Scarlet Letter Class Discussion

Today in class we read and talked about Chapter 13-Another View of Hester


Seven years have passed since Pearl was born. The society has gradually accepted Hester's "adultery" history, she has been involving in the community. People no longer view her as a marriage betrayer but a person"who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted!" Moreover, Hester focuses more on her child, Pearl, and tries to establish what is so-called the woman in the society. 

Scarlet Letter Chapters Review

Our group is responsible for chapter 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. We decided to illustrate the chapters by drawings. Since James and David read faster, they read the contexts and summarized them to Enji and me, and then we draw out the image of the settings and stories.

In these chapters, I found it confusing while reading the book. I understand the main themes of it, (the characters position) but not the details (symbolization). As the time goes by, the community has forgiven Hester's sin, and herself is blessed of having Pearl. However, things are not that positive to Dimmesdale who is suffering of being guilty. He even has an A on his chest.

One thing I am wondering is that "rose bush." I read through the chapter, but still not sure about it....

Scarlet Letter Chapter 5

I.Why Hester choose to stay in the colony?
        After reading the chapter, I think the main reason Hester choose to stay in the colony is that she still feel some connection with the community here in America. I am guessing maybe she does not want to leave her lover here and go back to Europe.The book says that she won't leave because of  her "half a sense of truth, and half a self-delusion." I am not quite sure about this part.

II.How's the community treat her?
        Although the community supports her sometime, it still treats her with different judgement; the letter always catch people's eyes. Hester moves to a house far away from the town so she won't be bothered. People still envy her incredible needle-work. 

Scarlet Letter

Characters:
    -Hester Prynne:
          A young woman, who married Chillingworth without love, is adulterous. She cheated on her husband while he was gone.
    -Roger Chillingworth: 
          An old man who married Hester. He threatened Hester that once he found out her lover, he will take the revenge. 
     -Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale:
          A young man who is incredibly respected in the society. He was trying to make Hester speak out who the mystery guy is.
Story:
     The story line seems really obvious now. Chillingworth finds out that his wife cheated on him, and even gives birth to a baby. The society is really curious who the man is, but Hester will never ever say a word. 
Prediction:
      I feel like Dimmesdale is the father of the baby! My prediction is that Hester will still keep her mouth shut for her lover, and her husband will continue to look for the truth. He might be able to discovery Hester's secret lover, and make their lives miserable. 
   

Whitman part II

       I still do not totally understand a lot of what Whitman is trying to say. He always listed endless examples to make his point, such as rivers, birds, and plants. I realize that he wanted to create a different kind of writing than that of the Europeans. He thought the American poets were responsible for giving the world something new. However, he knew that America contains too many things that it is impossible to write down by him only, but he will be the leading one. 
       This concept of Whitman is similar to that of Emerson's "minds of past." They both believed that the scholars/ poets are the leading figures who should show the new direction to the Americans.  
       Mr. Cook...can you clarify what Whitman thinks the poets (the elites) should do? thanks~

Whitman's "Preface of Leaves of Grass "

       I found it difficult to follow Whitman's idea of "America" even I read the text twice, but I will do my best to write down what I understand in the first three paragraphs. Please correct me if I am wrong.
       In the first paragraph, Whitman stated that America has been through a lot of things, and it "does not repel the past of what if has produced under its form or amid other politics of the idea of castes or the old religions." America has learned a lot from the lesson, and is ready to leave those things to find others that are appropriate for the present.
       He then acknowledged the great things in America in the second paragraph. He said that"The United States themselves are essentially the greatest poem." America is a nation with patriotic people who cheer for their freedom and with good agricultural that can feed the people and their descendants.
       I think Whitman really emphasis the freedom in America. In the third paragraph. he said that America is the best not because of its "executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges or churches or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors," but the common people who are friendly, enthusiastic about the freedom in this new nation.
        However, I thought this idea contradict to Emerson's idea of the importance of the scholars/ poets that they are the central of the society? I am kind of confused.....

The American Scholar (Part III)

       I had a discussion with Mr. Cook and David today after the class about the purpose of Emerson's work. We concluded that he wrote this paper to address the importances of the scholars and to point out their flaws.
       Just like the beginning story of "body"and Mankind versus men, the people in the society is now separated from each other. Mankind should work as a system that includes every person and his profession. Emerson says the scholars are like the brain of the system, implementing knowledge to benefit the rest of the society. Likewise, the farmers, lawyers, teachers, doctors are using their profession not only to make a living, but also to give out what they have to the society. The scholars who are the leaders should emphasis this idea. In fact, they only sit around and "think" about philosophies alone without publishing to the society to benefit others. The purpose of Emerson's speech is to point out the significant of revealing scholars' influences to the whole society.