Edgar Allan Poe

I chose Edgar Allan Poe as the topic for my research paper, because I have read some of his stories before and they are interesting to me. I think it will be easy to research, because I already know a lot about him and most of his stories are dark and scary. I like Poe and I look forward to this project.

The Minister's Vigil

Chapter 12 of the Scarlet Letter is one of the most meaningful chapters so far, and it also has several hidden meanings. While Dimmesdale, Pearl, and Hester are standing in a cirlce, while holding hands, this shows how they are all connected. The circle represents that the knowledge of their connection is only known to those in the circle. Also Chillingworth in the distance while there is a storm starting shows the bad things that are to come that have to do with Chillingworth.





Also, for my Project, I think I want to do Edgar Allan Poe.

The Elf-Child and the Minister

In this chapter, Hester is questioned by Bellingham, Wilson, Chillingworth about if she is a suitable parent for Pearl. They are thinking about separating Pearl from Hester, but Hester convinces Dimmesdale to lobby to the others that she is a suitable parent. By doing this, I think he is showing his weakness towards Hester. This makes me think he might be the father of Pearl, because he is constantly sticking up for them in this chapter. I hope he reveals his secret soon though, beause he needs to support Hester and Pearl.

Hester at Her Needle

Hester is made very aware of the difficulty that will come by staying in Boston, because of the harsh feelings people show towards her. Even though she could easily leave and make a new home, where nobody knows her business, she decides that she needs to stay because of her child's father. She sees this man as her real husband and feels she has to stay in the same place as him so that maybe one day her daughter will have a father. Hester is very brave for enduring as much as she does over the years. She could have moved away and started a completely new life however she wanted, but through the insults and evil stares she decides it is the best idea for her daughter. Hester doesn't sit around all day and act depressed because no one likes her, she goes out and tries to find a job that can suit her talent with sewing. However, no one will buy her materials because of the wrongs she has commited. This leaves Hester doing volunteer work and other odd jobs, while constantly being insulted.

The Recognition

In this chapter, Chillingworth shows up at the scaffold where Hester is standing. Then Hesyter is questioned by Reverend Dimmesdale about who the true father is. I find it corageous of Hester ti stand up there, all alone, and refuse to give up the name. I think it shows that she knows how wrong it was and finds no need to punish the person herself. I feel she believes the other person will get what they deserve. I also appreciate the fact that she does not aknowledge her husband in the crowd, because I believe she knows it would bring him humiliation in front of all those strangers. She knows this because she is going through that same thing while she is thinking of it. I'm interested in finding out who the other person was and see what actions her husband takes towards that person.

The Market-Place

In the second chapter of The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne finds herself standing in front of everyone in the market-place, holding her child and wearing the letter "A" on her dress. She starts to reminisce about when she was young and she didnt have these troubles. I find the end of this chapter very powerful when it says, "She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry." To me this seems as though she is trying to hold on to her past and her childhood by gripping the baby. Also, the fact that she reaches down and touches the letter shows me that she is a woman that should not be in this situation because, to validate the situation she is in she needs to reach down and touch the letter, as if she were in a dream and she thought she would wake up. I really liked the ending to this chapter.

The Prison-Door

While I was reading the first chapter of the Scarlet Letter in class, I couldnt help imagining the difference in punishment for men and women who are unfaithful. In this story, the woman is known to have commited adultery because she has given birth to a child, but the man, at this point in the story, is unknown and has gotten out of the punishment. I dont believe that is fair. With the tone this story started with I imagine much more will happen, and even more will be revieled.