What does the Custom House represent in The Scarlet Letter?
The nameless narrator, who shares quite a few traits with the book’s author, takes a post as the “chief executive officer,” or surveyor, of the Salem Custom House. (“Customs” are the taxes paid on foreign imports into a country; a “customhouse” is the building where these taxes are paid.)
What is the primary purpose of the Custom House introduction?
Terms in this set (89) What is the primary purpose for the Custom House introduction? Was to give the reader a better understanding of the poeple living in the custom house and their way of lviing.
How does the narrator feel about the Custom House?
He wants more out of life than the other people around him do. So, by telling her story, we can expect he too is experiencing a kind of catharsis through storytelling. The narrator fears that remaining in his job at the Custom House for any length of time would affect his long-term cognitive well-being negatively.
Why do you think we read parts of the Custom House before starting The Scarlet Letter?
However, in order to experience the dramatic and literary contrast between the old and the new (new, meaning 19th century standards versus those of the 17th century where the novel is set) “The Custom House” is quite recommended to be read.
What is the tone of the Custom House?
Tone: Note the frequent use of humor in “The Custom House.” Much of it is created via sarcasm, irony, and litotes. One might even argue that a lot of this introduction rises to the level of satire—intended to alert readers to the problems, and perhaps inspire them to work for change.
Why does the narrator lose his job in the Custom House?
Why does the narrator lose his job in the customhouse? He is incompetent. He spends too much time writing when he should be working. The other inspectors dislike him personally.
What is the significance of the Custom House?
‘The Custom House’ seems to be an effort to persuade the reader to regard The Scarlet Letter as truth rather than fiction. The narrator tells us he got the story of The Scarlet Letter from documents he found in the old surveyor’s office.
What is one of the ways Hawthorne uses satire in the Custom House?
In it Hawthorne does refer to real people, places, and events in Salem, and he also uses this first chapter to introduce the fictional Hester Prynne who wears the scarlet letter that the narrator finds in the Custom House attic. …
Why was Hawthorne fired from the Custom House?
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804, in a small house three blocks from the Custom House. With the change in administration from the Democratic to the Whig Party in 1848, however, Hawthorne lost his job after a painful and prolonged fight to continue as Surveyor.
How was the old inspector killed in the scarlet letter?
As far as I can tell, the most tragic event of the old man’s life was a mishap with a certain goose, which lived and died twenty or forty years ago. The bird looked quite delicious but turned out to be so tough that the carving knife couldn’t cut it, and it had to be tackled with an axe and a saw.
What is a summary of the Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a romance set in seventeenth century Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony. It takes place during the years 1642 to 1649, and tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who has a daughter from an affair. Being pregnant and without a husband, Hester draws much attention in…
Who is Hawthorne in the Scarlet Letter?
Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of “The Scarlet Letter,” was an American novelist. In this novel, he wrote about a woman named Hester Prynne, the protagonist, who struggled through so many things in her life because of adultery. Hawthorne created a story that views the character of Hester as a strong female.
What is the introduction of the Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter Introduction The Scarlet Letter is a classic tale of sin, punishment, and revenge. It was written in 1850 by the famous American author Nathaniel Hawthorne . It documents the lives of three tragic characters, each of whom suffer greatly because of his or her sins.