Saturday, March 21, 2020

Symbols in Scarlet Letter essays

Symbols in Scarlet Letter essays In the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne used symbolism to show the importance of or the meaning of many things. It is demonstrated throughout the entirety of the novel. Henry James, a famous American novelist, said, ...there is, I think, too much. It is overdone at times, and becomes mechanical; it ceases to be impressive, and grazes triviality. One may feel as if Hawthorne did not overuse symbolism, but I agree with Jamess opinion. There are many cases in the novel that involve symbolism, which is overused. These cases include the letter A, Pearl, and the scaffold. The first major form of symbolism, and the most obvious, is the letter A, which appears in various places in the novel. The main example of the letter A is the scarlet letter, which is worn by Hester Prynne. The scarlet letter was the letter A, which was to be embroidered onto Hesters clothing. It symbolized Hesters sin, adultery. There are many instances that describe the A as it appears on Hesters dress. Hawthorne first describes it by saying, -was that SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. (p. 51) Another usage of the letter A that appears in the novel appears in chapter 12. While Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl were out at night, a meteor appears in the sky in the shape of an A. The reader may consider this to be symbolism because Hawthorne describes this instance by saying, We impute it, therefore, solely to the disease in his own eye and heart, that the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter,the letter A,marked out in lines of dull red light.(p. 143) In this case, the A may symbolize guilt that the minister may have, as well as symbolize sin. Lastly, another example of the A&apos...

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Self-Published is not a Dirty Word

Self-Published is not a Dirty Word Self-Published is not a Dirty Word Self-Published is not a Dirty Word By Maeve Maddox In the old days, publishing companies that catered to writers who were willing to pay to have their books printed were called Vanity Presses. Family historians aside, writers who paid to publish were assumed to have failed in selling their work to a real publisher because it wasnt good enough, but they were determined to see their words in print anyway; hence the word vanity. This perception has changed along with the publishing industry. Diversity suffered when the little houses were gobbled up by the big ones. Todays conglomerates are unwilling to buy a book unless they feel it will generate a huge readership. As a result, many books that would appeal to a significant number of readers are rejected because the house doesnt think theyll appeal to a large enough audience. William P. Youngs book is a case in point. Youngs novel The Shack has been on the NY Times best seller list since June. He wrote the book as a Christmas gift for his family. They passed it around and friends urged him to publish it. One of the friends, Brad Cummings, says that Christian publishers turned it down because it was too edgy, and secular publishers turned it down because it was too Jesus-y. The book didnt fit publishers guidelines, but it has certainly hit the spot with readers. Sales of The Shack have passed the million mark and show no sign of abating. Books that sell a million copies, no matter who publishes them, are rare. According to one estimate, a major publisher considers a book a success if it sells 20,000 copies, whereas a smaller publisher might be happy with sales of 7,500 copies. Writers who make the decision to self-publish need to know what theyre getting into. Theyll have to be managers and marketers as well as writers. Theyll have to watch out for publishing scams that prey on the inexperienced. Self-publishing isnt for everyone, but it is valid way to get your book into circulation. At the least, an energetic marketer can expect to cover expenses and earn a modest profit. And theres always the possibility that the book may grab the attention of a larger public. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"List of 50 Great Word Games for Kids and AdultsRite, Write, Right, Wright