scarlet letter chapters 5-8

Chapter 5 - It interested me the most so far throughout the book. In my mind, Hester's emotions and feelings were not expressed or talked about enough throughout the story so far and that is what chapter 5 is basically talking about. Starting off talking about her getting out of prison and revealing her scarlet letter set the mood for the rest of the chapter. When the narrator was speaking about how Hester was going to have to wear the letter for the rest of her life, he seemed to feel very strongly about the fact that she shouldn't be shunned out for the rest of her life. I think Hester settling in the outskirts of town shows that she has respected what she has done, and accepts the fact that she is not looked at in the same eyes anymore. I also think her starting to get her life back and doing needlework shows that she is very independent and she will not let little things stop her. Towards the end of the chapter however, it seems that she is having an internal conflict about her wrong doing. "It was not an age of delicacy; and her position, although she understood it well and was in little danger of forgetting it, was often brought before her vivid self-perception, like a new anguish, by the rudest touch upon the tenderest spot." This quote is showing that Hester acknowleges the fact that her own self-perception is now changed because of the scarlet letter.

Chapter 6- Pearl. Right from the beginning of the story, I fert like the narrator was becoming more involved with the story. I felt like when the narrator was talking about Pearl, he was talking about her as if he knew her, and he felt what Hester was feeling. When they were talking about how Hester was worried that Pearl was going to be looked at with sin like Hester was, it seemed like the narrator was scared also. Reading how they described Pearl in the beginning of the chapter, I appreciated the fact that they are giving her all of these great qualities, and she is still very young. I think the narrator already picked up what kind of person Pearl is going to be, and exposed that to the readers early on. I was not expecting Pearl to be disobedient because they talk about her being very similar to Hester. I think that was a good way to represent Pearl as her own person, even though she is very similar to her mother in many aspects. On page 90, i was a little bit confused wehnt hey said that "did pearl arrive at an age that was capable of social intercourse, beyond the mother's ever-ready smile and nonsense words!" I did not know if they meant she was literally growing up in a phyiscal, or mental aspect. When they start to talk about her imaginary friends i didn't know why they talked about it so much. Lastly, I think the part where you see Hester and Pear talking, I think it shows how alike and how different they are as well. Pearl is not outspoken in any way, and i appreciate that.

Chapter 7- The Governor's Hall
I think the fact that Hester was brave enough to come out into the public and give the embrolled gloves to the Governor shows her strength and growth throughout the story. A part that really interested me was when Hester and Pearl were walking and the Puritan children were making fun of Pearl and saying she was going to get the scarlet letter next. I think Pearl defending herself at such a young age is showing her character, and I now personally think she is a lot different than her mother. I admire her for sticking up for herself. Another part that I found interesting was when they were walking past the mirrors and "the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent figure of her appearance." The fact that Pearl now is recognizing the scarlet letter, and saying "mommy that's you!" is the necessarily a bad thing?

Chapter 8- The Elf-Child and the Minister
This chapter was a lot to take in at once. Meeting the new characters, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Mr. Wilson was one thing. But also when Hester hid behind the curtains when they were approaching makes me wonder, what was she so afraid of? I also think the govenors talk to Pearl as if she is an adult at some points, which I thought was really interesting. I thought when Hester was saying that she can teach Pearl from her scarlet letter was a big risk, because they all already think badly of her to begin with, she is almost adding fuel to her own fire. When Pearl was asked who made her and said she was plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses, I thought was a huge turning point in the entire story. It is showing how smart and independent Pearl is, and this could come and bite Hester in the back. It did in the chapter also, when Pearl was threatened to be taken away from Hester. When that happened, you could see how Pearl is Hester's entire world, and that a mistake, can lead to a blessing. I thought that both Arthur, Wilson, and the Governor all had very strong personalities, but I did not see much significance in their parts in this chapter, but I hope their characters grow throughout the rest of the story because I find them all interesting.