The goal of this assignment is for you to develop a more robust understanding of the deep connections that often exist between history and literature. Your goal is to draw meaningful connections between the pre-Civil War period in the United States and The Scarlet Letter. To do so, you will craft a thesis-based analytical essay that explores thematic ideas that inform your understanding of the novel and the time period in which it was written. For the project, we will dedicate a full cycle of class periods in both English and history to research, plan and construct the essay.
Prompts:
How does your understanding of The Scarlet Letter help you come to a deeper understanding of its historical context?
How does an understanding of the novel’s historical context deepen your understanding of The Scarlet Letter?
Need help? Schedule a time with Ms. Matlack through calendly, or send an email!
Topics to explore
Roles of Women
It is clear that the narrator considers the women of his era to be quite different from those of Hester Prynne’s. What was the role of women in the 1840s and 1850s? How much had their freedoms/rights/perceptions shifted in those 200 years? How much had they remained the same? How does Hester (or Pearl) fit into these changes?
Challenging norms
The novel identifies several people and groups who were otherized by Puritan society (Native Americans, Quakers, Hester herself, Pearl, Mistress Hibbins, etc.). At the time of Hawthorne’s writing, many groups and individuals continued to be marginalized by American society. For your essay, consider either society’s treatment of a marginalized group or individual OR how a marginalized group or individual responded to their ostracism in an effort to shift or reform society.
Transcendentalism
Hawthorne was friends with many leaders in the movement [see, for example, his brief discussion of Emerson and Thoreau in “The Custom-House” (23)]. Consider how these beliefs influenced the events of the novel. For example:
The role of nature
Man’s relationship with religion/God
Romanticism (as a response to the Age of Enlightenment)
The individual’s role in (or against) society
The role of science and medicine
Databases
Books
The Scarlet Letter: A Reading by In order to find the best information for your individual research, use the following tips when searching in databases or online:
1. Start with a broad search. Use general terms to find articles to help with background information. As you gather information, find topics or terms that stand out to you and then...
2. Narrow your search. Add limiters to your search, such as specific, subjects, dates, names, etc. This is where Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), Advanced Searching (both in library databases and online search engines), and "controlled vocabulary" are particularly useful.
3. Skim your results. Read abstracts, look for headings and key terms, and quickly read over passages. Depending on your topic, you may get a lot of results. You don't have to read all of them word-for-word, nor should you just pick the top few results. Get an idea of what the articles are about before you decide which to use or pass on.
Use the following criteria to evaluate any sources you find during your research. Depending on your topic and assignment, some areas may be more important than others. Use your best judgment when deciding what you'd like to include in your research.
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
Authority: The source of the information.
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.
Purpose: The reason the information exists.
