Scarlet letter help??

Question

I need some help. I'm writing an essay on isolation in the SCarlet Letter of Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, and need some good ideas for the three. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Answer 1

Hester was isolated by society in that they looked down on/criticised her and such, it was not really her choice to be isolated for the most part.

Dimmesdale brought upon his own isolation from society. He saw himself as a sinner and had a guilty conscience, unfit of being with the people of Salem.

Chillingsworth wasn't really isolated too much, though he contribute a lot to Dimmesdale becoming the emotional wreck that he was. I guess he could be called isolated in that he didn't associate with people except to get what he needed to exact his revenge on dimmesdale.

Answer 2

I've never loved the Scarlett letter - I'm too much of a feminist to enjoy reading about how Prynne suffered publicly while that worm Dimmesdale was held up as a model of good behavior...and nasty old Chillingworth...does anyone really think he didn't sleep with as many Native American women as he could when he was with the tribes? But, that is my late Twen-Cen attitude speaking :-)

Isolation is a common motif in the Scarlett Letter. There are two types that I see. The first is involuntary isolation. Prynne and Pearl experience this. The second is voluntary isolation, such as Dimmesdale and Chillingworth impose on themselves.

Prynne is isolated from polite society because of her affair becomes public knowledge, Pearl is isolated from legitimate children of the town simply because of the circumstances of her birth, Dimmesdale is isolated by his cowardly guilt and isolated from becoming a real father because of social implications of acknowledging Pearl. Dimmesdale is spiritually isolated from his flock because of his hypocracy. Chillingworth isolates himself by not disclosing who he is and then isolates his soul from heaven by driving Dimmesdale to his death.

The community were isolated from their England because they could not compromise their religious beliefs. It became politically expedient to leave England after Cromwell's death and the fall of the Puritans in England. The community was also isolated spiritually from their closest neighbors, the Native Americans.

Keep thinking; I'm sure you'll come up with many more examples.

Answer 3

use sparknotes.com
it can help you with ideas on your essay.
Its easier if you have actually read the book.

Good luck