When I first started reading this book, I didn't read the introduction because I didn't think it was important. But, I went back after I finished reading the first half and read it again. The introduction is actually very important because it explains the narrator and why he is writing. I found a similarity between Hester and the narrator. The narrator, as evidenced by this quote, is influenced by society. According to society, writing books is of no use and does not "glorify God". Much like this, Hester is driven by society and their judgments of her. Hester is trying to find herself and who she is among all of the other trials in her life. Similarly, the narrator is trying to find who he is and his purpose for writing. The narrator longs to figure our his place in society. This explains to the reader what the motivation behind the story is and adds a bit of realism to the story as well.
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Scarlet Letter- Introductory
“A writer of story-books! What kind of a business in life,—what mode of glorifying God, or being serviceable to mankind in his day and generation,—may that be?" (page 6)
When I first started reading this book, I didn't read the introduction because I didn't think it was important. But, I went back after I finished reading the first half and read it again. The introduction is actually very important because it explains the narrator and why he is writing. I found a similarity between Hester and the narrator. The narrator, as evidenced by this quote, is influenced by society. According to society, writing books is of no use and does not "glorify God". Much like this, Hester is driven by society and their judgments of her. Hester is trying to find herself and who she is among all of the other trials in her life. Similarly, the narrator is trying to find who he is and his purpose for writing. The narrator longs to figure our his place in society. This explains to the reader what the motivation behind the story is and adds a bit of realism to the story as well.
When I first started reading this book, I didn't read the introduction because I didn't think it was important. But, I went back after I finished reading the first half and read it again. The introduction is actually very important because it explains the narrator and why he is writing. I found a similarity between Hester and the narrator. The narrator, as evidenced by this quote, is influenced by society. According to society, writing books is of no use and does not "glorify God". Much like this, Hester is driven by society and their judgments of her. Hester is trying to find herself and who she is among all of the other trials in her life. Similarly, the narrator is trying to find who he is and his purpose for writing. The narrator longs to figure our his place in society. This explains to the reader what the motivation behind the story is and adds a bit of realism to the story as well.
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I did not see this connection at first. He also conteplate the arrogence of the Custom House officials in the Inroduction. So, he is standing up to the leaders like Hester.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the narrator and Hester have some similarities. I think I noticed that too because the narrator did not sound very confident about his ability to embellish this tale that he came across during the introductioni. Hester is kind of the same way in that she is very self-conscious and the way society treats her leaves her with very little confidence to do things besides what she knows how to do well, which is sewing. The narrator is good at being an inspector, but he too does not feel he is cut out for writing.
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