes a shadow, or, indeed, ceases to exist. The only truth that continued to give Mr. Dimmesdale a real existence on this earth was the anguish in his inmost soul, and the undissembled expression of it in his aspect.” (Ch.11; pg. 121) -Light represents truth; false light represents lie -Shadow (darkness) represents false identity

10. EXAMPLE NUMERO CINCO “’By thy first step awry, thou didst plant the germ of evil; but since that moment it has all been a dark necessity. Ye that have wronged me are not sinful, save in a kind of typical illusion; neither am I fiend-like, who have snatched a fiend's office from his hands. It is our fate. Let the black flower blossom as it may! Now, go thy ways, and deal as thou wilt with yonder man.’” (Ch.14; pg. 144) “’By thy first step awry, thou didst plant the germ of evil; but since that moment it has all been a dark necessity. Ye that have wronged me are not sinful, save in a kind of typical illusion; neither am I fiend-like, who have snatched a fiend's office from his hands. It is our fate. Let the black flower blossom as it may! Now, go thy ways, and deal as thou wilt with yonder man.’” (Ch.14; pg. 144) - Represents evil necessity to survive - “Black flower” represents Hester and Chillingworth as hidden sinners.

11. EXAMPLE NUMERO SEIS “She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom! By another impulse, she took off the formal cap that confined her hair, and down it fell upon her shoulders, dark and rich, with at once a shadow and a light in its abundance, and imparting the charm of softness to her features.” (Ch. 18; pg. 167) “She had not known the weight until she felt the freedom! By another impulse, she took off the formal cap that confined her hair, and down it fell upon her shoulders, dark and rich, with at once a shadow and a light in its abundance, and imparting the charm of softness to her features.” (Ch. 18; pg. 167) - Had evil and goodness inside of it. - Juxtaposes to show the positive and negative of the scarlet letter.

12. EXAMPLE NUMERO SIETE “And now, almost imperceptible as were the latter steps of his progress, he had come opposite the well-remembered and weather- darkened scaffold, where, long since, with all that dreary lapse of time between, Hester Prynne had encountered the world's ignominious stare.” (Ch.23; pg. 205-206) “And now, almost imperceptible as were the latter steps of his progress, he had come opposite the well-remembered and weather- darkened scaffold, where, long since, with all that dreary lapse of time between, Hester Prynne had encountered the world's ignominious stare.” (Ch.23; pg. 205-206) - “Darkened” because of evil presented publicly - Cleared everything up to public

13. EXAMPLE NUMERO OCHO “At this instant old Roger Chillingworth thrust himself through the crowd—or, perhaps, so dark, disturbed, and evil was his look, he rose up out of some nether region—to snatch back his victim from what he sought to do!” (Ch.23, pg. 206) “At this instant old Roger Chillingworth thrust himself through the crowd—or, perhaps, so dark, disturbed, and evil was his look, he rose up out of some nether region—to snatch back his victim from what he sought to do!” (Ch.23, pg. 206) - Evil, malicious - Wanting revenge

14. HOW DOES MY SYMBOL HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THE STORY? Keeps reader active by foreshadowing events. Keeps reader active by foreshadowing events. Makes it easier for reader to analyze each character’s activities and know who’s protagonist and antagonist. Makes it easier for reader to analyze each character’s activities and know who’s protagonist and antagonist. –Chillingworth –Dimmesdale –Hester Prynne

15. WORKS CITED http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/D/darkness. html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/D/darkness. html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/D/darkness. html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/D/darkness. html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/L/light.html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/L/light.html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/L/light.html http://www.umich.edu/%7Eumfandsf/sym bolismproject/symbolism.html/L/light.html http://library.thinkquest.org/11130/data/in terpret/symbolism.html#d http://library.thinkquest.org/11130/data/in terpret/symbolism.html#d