P&P #9: Ch. 14-18

“The general prejudice against Mr. Darcy is so violent, that it would be the death of half the good people in Meryton, to attempt to place him in an amiable light” (221).

• Once again, the themes first impressions along with prejudice, appears. Elizabeth makes a great assumption in expressing that regardless of any new, good-natured information having to do with Darcy, the people will have an extremely difficult time believing Elizabeth. This is solely due to how society values first impressions. In observing one’s initial portrayal of character, permanent prejudices are formed—either positive or negative. This does not often prove successful: “Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted [prejudice] and ignorance, and driven reason away where either were concerned” (205). In this social structure, a person's disposition is already set according to their place, ones responsibility is to act in such a way that reflects on that social level. It is absurd at how many times this practice has failed them and the people still remain stagnant in changing their customs.

Multiple Choice:

What does Elizabeth choose to leave out when telling Jane of all that had occurred?

A) The devious schemes of Wickham
B) How Darcy professed his undying love for Elizabeth
C) That Darcy interfered with the possible relationship between Jane and Bingley
D) Mrs. Bennet and her sisters were responsible for manipulating Bingley into never coming back
E) All of the above

P&P #7: Ch. 6-10

"If his own vanity, however, did not mislead him, he was the cause, his pride and caprice were the cause of all that Jane had suffered and still continued to suffer. He had ruined for a while every hope of happiness for the most affectionate, generous heart in the world; and no one could say how lasting an evil he might have inflicted" (185).

• Elizabeth absolutely detests Darcy for interfering with the relationship between Mr. Bingley and her sister Jane. Elizabeth assumed that the Bingley sisters were solely responsible for the incident; however, when receiving this information she places Darcy at fault for all of Jane’s time spent suffering and crying. Mr. Darcy has fallen for Elizabeth and the two finally begin to get along, but with this new information, Mr. Darcy has lost his chance to gain Elizabeth’s approval, only to result in a deepening of her abhorrence toward him.

Multiple Choice:

"There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me" (173).

The quotation above describes which character?

A) Elizabeth
B) Mrs. Bennet
C) Charlotte
D) Mr. Collins
E) Maria

P&P #6: Ch. 2-5

“Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing, after all” (154). (Gen)

• In this quote, Elizabeth expresses a loss of hope in intelligent, well-mannered men and has good reason to. Mr. Bingley, whom she once believed to be a wonderful match for her beloved sister, proved to be a spineless man easily manipulated by his sisters and Darcy. Also, Mr. Wickham, whom Elizabeth had grown very fond of, decides to pursue Miss King in hopes of acquiring Miss King’s inherited wealth. Elizabeth has given up on such men and in saying “stupid men are the only ones worth knowing” (154), one can assume that Mr. Collins could be considered as “stupid” considering the fact that Charlotte is happy and is guaranteed a prudent marriage. Elizabeth continues to be disappointed by the men she thought so highly of; however, she should be disappointed by her own reliability on first impressions.
  
  

Multiple Choice:

What can we assume is the reasoning behind Mr. Wickham’s sudden desire to marry Miss King?

A) Prudence
B) Mercenary
C) Love
D) Obligation

E) None of the above

P&P #5: Ch. 21-1

“There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense” (135).

• Through this quote, Elizabeth is shone in a light that increases her amiability from when we were previously faced with her prejudices. Elizabeth is seen as an insightful and levelheaded sister who sees people for who they really are. She acts as a driving force that attempts to have Jane see others in the same light and dissuade her from thinking that "all the world is respectable" (134). Optimism is a good quality; however, one must also be wise in determining certain characteristics in others that may be harmful toward him or her. Also, Elizabeth mentions the “inconsistency” in human beings. However, she is certainly guilty of refusing to see Wickham’s falseness insisting that he is completely innocent. Nonetheless, Elizabeth is very independent and finds no need to depend on anyone or anything because, as seen with Charlotte's nonsensical decision to marry Mr. Collins, "sense" is unreliable.
  
  

Multiple Choice:

What can be said for Charlotte Lucas’ reasoning for accepting Mr. Collins’ marriage proposal?

A. Charlotte is madly in love with Mr. Collins and cannot wait for the day that will make her the happiest woman
B. Charlotte accepts out of pity because he had been rejected by her best friend just a few days before
C. Charlotte is convinced that she will live comfortably and considering Mr. Collins situation in life and connections, her chances of happiness are fair
D. Charlotte was forced to accept or else her mother would refuse to speak to her

P&P #4: Ch. 17-20

“Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do” (111).

• This passage is certainly a slap in Mrs. Bennet’s face. After many years of attempting to impose her priorities and adherence to societal structure on Mr. Bennet, he goes against her and firmly takes his own stance on the occurrence: “I have two small favours to request. First, that you will allow me the free use of my understanding on the present occasion” (112). He often reveals his opinion of the absurdity of societal structure through his witty and amusing comments to Mrs. Bennet; however, this quote certainly exemplifies Mr. Bennet’s overt refusal to accept such customs. Also, because Elizabeth is the favorite of her father, Mr. Bennet supports her decision and would not insist that she marry someone out of her will. Mr. Bennet clearly does not care much for his estate remaining in the family as much as he does for his daughter’s happiness.
  

Multiple Choice:

Which quotation best relates to the idea portrayed in the following passage?

“That it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a third time” (107).

A. “Society has claims on us all; and I profess myself one of those who consider intervals of recreation and amusement as desirable for every body” (88).
B. “If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him” (22).
C. “‘There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil, a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome’” (58).
D. “A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity to what we would have others think of us” (21).
E. "A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singin, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word" (40).

P&P #3: Ch. 11-16

"For almost all his actions may be traced to pride; and pride has often been his best friend. It has connected him nearer with virtue than any other feeling. But we are none of us consistent; and in his behavior to me there were stronger impulses even than pride" (Austen 82).

• In this quote Mr. Wickham describes Darcy as being a proud man. However, it is reasonable to hold the supposition that Darcy acts in such a way only because of the situation between his father, Wickham, and himself. It is fair that Darcy is angry considering the fact that his father gave his estate to Wickham rather than his own son. On the other hand, it is despicable on Darcy's part because he must be more understanding and appeasing in recognizing that it was not Wickham's fault and should not be taken out on him. However, as Darcy previously stated, "My good opinion once lost is lost for ever" (58). His implacable resentment and haughty nature toward others gives the impression that he is indeed proud and also too stubborn to forgive others. Pride may have possibly "connected him nearer with virtue" however as CS Lewis states, "pride leads to every other vice".

Multiple Choice:

What societal theme is presented in Elizabeth's eagerness in giving credibility to Mr. Wickham's one-sided story?

A. The idea that first impressions are of the utmost importance
B. The belief that a woman's goal was to find a husband agreeable to society
C. The belief that women were to be submissive in society
D. The idea that respect is shown when one family calls on another family, that family must do the same
E. None of the above

Huck Finn 6: 185-209

“I felt so ornery and low down and mean, that I says to myself, My mind’s made up; I’ll hive that money for them or bust” (188).

• Huck has been greatly influenced by both Pap and Ms. Watson. This is evident in many cases throughout the novel. However, this passage introduces us to a different Huck who begins to formulate his own decisions. He is no longer speaking of what he has been taught, but draws on his ideas and opinions from his own mind. Despite Huck’s previous way of thinking, “the best way to get along with his kind of people is to let them have their own way” (137), his empathy for the girls overwhelms him, forcing Huck to intrude on allowing the king and Duke to “have their own way” (137). Huck, as usual, is illustrated as courageous in this quote, being aware of what danger he may be putting himself in.

“Well, I says to myself at last, I’m agoing to chance it; I’ll up and tell the truth this time, though it does seem most like setting down on a kag of powder and touching it off just to see where you’ll go to” (200).

• This quote also demonstrates Huck’s thought process in making his own decisions. Yet, it also relates to the theme of Huck’s moral process versus the moral action/outcome. Throughout the novel, Huck struggles with an erroneous moral triangle. His intentions were good, however, the moral process Huck went through was muddled, but always resulted in a good outcome. Huck’s muddled moral process was unclear solely because of the many influences he had in his life. However, through this passage, we see Huck overcome his muddled thought process and decide to go out on a limb and tell the truth for once: “here’s a case where I’m blest if it don’t look to me like the truth is better, and actuly safer, than a lie” (200). This shows the refinement of his moral process, which will hopefully result in a good outcome.

Vocabulary:

“The lid was shoved along about a foot, showing the dead man’s face down there, with a wet cloth over it, and his shroud on” (192).

Shroud: (noun) a cloth or sheet in which a corpse is wrapped for burial

“It jolted her up like everything, of course; but I was over the shoal water now, so I went right along” (200).

Shoal: (noun) a place where a sea, river, or other body of water is shallow

Huck &+ Jim Dialogue

Huck

Today, I reckon will be the day I tell Jim of what Pap and t’others think he done to me. I never said nothing; kept it to myself ‘cause I thought keeping it a secret wouldn’t be no problem. But by-and-by, I think I owes it to ‘em. I reckon that lyin’ to Jim wouldn’t do no good ‘cause last time I did suttin bad to ole Jim, he got bit by the snake and I promised myself it’d never happen again. It warn’t no use keeping it to myself ‘cause we was almost to Cairo so it wouldn’t matter no more.
I stared at Jim and thought to myself if this a good idea; us runnin’ off, and me with a nigger on my hands? Maybe it was bad and would send me to the bad place like Ms. Watson been tellin’ me bout. Ms. Watson always says we ought to follow the law no matters what. But I already broke the law so there warn’t no use in tryin to fix it. By and by, I woke Jim up ‘cause I wanted to tell him before the king and duke got to their senses. “Jim,” says I, “wake up”. Jim looked up at me ruther strange ‘cause he warn’t sure of why I would be doing such a thing. Jim didn’t answer so I just started talkin’. “See here Jim, when I’s dressed up as a girl and went to that house in the woods t’otha night, that lady tells me about myself. She said Pap and the others think you’s the one that killed me that night I ran away. They lookin for you Jim, not to sell you, but to put yous in prison or prob’ly kill you. But I knows it warn’t no problem no more cuz we’s almost to Cairo where nobody’ll bother to ask nuthin bout our reasons.” Jim was quiet, and all a sudden started cryin’ and howlin’ at me. It warn’t no use in trying to calm him down, it was my doing.

Jim

"I don't know what te say," says I. "Is it so chile? ‘Spose I's d'cided to goes on back te home wid Ms. Watson un alls the rest? They'd sho take me un whack me ove' the head wid no chance te speak my peace. I doan' want te think bout this no mo'. Its puttin' a hurtin in ma heart. I thought you's said you's gonna stop lyin te me chile. Are you's jus nuther white man out te git me? I knows u aint, else u wouldn't be helpin in gittin ma freedom n comin bak wid me to finds my fam'ly. I don't got five million frens runnin' roun' tryin to help ole Jim. I on'y got you's Huck. On account o' dat, its ok that you's fergot to tell me that t'others assumin that I's the one that dun keel you. We’s neva gonna see them e’r agin. A new life is a comin’ Huck, jis yous wait n see. We's sho is gonna be happy; free te do wateve’ we wants wen we gits to Cairo, jis layin aroun' bein free wid my fam'ly. And you's sho welcom te be wid us too. I doan' mean to 'sturb yur plans if u's was plannin’ on sumthin else but I's sure do needs you Huck, no matter wha happens chile, I' mighty glad to have you honey. Now let’s put alls dis behine us n move on. Ain’t no use un stayin mad at each othas, ares future wid happiness and joy is a comin’. Jis wait an’ see chile, jis wait an’ see.

Huck Finn 5: 129-157

“If they wanted us to call them kings and dukes, I hadn’t no objections, long as it would keep peace in the family… If I never learnt nothing else out of pap, I learnt that the best way to get along with this kind of people is to let them have their own way” (137).

• In this passage, Huck makes an intelligent decision to accept the King and Duke’s lies only to avoid disagreements. Despite Huck’s upbringing, this says a lot about his character and what he values. Huck could have confronted the two men; however, he subconsciously conveys his values of peace and harmony through his beliefs: “above all things, on a raft, is for everyone to be satisfied” (137). This is Huck’s refuge and he is not willing to have anything ruin it. We also see Huck reveal the first positive and beneficial words of Pap. The reader is aware that throughout Huck’s life, Pap has been a negative influence and a bad role model for Huck, so when hearing this, it is a great shock that Pap could have instructed Huck with a solid foundation of values. Nonetheless, the unusual wise words from Pap brings about an anticipation for more possible wise advice.

“I found Jim had been trying to get him to talk French, so he could hear what it was like; but he had been in this country so long, and had so much trouble, he’s forgot it” (146).

• Earlier in the reading, Jim is extremely stubborn and refuses to believe that some men may have the ability to speak another language. He argues with Huck and leaves his mind set on the fact that a man is to speak the same language as every other man (92). Likewise, a dog must speak the language of its own species. Ignorance is prevalent during that portion of the reading; however, Jim seems to be growing intellectually in being able to control his stubborn nature. He makes an effort to be open-minded which shows his yearning for more education and less wanting to rely on his inflicted ignorance as a crutch. By asking to hear the man speak French, Jim is acknowledging other men’s abilities to speak in other language. This shows great improvement in Jim.

Vocabulary:

Next you’d see a raft sliding by, away off yonder, and maybe a galoot on it chopping, because they’re most always doing it on a raft” (130).

Galoot: (noun) an awkward, eccentric, or foolish person

“They had white-domestic awnings in front, and the country people hitched their horses to the awning-posts” (151).

Awning: (noun) A rooflike structure, often made of canvas or plastic, that serves as a shelter, as over a storefront, window, door, or deck

Huck Finn 4: 89-129

“Well, then, says I, what’s the use you learning to do right, when it’s troublesome to do right and ain’t no trouble to do wrong, and the wages is just the same?” (104).

• Huck addresses an essential question that has been asked for millions of years. Why would one do right if it is much easier to do wrong? Despite such an intellectual question, Huck’s mind seems to be working in an inverted manner. In his opinion, the ‘right’ would be turning Jim over to authority and the ‘wrong’ is covering everything up so Jim is not sold into slavery. Huck even thinks about Miss Watson and what her opinion of this would have been. However, Huck does not think of the morality of the situation. He is not aware that the ownership of another human being is wrong; therefore, his feelings of guilt and shame should actually be feelings of pride and accomplishment. This relates back to Huck's ignorance on religious matters.

“It was pretty ornery preaching—all about brotherly love, and suchlike tiresomeness; but everybody said it was a good sermon, and they all talked it over going home, and had such a powerful lot to say about faith, and good works” (121).

• After attending church with guns strapped to their bodies, the Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords discuss the sermon that they had recently heard. When hearing "brotherly love", it is thought to be the compassion that we are to have for our neighbors: "Do not murder...love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Matthew 19:19). However, that was not the case between both families. One would assume that they would be moved by the sermon and stop their feud; however, both families disregarded the essential message of the homily and continued to fight, which eventually resulted in deaths. Why speak about “good works, and free grace” (122) when all they wanted to do was kill and cause chaos? What is the point of attending church and listening to the Word if it has no affect on ones life?

Vocabulary:

“'Everybody goes away when I want them to help me tow the raft ashore, and I can’t do it by myself.’ ‘Well, that’s infernal mean'" (102).

Infernal: (adj) hellish; fiendish; diabolical: an infernal plot

“There was four or five men cavorting around on their horses in the open place before the log store, cussing and yelling, and trying to get at a couple of young chaps” (126).

Cavort: (verb) to bound or prance about in a sprightly manner; caper

Huck Finn 3: 47-66

"I got a good place amongst the leaves, and set there on a log, munching the bread and watching the ferry-boat, and very well satisfied" (48).

• After leaving town and being away from his father, Huck feels very content where he is. He finds his own food and makes his own shelter. Huck does not have to worry about knowing how to speak and dress properly, nor undergo beatings. He is one with nature. This is very similar to Pearl from The Scarlet Letter. Pearl, like Huck, finds refuge in the woods a long way from town. They both do not feel accepted in a town filled with religious views and condemning speech. Their place of safety is away from these people and close to the simple beauties that are often taken for granted.

“And every time I waked up I thought somebody had me by the neck. So the sleep didn’t do me no good. By-and-by I says to myself, I can’t live this way; I’m agoing to find out who it is that’s here on this island with me” (51).

• Huck is depicted as very brave throughout his adventure. He runs away by himself and did not think of the possibility of feeling lonesome. He planned out his escape, cooked food for himself to eat, and found shelter at night. Huck proved to be successfull in all his efforts of not getting caught and rarely expressed fear which was unusual for a boy of his age. Nevertheless, he ran off without considering how he could live without companionship. Paranoia soon crept into his carefree lifestyle, which hindered him from sleeping. It is clear that Huck realizes he can no longer live everyday alone so he commits himself to finding a companion.

Vocabulary:

“When I got to camp I warn’t feeling very brash, there warn’t much sand in my craw” (50).

Brash: (adj) bold, impertinent; impudent; tactless

“There was two old dirty calico dresses, and a sun-bonnet” (61).

Calico: (noun) a plain-woven cotton cloth printed with a figured pattern, usually on one side

Huck Finn 2: 28-46

“You’re educated, too, they say; can read and write. You think you’re better’n your father, now, don’t you, because he can’t? I’ll take it out of you” (29).

• Many people would assume Huck’s father as being jealous of his son’s ability to read and write. Jealousy is excessive want. However, does Huck’s father truly want to be literate? We don’t get the impression that Huck’s father wishes to learn how to read and write because if so, he would have made an effort. Therefore pride is the main factor in Huck’s father’s anger, not jealousy. Huck’s father wants to be superior and have a feeling of great importance over his son. If Huck is more of something than his father is, this sense of superiority is lost. Huck’s father then goes through extreme measures like locking him in the cabin simply so his son will be inferior to him, with no chance of bettering himself.

“I didn’t want to go back no more. I had stopped cussing, because the widow didn’t like it; but now I took to it again because pap hadn’t no objections. It was pretty good times up in the woods there, take it all around” (34).

• It is clear that Huck feels more comfortable in the woods because that is where he was raised. He did not have the luxury of attending school nor having nice clothes. So when these things are offered to him, Huck feels constricted and uncomfortable. At Miss Watson’s house, Huck was forced to act proper with manners and attend school, while with his father, Huck could do and say whatever he pleased without having to walk on eggshells. This could be understood as another problem reflecting Huck’s youth. At his age, Huck is not fully aware of what is best for him. He does not think of the long run and how his life will be in the future. Huck lives for today which is basically how he was raised to live i.e. catching fish for one night’s dinner not being conscientious of what they might eat for the next day.

Vocabulary:

“He had a gold watch and chain, and a silver-headed cane—the awfulest old gray-headed nabob in the State” (37).

Nabob: (noun) any very wealthy, influential, or powerful person

“After supper pap took the jug, and said he had enough whiskey there for two drunks and one delirium tremens” (38).

Delirium tremens: (noun) withdrawal syndrome occurring in persons who have developed physiological dependence on alcohol, characterized by tremor, visual hallucinations, and autonomic instability

Huck Finn 1: 9-27

“All I wanted was to go somewhere; all I wanted was a change, I warn’t particular” (10).

• Huck is very young and extremely ignorant when it comes to speaking on religious related topics simply because his age and the fact that he was never educated on the subject. Huck justifies his reasoning for wishing he was in Hell when he articulates the passage above. It is clear that Huck is not aware of what exactly the “bad place” (10) is. He simply wants variety added to his lifestyle. This quote illustrates Huck’s nonchalant manner when it comes to what Miss Watson imposes on Huck to be important. Huck had been raised with simple ambitions and this is evident through his indifferent manner and speech. We see differences in what Miss Watson values and what Huck values. This is because of the age difference and how Huck has been raised versus Ms. Watson’s gained knowledge.

“I must help other people, and do everything I could for other people, and look out for them all the time, and never think about myself” (19).

• Though this quote, we see Huck’s mind being molded into what Ms. Watson wants it to become. However, it is unsuccessful because, after pondering over the thought for a long time, Huck quickly disposes of it. Again, we see his naive approach to a religious idea. Huck expresses his concern for himself: “I couldn’t see no advantage about it—except for the other people” (19), implying that there is no reward for him. He does not fully understand the idea and takes it in a literal sense so as to come to the conclusion that he must literally “never think about [himself]” (19). Although Huck is ignorant to these ideas, he is very intelligent when it came to things having to do with the outdoors.

Vocabulary:

“I couldn’t make out how he was agoing to be any better off then than what he was before, seeing I was so ignorant and so kind of low-down and ornery” (20).

Ornery: (adj) ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper

“They didn’t have only a guard of four hundred soldiers, and so we would lay in ambuscade, as he called it, and kill the lot and scoop the things” (21).

Ambuscade: (noun) an ambush

Final Sin Essay

Macda Gerard
AP English 11: Mr. George
25 January 2009
Final Essay on Sin

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This is the only way of acquiring salvation. Throughout the play, The Crucible, and the novels The Scarlet Letter and The Picture of Dorian Gray, the theme of redemption is prevalent in the main characters’ lives. Each carried the guilt of a sin; however, each diverged toward their own means of grappling with it. John Proctor from The Crucible and Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter begin their misguided search for forgiveness by different means, but are ultimately forgiven after both publicly and privately bearing their sins. Abigail from The Crucible, Chillingworth from The Scarlet Letter, and Dorian from The Picture of Dorian Gray choose to reject their opportunities to obtain absolution, which only results in their downfall. It is evident that once absolution is sought through both public and private acknowledgment, it is surely found.

All three works share a common message of upholding values in which one must carry out in the process of obtaining absolution through public and private means. In The Crucible, Proctor is depicted as a sinner, living faithfully in search of forgiveness. This is evident when he says, “Do that which is good, and no harm shall come to thee” (Miller 95). He remains faithful to the truth and ultimately receives forgiveness. Likewise, in The Scarlet Letter, one is encouraged to be honest: “Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred” (Hawthorne 231). The Picture of Dorian Gray also reveals that honesty is of great value. This importance is revealed when observing Basil’s urgent plea to Dorian to repent and ask God for forgiveness. One can come to the understanding that remaining faithful to the truth is essential to grappling with sin publicly and privately; for if one is not truthful to both God and the public, redemption cannot be found.

Proctor begins his search for amnesty by admitting his sin to his wife. Despite Proctor’s best efforts in abiding by the truth, he is met with Elizabeth’s unwillingness to warmly accept his faults. An emotional detachment is formed between Proctor and Elizabeth, which only pushes Proctor toward other means of acquiring redemption. He looks to the people. Proctor was aware that failing to confess would hinder him from obtaining his desired forgiveness, while also allowing Abigail to continue to cause chaos within the town. In hopes of receiving forgiveness and putting an end to Abigail’s treacherous deeds, Proctor contritely confesses his sin to the people. Unfortunately, the people were unable to offer his desperately sought after redemption. Proctor upholds his values and tarnishes his name in hopes of obtaining absolution; however, he is unjustly condemned to death. Proctor loses patience and becomes infuriated at the fact that he still does not feel absolved of his sin so he continues to seek forgiveness elsewhere.

Proctor’s misguided search comes to an end when he discovers with whom his answers truly lie. As Proctor’s search for forgiveness proceeds, Elizabeth plays a large role in his atonement. Elizabeth helps Proctor come to the understanding that she is unable to give redemption: “I cannot judge you, John, I cannot” (Miller 138). She reinforces the mentality that God is the only judge. Furthermore, Proctor sees Rebecca’s disappointment when he is about to sign the false confession. Through Proctor’s constant demand for answers, for the first time, he sees God as an option: “Then who will judge me? Suddenly clasping his hands: God in Heaven who is John Proctor, what is John Proctor?” (138). Proctor does indeed seek forgiveness from others, but comes to the understanding that God must also be involved.

Dimmesdale has a similar means of grappling with his sin. At first, Dimmesdale deals with his sin privately. He is seen as an important figure in the church and is deeply revered by the townspeople and fellow ministers. If Dimmesdale were to publicly bear his sin, the church would go awry and possibly fall apart causing great chaos within the town. Aware of this, Dimmesdale is forced to grapple with his sin privately, which only results in his personal torment: “Fast…in order to purify the body and render it the fitter medium of celestial illumination, but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him, as an act of penance” (Hawthorne 132). He had also been tormented by Chillingworth during this time, but was unaware of it. After Dimmesdale realized, he was grateful for his self-torture and Chillingworth’s torment because he believed them to be a part of his soon to come redemption.
Dimmesdale felt unsatisfied by the fact that he did not feel completely absolved. The Bible states that, “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Dimmesdale chooses to publicly confess his sin after grappling with it privately, which finally releases him from the burden of his sin. He acknowledges that bearing his sin privately and also bringing it to the people were essential to freeing himself in order to die peacefully. Nonetheless, there were those who did not take this route.

Chillingworth took the role as Dimmesdale’s physician only to do evil and poison him with medication that solely kept Dimmesdale alive for more suffering. Chillingworth was aware of the horrid sin he was committing; however, that did not hinder him from leeching onto Dimmesdale. Instead of searching for repentance, Chillingworth continued to punish and seek vengeance. Dimmesdale becomes Chillingworth’s purpose to live, but soon loses this purpose after Dimmesdale’s death: “All his strength and energy—all his vital and intellectual force—seemed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shriveled away” (Hawthorne 232). Chillingworth’s physical appearance altered drastically and leads to his death because he could no longer depend on Dimmesdale. He fails to confess and passes away blanketed with sin. Through Chillingworth’s refusal to grapple with his sin, it is assumed that he is faced with the fate of eternal life in Hell.

Dorian had a childlike innocence to his nature that would soon be corrupted, forcing him to result in committing sins. His optimistic view of the world was inspiring and he was not interested in questioning things around him. Upon Lord Henry’s arrival into Dorian’s life, Dorian changed drastically. He influenced Dorian’s every thought; however, Dorian’s naïveté was questionable. It was unclear whether Dorian was indeed genuinely innocent or if he was purposely willing to be influenced. Dorian’s innocence is indistinct because Sibyl was also able to influence Dorian when he tells Lord Henry that, “When I am with her, I regret all that you have taught me... I am changed, and the mere touch of Sibyl Vane’s hand makes me forget you and all your wrong, fascinating, poisonous, delightful theories” (Wilde 82). It can be assumed that instead of being under Lord Henry’s influence, he feels as though Sibyl has a different affect on him. Regardless of his influence, Dorian had the ability to choose between good and evil but failed.

Basil, a painter and close acquaintance of Dorian, paints a portrait of Dorian representing youth and beauty as the secret of life. Lord Henry convinced Dorian that his youth and beauty should be cherished because it can slip away quickly; however, the painting captured his current beauty, which would be ever-present. Dorian claimed that the painting had “taught him to love his own soul” (95). However, one can certainly question if the portrait truly encouraged him to love his soul or rather served as an escape.

Dorian discovers that his portrait would bear his sins, while he remained young. His portrait revealed lines of age and was now “the visible emblem of [his] conscience” (96). The portrait was aging, showing Dorian his wrongdoing. One can suppose that the painting would encourage Dorian to do good; however, it becomes a physical representation of sin so he chooses to place it in his attic where no one can see it. Instead of utilizing the picture as a means of self-improvement, he uses it as an escape from having to bear the shame of his sin. Due to the fact that Dorian’s portrait held the “lines of his mouth, [and] the droop of his eyelids” (153), he did not have to grapple with his sins. In doing so, Dorian never sought redemption and his rotting soul became unable to be salvaged.

Dorian, like Chillingworth, can be considered to act as a parasite. As years passed by, Dorian evolved into a maniacal human being. Although Dorian hid the painting, he is dependent on it. Indeed Dorian hides his portrait from the outside world and becomes paranoid to the idea that his servant may have seen it; however, Dorian chose to look at it extremely often. As long as the portrait existed, so would his rotting soul, along with his urge to do harm and destruction. He can also be seen as a parasite by how his friends were affected by his change. Dorian’s friends were drained of their goodness and success when meeting with Dorian. He begins to bring struggle and sorrow to whomever he is around. This is evident when Basil asks Dorian, “Why is your friendship so fatal to young men? …They have gone down into the depths. You led them there; and yet you can smile as you are smiling now” (155). Following all of his wrongdoing Dorian is faced with the opportunity to repent and gain absolution; however he believed that, “it [was] too late” (162).

Basil Hallward certainly did not believe it was too late for redemption. In fact, he searches for redemption by coming to terms with his sin and confessing to Dorian: “I worshiped you too much. I am punished for it. You worshiped yourself too much. We are both punished” (162). Basil’s adoration and high regard for Dorian came to the extreme where it became sinful. Basil attempted to encourage Dorian to also ask for absolution by praying and pleading for God’s forgiveness. Dorian refuses to and actually responds to Basil’s act of compassion by murdering Basil. However, through Basil’s pleas of forgiveness, Basil was able to obtain absolution before his untimely death.
Abigail is also faced with the opportunity to repent for her sins but chooses not to. From the beginning of the play, Abigail lied which only led to more lies. She refused to seek forgiveness and simply continued to lie. Proctor gave her a chance to confess and gain absolution from their shared sin when he confessed in the court, but she chose to continue her deceiving behavior. Instead of Abigail releasing herself from her sinful standing by confessing her wrongdoing, she compounds her sin, which resulted in an undesirable end. Abigail ignored her sin and had to suffer an earthly fate of being a harridan, implying that her eternal fate was eternal life in Hell.

Unlike Abigail, Hester had no option but to reveal her sin. Hester was impregnated and could not conceal such an obvious state; therefore she was forced to publicly bear her sin because Pearl, her daughter, was a result of it. In addition to that, Hester was to wear the scarlet letter “A” on her chest, symbolizing the sin of adultery. She had to face the ridicule and hatred of the townspeople, which only grew worse as the people glared at this symbol of shame. Although she had to endure emotional pain, Hester partly believed that bearing the sin on her chest in the form of a scarlet “A”, was her means of obtaining absolution: “The torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul, and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saint-like” (Hawthorne 74). Dimmesdale tells Hester that she is fortunate to wear the scarlet letter on her chest for all to see (173) and later encourages her to seek redemption from God: “The sin here so awfully revealed!—let these alone be in thy thoughts… God knows; and He is merciful!” (229). Hester ultimately obtains her absolution through suffering in the public eye, but also through seeking God’s mercy.

Though everyone commits sin, God gives us the opportunity to be absolved. Proctor sought forgiveness from the townspeople and was unsuccessful until coming to the understanding that God plays an important role in redemption, thus allowing him to pass away absolved of sin. Both Dimmesdale and Basil demonstrate patience in their relationship between themselves and God, and themselves and the public, ultimately acknowledging that both components were crucial for their redemption. Likewise, Hester must publicly bear her sin with shame and humiliation, but in the end, she is assured that God is involved with her ultimate forgiveness. It is assumed that they are all given a heavenly reward through their search for forgiveness, unlike those who refused to repent.

The fact that God forgives all sinners should have motivated Chillingworth, Dorian and Abigail to repent; however, they chose to ignore their sins. Chillingworth died with malcontent because he could no longer leech on Dimmesdale in search of vengeance. It is obvious that if Dorian had kept his previous belief that, “When we blame ourselves we feel that no one else has the right to blame us. It is confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution” (100) and applied it to all aspects of his life, forgiveness would have been obtained. Abigail also had a chance to be absolved but instead, like all of the characters that refused to seek exoneration, is forced to suffer an eternal fate in the fires of Hell.

From observing those who sought amnesty, one can conclude that when finding contentment with earthly lives by both publicly and privately bearing ones sin, their eternal lives are in Heaven. Therefore, the initial sin is not important; what is important is how one deals with the sin. If we humble ourselves and confess our sins before God and others, salvation is inevitable. “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Act 13:38).




Work Cited

BibleGateway. 26 February 2009.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam Dell, 2003.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Group, 1973.
Wilde, Oscar. The Picture of Dorian Gray. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 2003.