Hester’s Tough Decision Anti transcendentalism, fixed to the mid-19th century, was the idea that nature was good, man was evil and was set out to destroy nature. The Scarlet Letter was a famous book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne that implemented anti transcendentalism. In the first chapter the reader was introduced to 3 symbols; a prison, a cemetery, and a rose bush. All puritanical meanings, the prison symbolized justice and judgement, the cemetery symbolized death of course, and the rose bush
led to believe these conflicts are addressed through the character’s relationship with God. Hawthorne emphasises Anti-Transcendentalist perspectives on realism, the inner evil of men, spiritual forgiveness, and the feeling of guilt. His portrayal of anti-transcendentalist concepts and symbolism appear throughout the characters of The Scarlet Letter. One pillar of anti-transcendentalism is realism. Hawthorn creates characters who have realist’s views. They are observant of their surroundings and have
The Scarlet Letter is the story of a woman who makes a choice that affects her entire life and transcends through the harsh judgments that she faces. Nathaniel Hawthorne published this novel in the 1850’s. Some would say it is his most famous work. The story is set in Boston, Massachusetts, during the puritan times about a women and her struggle through life when she has given birth to a daughter that is a product of adultery. However, some may see Hester as an anti-transcendentalist. One could
INTRODUCTION AMERICAN LITERATURE American literature is the literature written or produced in the area of the United States and its preceding colonies. During its early history America was a series of British colonies on the eastern coast of the present day United States. Therefore it is literary tradition of English literature. However, unique American characteristics and the breadth of its production usually now cause it to be considered a separate path and tradition. The New England colonies