Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist known for his twisted romance novels. Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. Hawthorn lost his father at a young age which left his mother a little distant. He attended courses at Bowdoin College which inspired him to read, and had exposed him to classic literature. Hawthorne took interest in the romantic movement occurring at the time, more specifically the dark romance genre that was popular at the time. He used the popular genre as a way to help support his family, as he had financial issues. His ancestors were subjected to the strict Puritan lifestyle that was common in places such as Salem and Boston at the time. However, Hawthorn grew up to despise the Puritan lifestyle, and his ancestors, especially his great-great grandfather who was a judge at the Salem witch trials. He had carried the guilt that he had been given from his ancestors, and portrayed it in his novels and short stories. When given the opportunity, Hawthorne would always show his discontent with the Puritan lifestyle by painting Puritans in a bad light. The Scarlet Letter discuses sin. Hawthorne projects his perception of sin in a Puritan society for everyone to see the Puritans the way he does: as strict and unfeeling beings that are hypocritical.
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne dedicates a full chapter before mentioning the characters to the town prison, and more importantly the rose bush. Hawthorne mentions that “…among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison (55)”. Hawthorne is saying that before anything else was to be built in this new land, first must come a cemetery and a prison. Hawthorne includes this information to show that the settlers of the Boston area know for a fact that there will be sin, hence the prison, and that death typically follows sin, hence the cemetery. It’s as if the settlers are waiting for a crime to be committed, and that they have doubts about not only this new life, but also the other settlers as well. The wild rose bush growing next to the entrance to the prison is perhaps the greatest use of symbolism and irony throughout The Scarlet Letter. In regards to the sinners that walk in and out of the prison, the rose bush is a symbol representing that “…Nature could pity and be kind to him (Hawthorne 56).” This symbol doesn’t mean much until the next few lines where Hawthorne offers to pluck a rose and present it to the reader. This is suppose to be “relief to the dark tale of human sorrow (Hodges, “The Letter of the Law: Reading Hawthorne and the Law of Adultery.”).” The rose is suppose to help the reader understand that even though Hester and Dimmesdale seemingly didn’t have a happy ending, there is still the relief that they are free.
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The second chapter of The Scarlet Letter opens up with the congregation of the towns people, all in curiosity of what is to come. Hawthorne writes that “…a penalty which, in our days, would infer a degree of mocking infamy and ridicule, might then be invested with almost as stern a dignity as the punishment of death itself. (59)” Hawthorne is implying here that in his present day, there is a variation of punishments, each suitable for the sin. However, at the time sin was sin, there was little change in the repercussions. The towns people encourage this system, even though none of them were clean of sin themselves. Hawthorne clear distaste for the Puritan people, especially the women, is clear in the events leading up to the trial of Hester Prynne, who is being accused of Adultery. Hawthorne describes the women as more intrigued in the public trails and punishments. Hawthorne described the citation as “…any sense of impropriety restrained the wearers of petticoat and farthingale from stepping forth into the public ways, and wedging their not unsubstantial persons, if occasion were, into the throng nearest to the scaffold at an execution. (59).” Hawthorne portrays the women as eager to accuse someone of sin and have them executed for it. After Hester Prynne was convicted of Adultery she was sentenced to wear a scarlet letter “A” on her chest for the rest of her life, a punishment the women didn’t find suitable. They thought that it was merciful, and Hester should have been branded with the “A” on her forehead. This is Hawthorne’s way of showing the readers how the true Puritans acted like. Hawthorne wrote about these cruel women to project his views of them.
Hester’s daughter, Pearl, was the product of Adultery.
The Predatory Nature Of Human Existence
Written by John Steinbeck in the year 1937, Of Mice And Men illustrates the harrowing, heartfelt, and somewhat controversial tale of George Milton and Lennie Smalls, two migrant workers, as they attempt to navigate the complex societal struggles faced by ranch workers during the Great Depression. The novel has, since its time of publishment, become quite notorious for both positive and negative cognitions, but one point for which no argument can surround is that of Of Mice And Men’s memorability. It is without a doubt that Of Mice And Men purveys many messages throughout its 187 pages, but arguably the most pervasive is the cynical lesson on the nature of human existence. From the way in which the characters interact with one another to the symbolism of the water snake, John Steinbeck informs readers of the predatory nature of human existence present throughout society.
Almost immediately after the commencement of the novella, it is made evident to both characters and readers alike that human existence is built on the premise of predatory instinct. Upon settling into the bunkhouse, George and Lennie are introduced to the somewhat infamous individual that is Curley. Curley proves to be a hostile and disagreeable figure, specifically towards Lennie. “’Well…tell you what. Curley’s alike a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. He’s alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like he’s mad at ’em because he ain’t a big guy. You seen little guys like that, ain’t you? Always scrappy?’” (pg. 26). As seen in the previous quote, Curley’s aversion is the result of misplaced insecurity. Curley has forever been considered a “little guy,” and his constant need to prove himself through physical aggression is the consequence of his feelings of inadequacy. By constantly fighting, and quite frequently defeating, the “big guys,” Curley is attempting to make up for his lack of height, only confirming the belief that the most visible of strengths, that used to oppress others, is in of itself born of weakness. It is almost as if the men are not ranch workers, but animals in the wild, having to prove their worth through the volatile oppression of others. To successfully exist within the society of the ranch, the men, as well as Curley’s wife, resort to the degradation of their fellow associates to uphold their own statuses, only furthering the theme of predatory nature within human existence.
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Much like in the prior paragraph, the belief that strength is born of weakness, an idea correlating to the overarching theme of man’s predatory nature, emerges, once more as a result of man versus man conflict. Throughout chapter four, readers observe the budding interconnection between Crooks, the black stable hand, and Lennie, the mentally disabled figure around which most of the story circulates. The following is an excerpt from the conversation held between the two characters. “’Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black, They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me.’ … ‘I said s’pose George went into town tonight and you never heard of him no more.’ Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory. ‘Just s’pose that,’ he repeated. … Hundreds of them [men]. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ’em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn one of ’em ever gets it.” (pgs. 68, 71, & 74). As made obvious through the previous quote, the oppression of others is the immediate result of weakness and insecurity. Crooks is rendered helpless by his isolation, and yet, he feels the need to destroy Lennie, an individual that is quite obviously weaker than he. Shortly after declaring his own dissimilarity from the other men, he feels it necessary to intimidate Lennie, as if to prove that he is superior to Lennie. Within the society of the ranch workers, one is neither predator nor prey, but a combination of the two. In many cases, Crooks is the prey of the others; however, when given a chance, he opts for the role of predator. Due to the lack of intimate connection between the men on the ranch, most are subjected to the predator-prey relationship they know so well. These connections only amplifying the ever recurring theme of the predatory nature of human existence.
Not only is the theme expressed through conflict between characters, but it is also made evident through the imagery and symbolism of the water snake. After the accidental homicide of Curley’s wife, Lennie returns to the predetermined location decided upon by him and George at the start of their journey. Here, Steinbeck depicts much of the natural splendor revealed to readers during the opening pages of the book. The images of the Gabilan mountains, rosy hilltops, and shaded pool suggest somewhat of a natural paradise, much like that of the Garden of Eden. “A water snake glided smoothly up the pool, twisting its periscope head from sided to side; and it swam the length of the pool and came to the legs of a motionless heron that stood in the shallows. A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically.” (pg. 99). With the inclusion of this excerpt, all remnants of the paradise that once was is lost. The presence of the snake recalls to the story of Eden, in which evil is expressed through the form of a serpent. Steinbeck’s masterful use of symbolism employs the snake and heron as representations of the predatory nature of society, as well as indicators of Lennie’s imminent death. In addition, the struggle between the water snake and the heron depict the way in which some individuals are simply better suited for survival. The heron was forced to prey upon its weaker counterpart, much like the individuals on the ranch do with one another. The constant need to oppress another can be seen within this particular quote, only exacerbating the apparency of the predatory existence of humans within society.
Be it through conflict between characters or the symbolism of an animal, the predation of others as a trait of human existence is made excruciatingly clear throughout John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice And Men. As seen in many scenarios, the need for oppression and other predatory mannerisms is the immediate result of weakness and insecurity, only furthering the idea that human existence is built on the premise of predatory behavior. John Steinbeck, although possibly unintentionally, leaves readers deliberating and considering the many complex and engaging ideas found throughout his captivating novella, Of Mice And Men.
