What a terribly flat start to a story. It's been a long time since I've read something so dry and pointlessly descriptive, something so stockpiled with long words for no reason that describe the most minute details of something that holds no significance to the story apart from being a background item. I'm honestly impressed by how unimpressed I am. Seriously.
Anyway, that's not the point of this.
The story starts with a horde of gossiping townspeople waiting outside the local jail. We don't know what has them so riled up until Mistress Hester Prynne is presented. This, by the way, doesn't even happen until the page and a half of fluffed up setting that was chapter one is over and then a good page or two of the second chapter has passed.
Hester emerges from the prison holding an infant. She also sports an ornate letter "A", which is rather obviously colored scarlet and stitched onto her dress with shining gold thread. The townspeople gossip some more as she steps out onto a platform so that she can be publicly condemned, as if the fact that she was both a sinner and a social pariah weren't already obvious. Though, this course of action does make sense when the setting is taken into account. It's Puritan times; everything is to be done right and religiously or not at all.
The reader does learn a bit about Hester as these proceedings take place. Hester regards her situation with palpable unhappiness, but manages to keep relatively calm. However, she does manage to hold onto her baby a little too tight, inciting an aggravated cry from the infant.
In chapter three, we learn about Hester's husband. In fact, she spots him in the crowd of onlookers, though she does not point him out as per his silent request. He asks a fellow spectator about Hester and gets the story as the reader does. Hester's husband was a scholarly Englishman. The couple decided to move to Boston, but he sent his young wife ahead of him to their new home. This probably happened some time ago considering the situation. When the husband inquires as to who the baby's father is, it is revealed that nobody knows as Hester refuses to tell.
The young Reverend Dimmesdale steps in, addressing Hester with a demand. He wants her to reveal the identity of the baby's father, her fellow sinner. But she refuses to tell which is an action that seems to already be common and not totally unexpected by her peers. After Dimmesdale is done, another pastor - Reverend Wilson - gives a long sermon on the topic of sin. He refers to Hester's letter "A" multiple times. When he's finished, Hester and her baby disappear back into the prison. This concludes chapter three.
I'm not particularly excited to continue reading the story even though I will. Hawthorne isn't the best storyteller, but the entire concept of his story is interesting. Adultery is not an uncommon part of modern literature, but it's one that is rarely focused upon in the way that it is in this story.
I wholeheartedly agree about the first chapter. It was definitely ridiculously dry and I'm usually someone to skim over too much description. I think he was trying to write it almost like it was a movie trying to make it visual, but it was excessive. I mean if you know the time period it was written in then it really isn't necessary. I'm sure the preface went over all of that already. Skipping to the end of your blog, when Rev. Wilson talks about the "A". I think he brings it up repeatedly not just to instill fear into the townspeople, which is what he obviously was doing, but also to punish Hester that much more. In the end I just feel really bad for her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your thoughts on the first chapta' Sam! It was dryer than the sahara desert! I also like your style of journal thingamajig! It’s very flavorful and cool. :3
ReplyDeleteI also like how you picked up on the fact that the “A” is referenced a whoOOOOLe lot. Kudos to you!
Agreed with the beginning of the first chapter, honestly the first chapter could been written with just 3 two 5 sentences and then go ahead to chapter 2. For some reason though I think Hawthorne informed the reader about the prison for some reasons that might be revealed further in the story. I wonder why though Hester's husband didn't wanna help Hester. That be at least what a true husband would do. For some reason though I think Wilson was the guy who had the affair with Hester 0.0.
ReplyDeleteNice start Samantha! Keep making personal connections with the literature!
ReplyDeleteI agreed with your whole introduction; i also found the beginning of this book dry and uninteresting, and even a little confusing...i reread the first 10 pages of the story at least twice. i liked how you made the point of saying that Hawthorne made adultery the main subject of the book, which is uncommon for the way that he executed it. I'm hoping that the book will get a bit juicier as it goes on :)
ReplyDeleteI honestly find it very funny how so many people complained about the first chapter of the book. I felt the same way about it (I just didn't want to say it), but, hey, at least it was short, right?
ReplyDeleteI'm also relieved that you also believe the "stranger" in the crowd is her husband because I was so unsure about that connection.
good comments
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