Beloved Pages 281-323

 Tension rises in 124 between Beloved, Sethe, and Denver. After losing her job, Sethe struggles to provide for her household, always giving Beloved the only food and clothes that she has left. Denver states that, “If the Hen had only two eggs, she [Beloved] got both. It was as though her mother had lost her mind” (282). Sethe’s sacrifices for Beloved seem stem from her guilt of leaving her. However, these acts of kindness from Sethe cause her to deteriorate, becoming weaker and thinner while Beloved gains more weight. The roles in the household also switch. Sethe becomes less of a mother figure, and she begins to lose all control over Beloved and her constant outbursts. I think the reason that Sethe sacrifices so much for Beloved and tolerates her extremely controlling behavior is a result of her immense guilt that she has carried her whole life. Denver describes that, “Beloved accused her of leaving her behind, of not being nice to her, not smiling at her… Sethe pleaded for forgiveness, counting, listing again and her reasons: that Beloved was more than important, meant more to her than her own life” (284). Sethe tries so hard to make up for her mistake, however it seems to only make Beloved more angry and greedy. 

Throughout these chapters it seems that Denver is a representation of the future, while Beloved is a representation of the past. Denver transforms from a girl to a woman as the story progresses. She is a positive part of Sethe's life and serves a symbol of hope. In contrast, Beloved represents the horrors of slavery and Sethe’s horrible guilt that she has lived with for so long. The legacy of slavery and its consequences haunt the entire community, therefore they all have to work together as whole to get rid of Beloved in order to get rid of the past. 

When Sethe mistakes Mr. Bodwin for the school teacher and violently tries to kill him with an ice pick, everyone rushes to prevent her from making a similar mistake to the one she made many years ago. This incident represents Sethe’s own personal struggle of moving on from the past. Throughout the novel, she seems to be unable to stop revisiting her traumatizing past, however because she is stopped by the townspeople from killing Mr. Bodwin, Sethe is caused to reevaluate her own actions and heal from her mistakes. In this moment, Sethe is forced to confront her past and learn to move on, thus symbolizing the idea of confronting the horrendous act of slavery as a community and moving foreword. 

Paul D returns to 124 and is also forced to confront his past. He finds Sethe lying on the bed awaiting her own death. She states, “This little place by the window is what I want. And rest. There’s nothing to rub now and no reason to” (321). Sethe feels as though she has lost her “best thing” once again, and there is no purpose in trying to live a fulfilled life without being haunted by her own memories. However, Paul D reminds her that “You are your best thing, Sethe. You are” (322). This moment symbolizes hope. Paul D and Denver are each working together to build a new life for each other and move on from the past. 

The last chapter is solemn. Beloved is described as a bad dream that everyone was trying to forget. She was a symbol of loneliness that could not be taken away. For Denver, Sethe, and Paul D, Beloved was harder to forget because they knew her, yet Morrison states that “They realized they couldn’t remember or repeat a single word she said, and began to believe that, other than what they themselves were thinking, she hadn’t said anything at all. So, in the end, they forgot her too” (324). The repetition of the phrase “This is not a story to pass on” not only symbolizes the story of Beloved herself but also the story of slavery. Slavery can be hard to remember and think about because of how horrible it was, however if we do not acknowledge our past mistakes, we cannot have a better future. 

Beloved pages 236-277

     This particular reading of Beloved has been my favorite from the whole book. What made it so interesting was that the majority of this section took place inside the heads of the main characters addressing their memories and also giving us a deeper understanding of who these people were. The first chapter was all about Sethe coming to terms with who Beloved is to her. Throughout the chapter she also reasons with herself for killing Beloved, stating that, “if I hadn’t killed her she would have died and that is something I could not bear to happen to her” (236). She tells herself that she doesn’t even need to say any of this to Beloved because she already knows and understands. She also now fully understands why Baby Suggs always thought about colors in her later years in life. Sethe for the first time in a while has a sense that her family is together again in some way and she is enjoying her life in this moment the same way Baby Suggs took the time to enjoy colors after so many years of not being allowed to think for herself. Sethe’s chapter concludes with her thinking about Paul D and how he was the reason she did not recognize Beloved from the beginning. She says that Paul D had always wanted Beloved gone and  how he is in the wrong for calling her love, “too thick” because really what is important is that she has something to love and protect and someone who came back to her (239). 

    The next chapter focuses on Denver and for the first time really shows how she feels about her mother, father, and Beloved. One of the biggest questions I had before was if Denver knew how Beloved had died and here she answers it saying that as much as she loved her mother she also feared her. Her brothers when they still lived at 124 would tell her stories about how to survive their mother if it ever came to that again and she also talks about this nightmare situation where Sethe cuts her head off and then braids her hair. She keeps this fear deep down inside of herself as to not anger her mother and to protect both herself and Beloved. Denver repeats throughout the chapter, “It’s all on me, now” when speaking about her protective nature over Beloved. Denver had always felt the comfort from her ghost and now that she was back in person was not going to let anyone take her away again. Denver has this protective nature because she does not know when Sethe will turn again and try to hurt them. Finally Denver also reveals in this chapter that she still believes Halle is eventually going to come back for them and that when he does he will protect her and Beloved from Sethe. Her chapter ends similar to Sethe with her repeating the phrase, “She’s mine, Beloved. She’s mine” (247). 

    After Denver, Beloved tells her story but in a less direct way. Her first chapter is very interesting because of the spacing. There are big gaps between some of the words almost as if they symbolize gaps in the memories or who Beloved really is. She also here talks about how she is missing her teeth which is similar to when she pulled a tooth out in front of Denver. It seems that she is not in the real world and this is more a part of the magic realism area of the story. The recurring theme of water also plays a part in her story as she described floating with the dead men and how she sees Sethe’s face in the water which looks like hers as well as the earrings that were taken from Sethe when in jail. After this is when Beloved and Sethe finally talk to each other and how Beloved remembers her and will stay with Sethe. She also here refers to the school teacher and his nephews as the “men without skin” which seems fitting as that description would be dark and something to cause fear in someone just as schoolteacher did with Sethe and the other slaves (254). The chapter ends again with this phrase, “You are mine” which I think helps to symbolize who Beloved is as a person (256). She seems to represent something different for each person in her life and helps both Sethe and Denver realize things about themselves and also helps to give them what they need in life. For Sethe it seems like that may be validation that she did the right thing and that her daughter still loves her and for Denver that is someone to connect with and to be able to protect so that she does feel so alone in her life. 

    This section ends with Paul D. He recounts the end of his time at Sweet Home and when all the men decided it was time to run. He also speaks about how he did love Sethe and how it hurt that he no longer had the feeling of wanting to live with one woman after running away from her. Stamp Paid then comes to visit and the two men talk about what happened all those years ago and how Paul may have understood had he been there because all she was trying to do was stop things from getting any worse for her children. 

Bass 2/8/21 blog post - Beloved

Last night’s reading began with Paul D contemplating the complexity of manhood with an enslaved past. Now that he is liberated from slavery, he wants to be able to exercise liberty over his life and is deeply disturbed by the power that Beloved, representative of his past, seems to hold over him. He resolves to confess to Sethe, but ultimately cannot bring himself to tell her of his turmoil and instead tells her he wants to have children with her. Sethe ruminates on motherhood, concluding that for her, “unless carefree, mother love was a killer”. The rain that had emancipated Paud D turned cold and fell as snow in a curious twist on pathetic fallacy. Later in a flashback, four horsemen come to take Sethe back to slavery, clearly painting slavery as certain hell itself. Rather than have her children returned to slavery, to hell, Sethe murders one with a saw and is ready to murder the rest and herself when Schoolteacher decides that they are too manicly feral to be enslaved. He describes her in animalistic terms as a creature that was too severely abused in an effort to break its spirit into submission. The infanticide draws a parallel to the historical infanticide of Margaret Garner, whom we learned tangentially of in a Harpeth Hall history classroom. I researched and found that the book may be based loosely upon that historical event. Our reading ended with Paul D confronting Sethe about the murder that Stamp had told him of. Sethe defends that it was an act of love. Paul D tells Sethe that she has two legs and not four, that she is yet a human and not an animal, but Sethe remains defensive of her actions. Our reading carefully examined the struggle of enslaved and emancipated people to grasp personal identity and humanity, a life of their own, while being dehumanized and subjected to hell on earth. 

Beloved 101-146

 In the beginning of this reading, Sethe describes how she misses Baby Sugg’s soothing and protective presence. She recalls that Baby Suggs brought the black community together as she preached self-love in an atmosphere of hatred and intolerance. As she sat in the Clearing and people gathered around, she preached, “in this here place, we flesh; flesh that weeps, laughs: flesh that dances on bare feet in grass. Love it” (103). In an attempt to feel Baby Suggs’s loving presence once again, Sethe travels to the Clearing. Sitting on the old rock, Sethe calls for the touch of the fingers of her deceased-mother in law. She begins to feel fingers down her spine, but the fingers turn violent and Sethe feels that she is being choked. Once Beloved sees the bruises on Sethe’s neck, she touches them with “cool and knowing fingers” and begins to kiss them, but Sethe pushes her away and states, “You too old for that” (115). The fingers that once comforted her and then strangled her are another supernatural embodiment of Sethe’s past. Sethe seeks comfort by dwelling in memories of Baby Suggs, but lingering in the past is dangerous and suffocating. Denver accuses Beloved of choking her mother. Perhaps metaphorically, Beloved’s presence is choking her mother because Sethe is constantly reminded of her dead baby and is unable to break the chains that enslave her to her own past. 

In the next chapter, Paul D. recalls his time spent as a prisoner after attempting to kill Brandywine. He is chained with 45 other men who all work all day and sleep in wooden cages at night. Although they never speak to each other, somehow they understand each other through the looks in their eyes and subtle tugs on the chain. Together in bondage and shared oppression, these men create a strong community and brotherhood. After a huge rain storm, the dirt turns to mud and the prisoners seize an opportunity to escape. This chapter illustrates the importance of community in dealing with the horrors of slavery. However, we can see Paul D’s hope and spirit dwindle throughout his journey. Morrison describes, “Eighty-six days and done. Life was dead. Paul D beat her butt all day every day till there was not a whimper in her.” Paul D believes that, in order to survive as a slave, it is necessary that all independent thoughts, hopes, and memories are buried deep down. 

One night, Beloved enters the cold house where Paul D. is sleeping and asks him to sleep with her. He refuses her, but she eventually seduces him. Beloved’s identity is further complicated by this action, but we can see that her identity fluctuates and exploits the deep desires of Sethe, Denver, and Paul D. Denver desires a sister after she has lost all her siblings. Sethe wishes for her dead baby to come back to life. Finally, Paul D. desires a sexual partner. 

Beloved (pg 52-100)

 Summary

    To say much occurs in this section of the novel would be an understatement. It begins with the bizarre introduction of a new character: Beloved. Found near 125 after the carnival, a mysterious, young lady emerges out of the river. When Paul D., Sethe, and Denver bring this ambiguous character of peculiar roots into their house, the woman refuses any food and only drinks a lot of water. When she finally falls asleep with exhaustion, Sethe, Denver, and Paul D. are stunned by this turn of events.

    Beloved doesn't seem to remember her origins or anything much of her past, which Paul D. becomes especially skeptical of. His feelings of reservation and suspicion towards her only continues throughout this reading. For example, he insists that Beloved is not nearly as helpless as she seems, telling Sethe that he and Denver saw her lift a sizable rocking chair with one hand.

    Strangely enough, Beloved becomes attached to Sethe, and Morrison makes it clear that her devoted attention towards her is not normal. Throughout these pages, we see Beloved's "greed" for wanting to converse with Sethe, and so, in these chapters, we get a deep dive into Sethe's harsh and shocking past, one she always tried to hide from others and herself. During one conversation, Paul D accidentally brings up Halle's reason for disappearance and shares that he saw those men violate her. When Sethe becomes enraged that Halle never commented or tried to prevent what happened, Paul defends him by claiming that this was the defining moment of Halle's drastic mental decline. This reading ends with Denver telling Beloved how she got her name, sharing the story of the how a helpful white woman, named Amy, saved both her mother's and her life. 

Analysis

    Beloved is depicted as the representation of Sethe's dead child. We see this apparent in the identical name and moments that strongly display this theory. For example, when the three find Beloved at the river, Sethe has sudden urges to urinate, and the description of the scene matches that of water breaking during labor of a pregnancy. Later, Beloved talks about finding a place she belongs to and speaks of a bridge from the past life into the next life. The reader can clearly see the connection of finding a home through Beloved's sudden introduction.

    In these pages, we see unusual, yet symbolic attachments forming. Denver develops a strange obsession for Beloved in the beginning, denying Paul D.'s accusation of Beloved faking her weakness and insisting on caring for her by herself. I think this is a reflection on how she feels about her life and an outlet on how she copes with feelings of exclusion (especially after Paul D comes into the picture). Additionally, we see a symbolic and strong relationship between Beloved and Sethe forming, a bond that continues to grow as Sethe relays her painful and raw past to her. 

    All in all, I think this chapter bluntly shows the horridness and psychological effects of slavery. The reader undergoes shock as Sethe and Paul hesitantly and anguishly share their stories (i.e. the grotesqueness of Sethe's mother's rape and death and Halle's emotional and mental inability to cope with his wife being violated). These stories make slavery and the human beings who were victim to it seem much more real, more than just a history lesson, more than a horrible nightmare. This book brings out the humanist in the reader. 

Beloved p. 3-51

           In Toni Morrison’s Beloved, the timeline of the novel switches back and forth between the past and the present. Sethe, now escaped and living on Bluestone Road in Cincinnati, Ohio, lives with her daughter, Denver, because the rest of her children and her grandmother have died. She reflects on memories of her previous life as a slave, talking about her children, others she worked alongside, and how she escaped while pregnant. She also talks about they way she was treated and experiences she remembers. 

In these pages, I have noticed some themes/motifs. First, color is very important. Sethe says that Baby Suggs, “used the little energy she had left for pondering color” (Morrison 6) while she lay in her sickbed. Color was the only thing that brought her some relief and happiness, and she noticed splashes of color in her life, such as the blue of the sky and the lavender of the cloth that Sethe often brought into the house for her. Color is also discussed when Paul D. walks into Sethe’s house, and he notices things such as “the blue-and-white wallpaper” and “discreet flecks of yellow sprinkled among a blizzard of snow-drops all backed by blue” (13). I think the emphasis on color is important because it represents how skin color separated people in this time. They spend time describing color because there was such an emphasis on how it made people different from others and allowed for people to justify slaveholding. I also think that color is significant to the characters in the novel because it pertains to a sensory experience which is how people conjure up memories. Throughout this novel, we are given glimpses into Sethe’s life before her escape through her memories, so I think that colors help the characters connect with the stories of their pasts as well. 

Another important symbol in these chapters is that of ghosts. Sethe talks about how her children and grandmother have died, but how their presence is still felt. The opening lines state that, “124 was spiteful. Full of a baby’s venom,” (3) and later Paul D. asks Sethe, “What kind of evil you got in here?” (10). The characters who are still living are in a sense haunted by the ghosts of their past. Those who have passed away harbour rage and anger for their situations and the circumstances of their deaths, and because of this their spirits are still felt. I also think the concept of ghosts of the past and being haunted by things that are no longer there relates to the novel as a whole because Sethe is unable to escape these horrible memories of slavery and how her life was like before. Like the ghosts of those who have died, Sethe struggles to move on and is almost caught between worlds as she tries to push past the awful events she has endured in her life. We also see that the title of the book also comes from what was inscribed on Sethe’s baby’s headstone “Beloved.”

There is irony in the name “Sweet Home” as that was the name of the farm they lived and worked on while enslaved. The idea of home in this novel is important because “Sweet Home” was anything but sweet, however, it is where Sethe made some lasting connections, such as the one she shares with Paul D. Now, she lives in a house which is haunted by the spirit of her child, and she is trying to make it her home, but Denver despises living there and wants to leave to go somewhere else. Sethe is hesitant to leave because she is tired of running as she has been running all her life. She struggles to find a place that can truly be home because she now has a house, but it is not filled with relatives or friends, only loneliness and almost emptiness.   

The Awakening (CH 12-20)

Chapter 12 begins with Edna Pontellier waking from her overnight slumber in the hammock and preparing to spend the day with Robert at the Cheniere Caminada. During their adventure, they always seem to be in the presence of the lovers, the lady in black, and Monsieur Farival. Although they are seemingly background characters, the lovers and the lady and black seem to foil each other, almost representing the two sides of Edna's life: passion(the lovers), and piety/convention(lady in black). While boarding the boat going to the Cheniere, Chopin describes the lovers as "all alone. They saw nothing, they heard nothing", while the lady in black "counted her beads for the third time" (Chopin 32). The lovers are lost in love and passion, unperturbed by constraints of conventional married life, while the pious lady in black experiences the monotony of fulfilling her duties and staying true to her promise to religion.

Moreover, when the lovers are on the boat, a young Spanish girl conversing with Robert asks , "'Are those two married over there- leaning on each other?", and he playfully responds, "Of course not" as if it were obvious (34). It is astonishing to think that the Creole society approaches marriage in such a way that publicly demonstrated passion and love is thought of as juvenile and almost comical, and makes it easier to understand Edna's feelings of domestic entrapment and boredom.

Later in the reading, after Edna exits the service early and spends a majority of the day napping, she spends the afternoon with her "buddy", Robert. Although they seem to be no more than friendly companions, both Edna and Robert show symptoms of a big fat crush whenever they are with each other. When Edna awoke from her nap, "she peeped out at him two or three times" through the window while washing up in the bathroom like a schoolgirl stealing glances at the boy on the football team (37). Similarly, when Robert saw Edna coming to join him under the orange tree, "illumination broke over his whole face" (37). Edna gets more excited to spend more time with Robert than she does with her own husband, which represents her human nature as a factor of her dissatisfaction with being a housewife, and therefore her incompetence as such.

That evening at dinner, Edna's heart gets pulled in various directions when she hears Robert's decision to move to Mexico, effective the next day. Her reaction is described as "blank" and "bewildered", kindling an "embarrassed and uneasy" response from Robert (41). Edna's confusion and frustration jumps off the page through her shocked and accusatory speech, and surprisingly, her sudden desire to attend to " a hundred things demanding her attention indoors" (43). When she knew her alternate happy-reality as Robert's love was unattainable, she throws herself back into custom and the chores of her actual reality. She realizes this, diagnosing herself with "symptoms of infatuation" towards Robert which caused her to feel shock and grief when she learned he was suddenly leaving her life, and caused her to face the grave situation of her unhappy reality. When the person that provided her with a breath of fresh air(aka Robert) left her life, it has "taken the brightness, color, meaning out of everything", leaving her life as if it was "a faded garment no longer worth wearing" (46).

Reflecting upon her feelings towards her life as a married mother, she thinks "The present alone was significant; to torture her as it was doing then with the biting conviction that she had lost that which she ahd held, that she had been denied that which her impassioned, newly awakened being demanded" (45).

After this realization, Mrs. Pontellier evolve into a more independent, almost selfish person, and consequently grows more and more disagreeable with her husband/family lifestyle. This side of her shows itself after she bickers with Mr. Pontellier in chapter 17 about Tuesday evening Programme and dinner. She finds herself alone in her house stomping on her wedding ring and shattering a vase out of anger, claiming that "the crash and clatter were what she wanted to hear", even though she quickly regathers herself and pretends like nothing is wrong when her maid passes by and offers to clean up the mess, slipping the ring back on her finger.

Though Edna has shown difference in character and independence from Creole society norms throughout the books, her actions have never reflected her rogue thoughts as much as they did in this past reading. From the very start of Chapter 12, Edna was" blindly following whatever impulse moved her, as if she had freed her soul of responsibility"(32). She feels free amongst the waves and in the half darkness of the night; she is unafraid to admit her childish love for Robert and selfish desire to begin work as an artist once more instead of solely being a housewife. What is so intriguing and impressive is that she recognizes these changes, "realizing that she herself was in some way different from the other self. That she was seeing with different eyes and making the acquaintance of new conditions in herself that colored and changer her environment, she did not yet suspect" (40). Other people begin to notice her evolution as an individual as well, including her husband and her friends. After visiting with Mrs. Pontellier and discussing Roberts travels in Mexico, Victor ends chapter 20 admiring the woman, saying "The city atmosphere has improved her. Some way she doesn’t seem like the same woman" (61).

The Awakening: Chapters 1-11

Edna and her husband’s relationship is expressed in the first chapter of the novel when Robert and Edna come up from the beach. After seeing she is sunburnt, Mr. Pontellier chastises his wife, regarding her as “a valuable piece of personal property which has suffered some damage” (Chopin 3). This foreshadows the rocky relationship between the two, and how Edna is viewed by both her husband and society as an object and possession. Robert represents the inescapability at the time of male influence. In chapter 5, he encourages Mrs. Pontellier to go for a bath, and while she initially refuses, he makes the decision for her, grabbing her hat and leading her to the beach. In chapter 7, Ms. Pontellier and Madame Ratignolle go for a walk along the beach, without Robert or their children. While, at first, Madame Ratignolle wants to bring her children, Ms. Pontellier convinces her to go without them. However, Madame Ratignolle insists that she brings her needlework, a sign that the woman is unable to escape from her duty and role as a housewife. After Edna and Adele’s conversation about Edna’s childhood memories, their peace is interrupted by Robert and their children, proving that their freedom is short lived and their role as a housewife is inescapable. We see how Edna is affected by society’s expectations of her as a woman. In Chapter 11, while staying outside in the hammock after a long night, her husband requests for her to come into the house. She doesn’t obey his wishes, a contrast to how she would have normally listened and followed her husband. Chopin writes of Edna’s obedience to her husband, saying, “She would, through habit, have yielded to his desire; not with any sense of submission or obedience to his compelling wishes, but unthinkingly, as we walk, move, sit, stand, go through the daily treadmill of the life which has been portioned out to us” (41). Even unwillingly, Edna thoughtlessly obeys her husband because she has been almost trained to do so, by her husband and society’s role for her. However, this scene shows Edna’s defiance towards her husband, reprimanding him for speaking to her in a harsh tone and refusing to follow his request of coming inside. This shows Edna acting as an individual rather than a housewife. The Pontellier marriage is also a product of Edna’s defiance, as she found Mr. Pontellier much more appealing when her father and sister opposed the marriage because of his religious affiliation. 

Edna is described as not a mother-woman. This automatically separates her from many of the characters in the novel, one of which being her friend Adele Ratignolle. In the beginning of the novel, Mr. Pontellier describes a worry towards Edna’s care of the children. He noticed that when one of their boys would fall, the child would comfort himself and move on quickly rather than finding solace in his mother. Mr. Pontellier compares his wife to the others on the island. While the other women “idolize their children” and “worship their husbands” (10), Edna is often disconnected from her children and husband. Chapter 7 describes Enda’s relationship with her children in detail as well. Chopin writes that Edna “was fond of her children in an uneven, impulsive way. She would sometimes gather them passionately to her heart; she would sometimes forget them” (25). She would also go on to say that she would not miss her children when they were apart, even calling their absence a relief, because she knew they were safe. Being away from her children allows her to feel a sense of release or freedom, as she did not assume the role of a mother willingly.

In the chapters, there is a common theme of birds. The parrot in the beginning of the novel may represent Edna, who feels trapped by societal pressure and her marriage. In chapter 9 during the gathering of the families of the island, Edna describes her associating with music and different visions. In one piano piece, which she has nicknamed “Solitude”, she envisions a mad standing naked at a beach shore, watching a bird fly away. The bird, in this case, shows that Edna finds liberation and freedom while listening to music, as the animal is flying away from grounded reality and towards the greater, inconceivable horizon. Edna’s relief in music is also evident in her reaction to Mademoiselle Reisz playing the piano, as the song brought her to tears. Music 

The Crucible: Act 4

 

In the beginning of Act Four of the Crucible, the town is described as having “cows wandering the highroads” and “orphans wondering from house to house” (115, 121). This imagery paints the disarray of society when it’s people turn against each other, and exemplifies the negative changes that have developed over the course of the play. It also adds to the sense of confusion, hopelessness, and desperation that many of the characters feel. 

The leaders’ of the towns regard for Hale has also drastically changed. Danforth is suspicious of Hale’s presence and exclaims that he “has no authority here” (114). This is ironic as Hale was the one who first lead the hunt for witches in the town, however his character shift is exemplified when he says, “…where I turned the eye of my great faith, blood flowed up. Beware, Goody Proctor- cleave to no faith when faith brings blood” (122). Hale has become the religious voice of reason in the town and points out the wrongness of the hangings. He states that while the people of the town claim to be doing God’s work, they have in reality turned away from Christianity. Danforth’s interpretation of righteous actions in the name of God are ironically closer to the Devil’s. For example, he talks of the “perfection of their punishment” (120). Hell is regarded as the place where sinners receive their punishment, so therefore Danforth could be interpreted as creating a Hell on Earth. Continually, when Proctor confesses to being a witch, Hathorne, Parris, and Danforth react with excitement, and Proctor point out the hypocrisy of this with, “Why do you cry it? It is evil, is it not? It is evil” (127). If they were true followers of God, then they would not have so much joy in more of what they consider to be evil in their community. The leaders of the witch hunt are more focused on saving their reputation than hearing the truth. 

After Proctor confesses to witchcraft, he refuses to accuse anyone else. This moment parallels McCarthyism, however, Proctor attempts to challenge the system. It separates him from most of the accused in his refusal to transfer over guilt to others. The importance of one’s name is also exemplified in Proctor’s refusal to sign his name on the confession. The town leaders want to use it to quell a possible rebellion and to help validate the earlier hangings, but Proctor exclaims, “I have given you my soul; leave me my name!” (133). In Proctor’s refusal, he comes to the understanding of what a good reputation truly means. In the beginning of the novel, he was hesitant to testify against Abigail as he was afraid to damage his reputation, but now Proctor regains his honestly and dies for the greater purpose of ending the witch hunt.  

The Crucible: Act 3

 At the start of Act III, the trials and proceedings are fully fledged, with nearly “four hundred in jails,” (Miller 81). The rest of the judges and officials of the court are introduced by Arthur Miller. Judge Danforth, Judge Hathorne, Reverend Hale, and Reverend Parris are the most powerful individuals of the court by law, however, they are under the manipulation of the girls. In Act III, the dynamic character development of Hale progresses as he becomes an obvious foil to Reverend Parris. Hale, annoyingly timid at times, seems to be the only person with power in the court that openly questions the validity of the girls’ claims and reasons with the virtuous motives of the townspeople. When John Proctor presents the deposition for Rebeca Nurse’s innocence to Judge Danforth, Hale “delicately” points out that the defendants are “all landholding farmers, members of the church” while Parris invalidates the townspeoples’ signatures by exclaiming “to enlist Danforth’s sarcasm: Their good opinion!” (86). Hale confronts Parris’ ridiculous outburst of emotion and accusations by retorting, “Is every defense an attack upon the court? Can no one— ?” (87). This line seems to be a reference to MccArthyism because anybody who questioned the validity and integrity of the court was accused of conspiring against America as a communist, or in this case the Antichrist. Unfortunately, Danforth believes that the crimes of witchcraft committed are “ipso facto,” meaning that the so-called crimes are a direct consequence of collusion with the Devil (93). His blinded commentary portrays how deluded Danforth truly is due to the fear the girls have provoked, regardless of how intelligent and well-versed he is in law. In fact, he uses his knowledge in law by confirming, “a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there is no road between” (87). His words about honor and the truth create an “us-versus-them” mentality and a divided environment between the people trying to save themselves from persecution. As Proctor presents more evidence and background context as to why the girls are lying, Parris is “hardly able to contain his anger and fear” of being exposed for fraud (93). If these trials are deemed falsehoods, then Parris’s entire reputation and status— as well as many others— are ruined. The self-obsessive Puritan values sway Parris to preserve his self-image at the expense of honor, others’ livelihoods, and justice, which is ironically the most unChristian way to act. 

Additionally, Mary Warren nervously comes to court with John Proctor to denounce the fraudulent claims of witchcraft. After "faintly" answering Danforth’s questions, her honesty is undermined by Abigail until John exposes Parris for previously knowing about them dancing in the woods (95). Parris “unwillingly” admits to Danforth, and his attitude reflects everybody else’s issues with facing the truth (98). The tone shows just how grudgingly people will admit their mistakes, lies, or iniquity. Even John Proctor, who is sensible and honest, wants to avoid using his crimes of adultery as evidence against Abigail’s integrity. He is pushed to the edge of anger, even leaping “‘at Abigail, grabbing her by the hair,” before he admits his sin: it is his last resort for justice for Elizabeth. John unveils the important missing link in their perverted investigation for the truth when he declares to Danforth that “it is a whore’s vengeance” for why they have been hanging people— not witchcraft (103). It is perhaps more horrifying to believe that the court is “pulling Heaven down and lifting up a whore,” instead of protecting Christianity by killing witches (111). This harsh reality is why Danforth is further inclined to believe the girls’ delusions of spirits. The fear of the devil, the fear of sinning, the fear of shame, and the fear of misusing the law for murder keeps everyone under the manipulation of Abigail, and it seems that she will go to any lengths to keep it that way. 

In the last two pages, everything goes haywire. Mary caves into the girls' pretending that her spirit was attacked them and she cries "Abby, Abby, I'll never hurt you more!" while Abigail accepts her with open arms due to her "infinite charity" (111). Proctor goes insane with rage screaming "God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together!" (111). Even Hale, the only one who tried to listen to the truth, "denounces these proceedings" and slams the door to leave (111). The ending to Act III is nihilistic because anyone who even tried to preserve justice, morality, or protect others has horrible outcomes, and Miller seems to be making a statement about how much we as humans will allow to happen if we feel threatened enough.

The Crucible Act Two

Act Two begins with an eerie foreshadowing scene. An innocent rabbit wandered into the Proctor household and was killed by Elizabeth for super, much like the innocent people in Salem who will soon be hanged for "being witches". It is also a disheartening scene because it highlights John and Elizabeth's marriage troubles. John Proctor secretly seasons the stew and while this is not a severe sinful act, like his affair, he is nonetheless going behind his wife's back again. 

Abigail, Betty, and Mary Warren are quickly rising to power. Even though they are essentially the lowest status on the social ladder, since they are young unmarried girls, the townspeople overwhelmingly believe their claims. Realizing that fear is a very controlling emotion, the young girls take advantage of this and then begin to let their newfound power get to their head. Mary Warren, for example, defies John Proctors authority after her day at court. She believes she can do as she pleases since she is  an "official of the court". She tells the Proctors that she will be at court every day, she will "not stand whipping any more", and that she will "not be ordered to bed no more" (Miller 57). During the first court meeting, Mary Warren saved Elizabeth's life by saying she does not suspect that Elizabeth is a witch. Mary Warren does, however, hold this power over the Proctors and they understand that she could change her mind quickly, so they must submit to her.  

It is interesting to note that the only commandment John could not remember is the commandment that states "thou shalt not commit adultery". Much like he "forgot" it when he had an affair with Abigail. This brings into question his faith and perhaps suggests that the devil has had an influence on him. 

Elizabeth believes Abigail wants to be with John and that she will go to any lengths to attain this, even kill Elizabeth. To ensure that she is found guilty for being a witch, Elizabeth asks that John speaks to Abigail to clarify that he will never be with her again. I admire Elizabeth's mature handling of the situation. She seems to be the voice of reason for the majority of this act. In between John's outbursts she stays calm and tries to reason with him and even though John slept with another woman, she is not excessively bitter about it. Elizabeth is understanding and realizes that his guilt is eating away at him. Compassionately she tells him, "I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. I never thought you but a good man, John- only somewhat bewildered (Miller 52). Elizabeth points out that John is judging himself more than anyone else. His guilt over his act of adultery begins to eat away at him and leads to a dilemma. The big question is, will he maintain his good reputation and stay quiet or admit his sin in order to expose Abigail and save his wife? 

Chapters 20-24

 

Chapter 20, “The Minister in a Maze”, unveils the introspective maze that Dimmesdale finds himself in after his discussion with Hester in the forest. As we learn that Hester has a connection that could provide them passage to England through a vessel, but not missing the Election. In this small but intricate passage, it is expressed that Dimmesdale still finds himself trapped between a battle of finding his true identity. Even the omniscient narrator reflects on Dimmesdale’s inner struggles when Hawthorne writes, “No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true” (177). This recognition of Dimmesdale’s struggle from the narrator helps place an emphasis on the estrangement of Dimmesdale’s emotions. Throughout the rest of this chapter, we see Dimmesdale struggle to hold himself back from blasphemy. As a minister, this is completely dissimilar to his routine actions and shows that he is facing the two personas within his mind: the minister and the sinner. In his further encounters with Mistress Hibbins, Dimmesdale is deeply concerned that he sold himself “to the fiend whom, if men say true, this yellow-starched and velveted old hag has chosen for her prince”, or the Devil. He then returns home to Old Roger Chillingworth and immediately states that he is no longer in need of medicine from him, placing fear in Chillingworth’s mind that Arthur might know his identity.

 

Chapter 21 and 22 discuss the Election day and the procession of the town leaders through the marketplace. With an opening similar to the beginning of the novel, Chapter 21 begins with the gathering of the community to watch a public event take place. As Hester and Pearl wait for the holiday to begin, Pearl asks Hester if the minister will be attending and if he would hold both of their hands as he did in the secluded area of the forest. After Hester declines, Pearl reflects, “What a strange, sad man is he (188)” and continues to reflect on Dimmesdale’s cowardliness in the fact that he only speaks to them when no one is around; another sign of Dimmesdale living two different lives. To further the suspense of whether Dimmesdale and Hester will be able to escape to a life outside of Puritan society, it is then revealed that Chillingworth will join Hester and Dimmesdale on their journey to Europe. Chapter 22, The Procession, shows Dimmesdale in a new light. Pearl mentions how she cannot even recognize him when she asks if “that was the same minister that kissed me by the brook” (197). His new appearance being much healthier shocks Hester and places doubt in her mind about his intentions with both her and Pearl. Her concerned thoughts are then soothed when Mistress Hibbins who essentially explains how Dimmesdale’s secrets would be brought to light for everyone to see, like the scarlet letter.

 

The final two chapters take us through the sermon and how it affects the New England society. With a sermon focused on the community’s connection with God, the people were evidently moved. However, the narrator does not fail to mention the sadness of the sermon which “could not be interpreted otherwise as the natural regret of one soon to pass away” (204). While we learn that this later foreshadows to how his illness takes the best of him, Dimmesdale does not fail to make a further impact on society when he welcomed Hester and Pearl as his family, and exposed what can be considered as his own scarlet letter. The fact that Dimmesdale got to expose his scarlet letter by choice shows the strong contrast to how he was tortured internally, while Hester was tortured both externally and internally. As he lay on his death bed, he discusses the afterlife with Hester in where they could finally be together if possible, still holding onto hope. In “The Conclusion”, the narrator discusses the rumors around Dimmesdale’s death as well as the outcome of Hester, Pearl, and Chillingworth. We learn that Chillingworth dies, and in the minds of society, it was likely due to his evil mind. After we where Hester and Pearl are in life, we are able to realize how much Puritan society has changed since the beginning of the novel. The fact that the minister became the embodiment of sin helps prove that no one can be fully moral, no matter their position in the church or society. This powerful message is lastly displayed through Hester and Dimmesdale’s gravestones, which were separated, yet contained a unifying message: “On a field, sable, the letter A gules” (216).

Chapters 15-19

     Chapter 15, “Hester and Pearl,” takes a look at a specific moment from the perspective of both mother and daughter. The chapter starts with Hester and Chillingworth finally parting ways as Hester watches her former husband goes, “stooping away along the earth” (159). At this moment, she is trying to let go of him and, therefore, his past, but in doing that allows the reader to see a small glimpse into what her life was like before she came to Puritan New England. She remembers how quiet her life was and how much Chillingworth “had persuaded her to fancy herself happy by his side” (160). With that final thought, she tells herself, “He betrayed me!” (160) and seems to let go of Chillingworth’s invisible grasp that had been holding her back and scaring her into silence. The chapter then provides a callback to a moment when Pearl was younger. She collected stones and “creeping from rock to rock after these small sea-fowl” (161) began throwing the rocks at birds as she had done with the children in town earlier in her life. The rest of the chapter sees Pear making the connection between her mother’s “A” and Dimmesdale’s hand over his heart, but is still unsure how the two are connected. Hester continually avoids her questions, but as chapter 16, “A Forest Walk,” begins, Hester contemplates if it is the right time to tell Pearl the truth. 

The next few chapters all take place in the forest, where the symbol of light versus darkness was prominent as the sun seemingly hides from Hester but was absorbed by Pearl. The focus then shifts onto the realization that the two are in the forest to meet Dimmesdale, so Hester can confide in him the truth about Chillingworth. As Hester sees him approaching, it is clear how different things are from seven years ago. His appearance, like both Hester and Chillingworth, is vastly different, and he is visibly carrying his guilt and shame everywhere with him. Hester notices that he looks “haggard and feeble” (171) as well as “he kept his hand over his heart” (172). 

As chapter 17 begins and Hester and Dimmesdale are finally able to speak to each other, they seem to take a minute to open up. Ther interaction is described as being like “the first encounter in the world beyond the grave, of two spirits who had been intimately connected in their former life” (174). Because of their circumstances and Hester trying to protect the man she loved, the two had never been able to have a proper conversation, let alone tell Pearl who her birth father is. The chapter ended with the two deciding to take Pear and leave their home to be somewhere together.

The final two chapters seem to blend as the main focus comes back to Pearl. Chapter 18 has Hester telling Dimmesdale that he can now get to know “Our little Pearl” (187), who Dimmesdale confesses has always frightened him. Pearl is then described as the light again when the minister calls her “a bright-apparelled vision, in a sunbeam” (187). Maybe it is not that Pear’s “supernatural” aspects make her bad, but make her good and allow the sun to be on her. At this point in the novel, she seems to almost be the embodiment of light in the way both her mother and Dimmesdale describe her appearance. The supernatural and sometimes frightening aspect about her is not lost, though, as chapter 19 details her reaction to seeing the two adults together and how she seems to force Hester back into the darkness of the scarlet "A" that she had previously thrown by the river. While Hester had been trying to shed what she thought was covering her womanhood and who she was before Pearl, her daughter does not recognize this other version of Hester. It is not until Hester covers her hair and picks up the "A" that Pearl will walk near her and Dimmesdale.

Chapters 12-14

     Chapter 12, “The Minister's Vigil”, opens with Dimmesdale at the scaffold where Hester was publicly shamed and humiliated years ago. In previous chapters, Dimmesdale is utterly consumed by his own guilt, causing him to inflict several forms of self harm upon himself. Dimmesdale dealt with his extreme guilt internally, trying to reason through it. However, when he stands on the scaffold, he can’t help but scream in agony. The scream reveals the intense torture Dimmesdale experiences in his subconscious mind. Furthermore, the contrast between Hester’s experience at the scaffold and Dimmesdale’s experience demonstrate the major difference between the way in which each of them has been punished for their crime. Hester experienced, and still does experience, public shame, whereas Dimmesdale experiences intense internal guilt that has consumed his entire life. 

    In chapter 13, the reader is introduced to a new side of Hester that had not previously been shown. The view of Hester to the Puritan community and the significance of the letter A has changed considerably. It is described that the letter A now stands for “Able”, possibly suggesting that Hester no longer feels great shame but instead is fulfilled with dignity.  The scarlet letter also is now described as being magical rather than demon like. Hawthorne writes, “There glimmered the embroidered letter, with comfort in its unearthly ray” (146). Through the use of words such as “glimmered” and “comfort”, Hawthorne hints at the idea that the scarlet letter is no longer a bad thing in the eyes of Hester, but instead it is a symbol of power and magic. Yet, Hester lives a life lacking love and affection, “Everything was against her. The world was hostile. The child’s own nature had something wrong in it, which continually betokened that she had been born amiss” (149). Hester is continuing to live a life full of guilt, and she worries that it is because of her sins that Pearl is amiss.  

    Finally, in chapter 14, the inner thoughts of Chillingworth are revealed. It is clear that in the past seven years, Chillingworth has been consumed with his desire to seek revenge against Dimmesdale. This obsession has transformed him from a kind man to nothing but the devil. He exclaims to Hester, “I have already told thee what I am! A fiend!” (156). Not only does Chillingworth admit to being evil, he also expresses to Hester that he feels that she is not entirely sinful. He states, “I pity thee, for the good that has been wasted in thy nature!” (156). This chapter reveals a lot about Chillingworth, and almost causes the reader to pity him. These past years have affected his character significantly, and there is no way he could ever return to his past self. 

CH 9-11

Chapter 9, “The Leech'', describes the physical degeneration and enunciation of the young minister, Dimmesdale, from an unknown disease. Hawthorne implies that this disease may be the guilt that plagues Dimmesdale for his adultery by noting that the pain emanates from his heart. Hawthorne writes, “He turned into regularly determined, on any moderate alarm or other surprising coincidence, to position his hand over his heart with first a flush after which a paleness, indicative of pain”(1772). The mention of Dimmesdale's heart as the source of pain imparts to the reader that the disease is of his soul, but also that the ailment is his guilt of adultery; the heart is where the sinful scarlet letter is adorned on Pryne. Hawthorne employs Dimmensdale’s mysterious disease as a broader commentary on the parasitic nature of private guilt. 

The title of Chapter 9, “The Leech”, bestows importance to the name “leech” that Chillingworth is called during the chapter. In the beginning of the book, Chillingworth was not a blatant antagonist. He lived with the Indians, whom the Puritans regard as savages, and learned their natural medicine; he was initially a slight departure from the draconian and intransigent Puritan society. However, his characterization as a leech shows the way in which his herbal, natural Native medicinal practice is corrupted to be parasitic. The way in which his physical appearance deteriorates as he- like a leech- purports to be healing Dimmesdale but in actuality is draining him of his vitality by antagonizing his guilt is a broader commentary by Hawthorne on the destructive nature of vengeance on not just the victim but also the avenger. 

In Chapter 10, Chillingworth’s leechlike characterization and behavior continue. The most striking part of this chapter, however, was when Pearl adorned her mother’s scarlet letter with burs. This act reminded me of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore and was ridiculed in, and of the initial description of the church with iron spikes that in Chapter 1 invoked the punitive nature of Puritan society ironically juxtaposed with holy crucifixion. The burs likely represent the antagonisms Pryne faces from the townspeople as a result of her scarlet letter. Pryne does not remove the burrs; she has accepted the thorns of her sin. By Pearl next throwing burs at Dimmesdale, which he dodges, Hawthorne not only indicates that he secretly shares Pryne’s sin but also that he has not faced its consequences. 

Chapter 11 shows Dimmesdale entering a state of extreme diseased guilt; he flagellates, fasts, and deprives himself of sleep. He tries to escape his guilt by a partial sermon confession, but the almost sanctification he wins from his congregation for his self-proclaimed sinfulness when they know of no outright sin only inflames his diseased guilt further; Hawthorne thus employs dramatic irony to pin sole responsibility for the inflamed guilt on Dimmesdale himself.

The Scarlet Letter Chapters 5-8

Chapters 5-8 introduce Hester Prynne’s ambiguous attitudes towards the scarlet letter that she is forced to wear and her daughter, Pearl. Hester feels that the constant stares drawn to her scarlet letter are utterly distressing and torturous as the narrator describes that she “had always this dreadful agony in feeling a human eye upon the token” (Hawthorne 77).  In these descriptions, the reader can see how society’s harsh judgement of Hester detrimentally impacts her character and leads her to feel alienated. The scarlet letter is an emblem of her sin that attracts even more unwanted attention and shameful looks. However, Hester goes on to reveal a sort of appreciation for her scarlet letter. Although she is hesitant to say so, she feels that the scarlet letter has, “endowed her with a new sense” (77).  She describes that this new sense achieved through the letter enables her to acknowledge the sins of others and be sympathetic towards them. Therefore, Hester is pained by the judgmental looks she receives because of the letter, but is grateful that it gives her a newfound perspective and sympathy. 

Moreover, Hester’s characterization of Pearl is by far the most intriguing thing to me in these chapters. Pearl is attributed to be beautiful, brilliant, passionate, and socially defiant like her mother, however there is a side to her that is peculiar. Hester describes that Pearl often has a look that reflects perversity and maliciousness, so she cannot help but question whether Pearl is a “human child” or not. Throughout these chapters, Hester looks for signs of witchcraft in her daughter and demonic like characteristics. Something I thought was ironic was when Pearl threw stones at a group of children who were taunting her. I believe that Hawthorne is purposely alluding to the punishment of stoning that took place during the witch trials. Pearl’s act of throwing stones implies that society is the villain here and is being punished for its sinful crimes, while Pearl is innocent. Going back to Hester’s characterization of Pearl, in some ways it seems that she is literally describing the antichrist. When I read this quote about Pearl, “Whether moved only by her ordinary freakishness, or because an evil spirit prompted her, she put up her small forefinger, and touched the scarlet letter.” I got goosebumps due to its creepy tone. Hester feels that because she has committed a heinous sin, god has bestowed upon her a devil child. However, I believe that Hester’s perception of her daughter could be a manifestation of her own shame and guilt. Because the baby was born out of sin, she subconsciously believes that there is no way Pearl can be close to normal. This manifestation of guilt is also shown in the way that Hester dresses Pearl in the same crimson red that the scarlet letter beholds.  

The Scarlet Letter Chapters 1-4

     Starting this novel, I was not sure what to expect. I knew a little bit about what it was about (only because I have seen Easy A), but I was not expecting right off the bat to see hints about so many themes that would be covered in the novel. I saw hints pointing towards themes such as the innocence and forgivingness of nature, the role of women in society, the idea of outcasts and crowd mentality, and the role of religion in society. Something in these chapters I really liked was the use of juxtapositions to show the difference between Hester Prynne and other women in this Boston society. For example, the use of the word "mistress", which has deceitful and slanderous connotations, versus the use of the word "matrons" to describe the other women, which paints them in a more responsible, homely way. There are also many phrases, such as "scornful merriment" and "civilized and savage" used in this novel to show the conflict between main characters and their society. As I was reading these pages, I was amazed by how it almost felt like high school to me. There is all this drama and these secrets surrounding Hester, and everyone in her town thinks they have the right to have an opinion on her "shameful" actions. People, including Reverend Dimmesdsale and even Hester's husband, try to pry information out of Hester, asking her about her mystery lover. The whole idea of this social scene seems like such a high school atmosphere.

    At the end of the first chapter, the narrator discusses a rose-bush that is growing outside of Hester's prison door. It is described as symbolizing, "some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow" (Hawthorne 42). This idea on nature being a stark contrast to society will likely become a motif throughout the rest of the novel. I think it is ironic that the scarlet letter Hester is forced to inscribe on her clothing is technically a shade of red, like a rose, suggesting that she might be more similar to the innocence of nature than the cruel treatment of the townspeople would lead us to believe. I think that as more information is revealed to us about Hester's past, we will discover that she is actually innocent in her crimes but rather turned into a villain by her society to enable them certain standards from women of that time.       

The Numbed Generation

In Chapter 17, Jake describes a scene prior to the bullfight: a man is stabbed by a bull’s horn through his back and then stampeded by a crowd of people. Following this incident, Jake goes to a café for a second cup of coffee and causally converses with the waiter about it. After a few short remarks are made, the waiter says, “‘You hear? Muerto. Dead. He’s dead. With a horn through him. All for morning fun.’” (Hemingway 178). Jake simply replies with, “‘It’s bad.’” (Hemingway 179). Even as an in-person witness, Jake can only demonstrate indifference to the horrific incident that just occurred. The carrying tone of their conversation is similar to that of how one might discuss the weather. In other words, the dialogue shows both the waiter and Jake expressing little to no reaction to the gruesome death of Vicente Girones, the man that was killed.

I think this scene displays an excellent example of how the Lost Generation dealt with their acceptance of violence. The Great War was an atrocity where masses of people fought each other with the debilitating addition of advanced weaponry. As traditional heroism and emphasis on individual ambition dissipated along with millions of lives, people were at a loss on how to deal with their overwhelming experience with bloodshed. At the time, illnesses, such as PTSD and shell shock, weren’t even diagnosed disorders. As a result of the war, many faced pain by ignoring their psychological response to violence.

In the moment of Girones’s slaughter, Jake narrates the scene quickly and objectively; the intensity (or lack thereof) that Jake describes the incident does not match the emotions one should feel when witnessing a gored man stampeded by a crowd. The narrative pace is set almost too casually. In addition, Jake’s own emotional reaction to the event is not shared with the reader. I think Hemingway purposely wrote it this way to reflect Jake’s tendencies on how he responds to overwhelming circumstances: numbing of the emotions.