Emotions play a huge role in our lives. They control how we go about our day and feel toward loved ones. They influence our morals and ethics; they govern our worlds. How we feel dictates our outlook on the world. When one is sad and lonely, society, to him or her, is no longer sympathetic; life is hopeless and empty. “Like thunderclouds, in the distance they look black, over our heads scarcely gray,” says famous German Romantic writer Jean Paul. In addition, our emotions control our physical appearances, portraying, to the world, how we feel inside. For example, Arthur Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter looked “thin and white-cheeked” (183) when he felt guilty for his lustful sin. In fact, The Scarlet Letter clearly portrays how the emotions of its characters influence their perspectives and appearances, which is similarly represented in our lives today. The famous saying “actions speak louder than words” is true because our emotions are shown through our physical appearances. Our appearances allow emotions to be expressed. Arthur Dimmesdale is a very significant character regarding emotions and his appearance. His feelings seem to resonate when he acts and talks. His sermons, especially, portray his passion and excitement. According to the townspeople’s united testimony, “never had man spoken so wise, so high, and so holy a spirit…nor had inspiration ever breathed mortal lips more evidently” (203). In our world today, when someone is happy, they look
Dr. Sacks also describes Dr.P’s lack of emotions and ability to recognize emotions throughout the text. When Dr. Sacks turned on the television, Dr. P failed to recognize a famous actress and Dr. Sacks writes, “what was more striking was that he failed to identify the expressions on her face or her partner’s.” (Sacks, 12). This detailed description of what Dr. P is experiencing helps the reader understand his position. (Change)
William James believes that our emotions are caused by bodily reactions in which then promotes the mental feeling of the emotion. For example, James says that we feel sad because we cry, rather than we crying because we feel said (65). Too, James states that we are not born to be afraid, sad or anything, but as life progresses, humans and animals eventually discover these feelings toward a particular situation or object (68). It also occurs that even if a person does not express their emotion externally, their body tends to act in a way regardless of how the person expresses their emotions externally. An example of this is what James says when an individual is depressed, “the flexors tend to prevail” (69). Of course, In William James’ time,
Although different emotions sprout different response, Smith argues that people’s cannot go beyond their own selves and therefore use personal conceptions to judge others’ sentiments of joy or grief. Smith states that although we can sympathy with others’ emotion, we cannot truly go beyond our own personal experience and preconception because “it is by the imagination only that we can for any conception of what he suffers” (1). Therefore, although one may sympathy with others’ feelings, people are always limited to their “own person.” Smith explores “there are some passions of which the expressions excite no sort of sympathy” (2) because it may depend on people personal perception or preconceptions. For instance, Smith argues that “the furious
Our emotions in many cases affect our perception of events as well as the actions that we take ourselves by permeating our way of thinking, and therefore affecting each thing that we do in that moment. In particular, emotions about the perception of ourselves have been shown to have both the ability to positively and negatively affect our actions and performances in life. This is what can be
The author hesitates to let emotions speak for themselves without an example or hard evidence to upkeep the credibility behind his teachings. Concluding a story concerning his experience with a friend with Alzheimer’s disease, Roth writes “For me it remains a strong reminder of how once we understand we give everything in our life its meaning, we can begin to control what happens to us and even convert our own adversity into a gift to ourselves and our loved ones” (24). The entire story of his friend and the family’s struggle through Alzheimer’s displays sentiment, but Roth appears to end it unexpectedly with logic. Nevertheless, Roth is not heartless and references emotion numerous times in this chapter. This influences the reader, they find attraction to the idea of being happy. A sociology researcher, Katherine Walker wrote an article: Sociology of Emotions. She states in her overview “Emotions are of sociological interest because they are a primary human motivation, they help in rational decision making”. The Achievement Habit appeals to emotions while Roth urges individuals to improve their lives.
Why is sin important? It is believed that sin is important to people because their deity places guilt on their wrongdoings to show that those actions are not to be repeated. In contrary to this belief, there are people with religious views that hold no importance with sin. Depending on the individual’s religious views, sin can be a conflict between oneself and a “higher” being or it can not affect the individual at all. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Dimmesdale is an ordained Puritan priest that had committed a grave sin in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He had committed adultery with a married woman, Hester, the woman that is married to Roger Chillingworth. After Chillingworth has heard about this news, he seeks
Imagine your inner soul trying to rip out of your body all tell people of all of your sins. Also, imagine your sin is floating around letting you see others sin. Finally, you are a product of sin, your life is full of evil, and torture. Until your sin is revealed by your unknown father. These events happened to the character in Nathaniel Hawthorns The Scarlett Letter. Their sin affects the way that these characters live. The Nature of sin can bring the worst and best out of people. Whether it is hidden or know, the sin can bring good and bad things to the people who have sinned. Dimmsdale’s sin was locked inside him, as he ended up breaking down and decoding sick, and then died after revealing his sin. Hester’s sin was know and she
The children In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter play a major role in the Puritan society. With their honest opinions of Hester and Pearl, the children are presented as more perceptive and more honest than adults. Due to their innocence, children are capable of expressing themselves without constraints; there are no laws or regulations that they are bounded by. As an adolescent go through the stages of life and grow older, they begin to be more conscious of the how they act as they are more aware of society and the things that are occurring in the world, creating a filter for their actions. When they remain as the children, on the other hand, are adventurous; they are still exploring the universe that seems to fill with mysteries that are bound to be solved. They tend to attach to the truth and they are not afraid to speak it freely. Children differ from adults in their potential for expressing these perceptions. With their obliviousness to the things that are actually going on around the town, children therefore react differently compared to the adults, who are more knowledgeable. Perceived to be immature, young children are presented as more perceptive and more honest than adults due to their innocence, how they are unaware of the reality and the crimes that are presented in society by the adults enables them to be blithe and not afraid of saying what they feel like. Due to their naivety, when they express what they perceive to be true, they do not get punished,
Nathaniel Hawthorne was quite progressive for his time and his novel, The Scarlet Letter, is a wonderful example of this. Before he married his wife, Sophia Peabody, Hawthorne joined Brook Farm, a transcendentalist group (Nathaniel Hawthorne). According to Merriam Webster, transcendentalism is, “a philosophy that emphasizes the a priori conditions of knowledge and experience or the unknowable character of ultimate reality or that emphasizes the transcendent as the fundamental reality” (“Transcendentalism”). Put simply, transcendentalists thought that intuition and knowledge of ourselves is more a more important reality than the scientific, sensual reality. As a group, these people held very progressive views on women’s rights, education,
The clockwork of Nature does not stop for any Man. In the classic novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Arthur Dimmesdale conceals an abominable truth. Avoiding subjugation to the conservative Puritan's Society rule, the reverend feigned obliviousness all the while Hester, the person he committed adultery with, fearlessly bared her shame upon her bosom. The society held Dimmesdale to a higher standard; as a result, their influences hindered his ability to take responsibility for his actions. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne manipulates complementary diction, parallel juxtapositions, guilt-ridden indirect characterizations, and enlightening dialogues to interpret how the society symbolized the prison bars cemented by incarceration, cannot bring to naught the natural order of humanity.
In the “Scarlet Letter” written by Nathaniel Hawthorne symbolism plays a major role, especially the letter “A”. The letter “A” or the Scarlet Letter directly stands for adultery, which is committed by the main character, Hester, and the priest, Mr. Dimmesdale. The letter “A” though has a deeper meaning than just adultery because it is a symbol of sin and embarrassment, or at least is meant too. Although the letter “A” is meant to be a symbol of embarrassment it develops throughout the story and transforms into a symbol of normality and understanding.
Hypocrisy is not only prevalent in present day but is also shown during the age of the Puritans. The Puritans may have given the impression of having lived a righteous and holy pure life, but in the end, they all fall victims to sin because of human nature and free will. The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne does an outstanding job of portraying the Puritans and their many struggles within their religious beliefs throughout their community. The society in which these main characters, Hester Prynne, Rodger Chillingworth who is Hester’s husband, and the minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, all live within the tight-knit of the Puritan community. Hester Prynne commits an act in which she is publicly embarrassed for and is forced to wear
In Nathaniel Hawthorne 's book The Scarlet Letter he exhibits how committing sin can entirely consume a person through the three characters Chillingworth, Dimmesdale, and Hester and how they change from the sin.
Life in general consists of such a magnificent variety of creatures known and unknown to the world, it is impossible to understand them all. The life of these organisms does not only exist for the continuation of their species, but also for the enjoyment of life. Nevertheless, they all balance their own desires and responsibilities within their mundane lives. Yet, In the human experience pleasing one’s self is the main objective in many lives. The thought of money overwhelms the thoughts of many. Similarly, today when students try to choose a future career, many weigh the salary of that specific occupation much more than their true desire for happiness. In 1929, the Great Depression devastated the American economy due to the recent technology
The Scarlet Letter (Figure 1) painted by Hugues Merle in 1861 depicts the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, an adulteress forced to wear the letter “A” upon her bosom forever, becomes an outcast from the community with her daughter, Pearl. Merle was often known for painting scenes of mothers and children. He illustrates the scene of Hester and Pearl sitting in the town square as part of her punishment. The townspeople walk by, pointing fingers and making shrewd remarks. Merle’s painting, his biography, and other renditions of the novel and painting will be later discussed.