The townspeople see this magnificent meteor forming the letter 'A' in the night sky, and they assign to it a mystical reading. Their governor has just died, and they perceive the meteor as a sign of his passing and ascension into heaven. For them, the 'A' signifies the governor's new angelic status.
- What is the significance of the meteor in The Scarlet Letter?
- What is the significance of the meteor event?
- What does the sexton say about the meteor?
- What does Dimmesdale believe he sees when the meteor lights up the night sky?
- What do meteors symbolize in literature?
- What does the letter A symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
- What does the letter A in the sky symbolize?
- What does the black man symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
- What does pearl symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
What is the significance of the meteor in The Scarlet Letter?
The Meteor As Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl in Chapter 12, a meteor traces out an “A” in the night sky. To Dimmesdale, the meteor implies that he should wear a mark of shame just as Hester does.
What is the significance of the meteor event?
What is the significance of the meteor event? It is an example of cosmic irony. Dimmesdale sees the meteoric A as confirmation that he should also wear a mark of shame while the rest of the town thinks it stands for Angel and marks Governor Winthrop's entry into Heaven.
What does the sexton say about the meteor?
The sexton then reveals another startling piece of information: he says that there has been report of a meteor falling last night in the shape of a letter “A.” The townspeople have interpreted it as having nothing to do with either Hester or Dimmesdale.
What does Dimmesdale believe he sees when the meteor lights up the night sky?
As Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl, a meteor passes overhead, and Dimmesdale believes he sees it spell out the letter “A”: “the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter.” At first it seems like Dimmesdale's vision of the letter stems from his …
What do meteors symbolize in literature?
Since ancient times, meteors have been interpreted as signs of future events, both for good and for evil.
What does the letter A symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
While the "A" initially symbolizes "adultery," later various people assign meanings such as "able" or "angel" to the letter, as the community's views of Hester change. For Governor Bellingham's servant, the letter signals Hester's upper-class ("aristocratic" or "authoritarian") status.
What does the letter A in the sky symbolize?
A great red letter in the sky,—the letter A, —which we interpret to stand for Angel.
What does the black man symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
In the Scarlet letter Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the Black Man to symbolize the devil and his messenger in the form of Roger Chillingworth who is the devil. The Black Man was important to this book because Hester's scarlet letter was left by the black man (The Devil).
What does pearl symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?
Pearl Prynne, the daughter of Hester Prynne, in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter can be considered the most symbolic character in the novel. Throughout the book, she is portrayed as a symbol of adultery, truth, and hope.