American Literature (F)

In the work of fiction The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the author said that this war story is not about war, it is about love and memory. This is true because if his story is only about war, the story would be incomplete and would make us feel disconnected. After the layers of storytelling, love is mixed into the war story, making it a love story.

When people are telling a story, they tend to add their own emotion and interpretation into the story, which Tim O’Brien describes as story truth. The story of Curt Lemon’s death was told multiple times. In the different versions of the story, the emotion that has been conveyed is different. One of them deals with Rat Kiley’s guilt. He was playing catch with Curt Lemon, and they were “laughing, and then [Curt Lemon] was dead.”(O’Brien 74) From this line, the reader can already predict what Rat Kiley’s feeling was. He loved Curt Lemon, they were good friends, but then Curt Lemon dead. However, What Rat Kiley did was now what the reader is likely to expect —- He tortured a baby buffalo, which made this story more dramatic, and the reader would be like the old woman that questions the story being a love story. It is natural for a writer mixes in emotion and you feel the story has become a love story. Another similar instance is after Kiowa was “under the mud and water, folded in with the war, and [the Alpha Company’s] only thought was to find him and dig him out and then move on to someplace dry and warm.” (O’Brien 155) When other people died, Azar often jokes about them; however, he shut up this time. This shows the importance of Kiowa for them. Kiowa was a figure that was full of love, and the men in Alpha Company loved him. He was like a lubricant for the conflict between the men. The Alpha Company’s action of digging him up no matter what truly reflects their love toward Kiowa, which also shows that love is an important aspect of a war story, therefore, cannot be omitted.  

Some of the stories in the The Things They Carried are started because of love. Love is a important piece in everyone’s life. Under the circumstance of war, love is extremely important. Love gives the soldiers comfort and a sense of hope and home. Henry Dobbins warps his girlfriend’s pantyhose around his neck every time before he goes onto ambush. “He liked putting his nose into the nylon and breathing in the scent of his girlfriend’s body; he liked the memories this inspired; he sometimes slept with the stockings up against his face, the way an infant sleeps with a flannel blanket, secure and peaceful.” (O’Brien 111) His girlfriend’s pantyhose, which represents his love toward his girlfriend comforts him and gives him a reason to survive the war and come back home and back to his memories. Although her girlfriend left him, “the magic doesn’t go away.”(O’Brien 112).

Love is not only a component of a war story, the reason for a love story and a war story to exist is also the same. Talking or writing about memories is therapeutic. Love stories and war stories make dead people alive and they act as a outlet for pressure. When Tim O’Brien received Norman Bowker’s letter, “it occurred to [O’Brien] that the act of writing had led me through a swirl of memories that might otherwise have ended in paralysis or worse.” (O’Brien 152) Norman Bowker wasn’t able to tell his story which led him to hang himself. Tim O’Brien has realized the magic of storytelling since he was Timmy. He started dreaming about the story, and that story was a love story. His first love, Linda, died suddenly, much like what happens to people in war. Tim O’Brien has realized that by telling the love story, he was able to save all the memories and make dead people alive again in his stories. “[Tim O’Brien ]realize it is as Tim trying to save Timmy’s life with a story.”(O’Brien 233) He saw the similarities between love stories and war stories and made The Things They Carried a love story.

The elements making a love story is similar to those making a war story which is guilt, death, memory, and many more components. Love stories and war stories are functionally and structurally similar, which is the reason for Tim O’Brien to say his story is a love story.

I was 15 years old. On the day I was waiting for the plane to America, I carried a silver hard plastic suitcase that my mom bought me. It was about 25 inches by 20 inches by 10 inches. It weighed about 45 pounds. Inside the suitcase, there was a dictionary, an umbrella, toothbrush, toothpaste, several pieces of clothing, and some gifts for teachers. The suitcase felt incredible heavy on that day, definitely more than 45 pounds. I carried the suitcase through the lobby. Thousands of people also carried suitcase similar to mine. They rushed from counter to security check without paying attention to each other and the world around them.

I carried my suitcase to the counter and managed to lift it onto the scale. I handed over my passport and received the boarding pass that my dad paid for. “￥6399,” I thought. Then I saw my suitcase move away by a belt with a mechanical sound. Somehow I was still feeling the weight of my suitcase. “They should know how to not lose my suitcase,” I told myself.

I carried my boarding pass in my pocket. The boarding pass is made of a piece of hard glossy paper with two perforations, one for boarding the plane one for myself. I put my hands in my pocket carefully so that I could make sure it did not fall out of my pocket or tore accidentally. This was my first time to travel alone. I walked on the long glass walkway leading me to the security check of the PEK airport. The steel beams that hold the futuristic glass ceiling was as tall as the sky. I felt extremely small walking alone. My heart was pounding heavily “will I get through the security? How about the customs?” I arrived at the security check before I even noticed.

I carried a black backpack, Inside there was my I-20 and a Dell XPS13 laptop that my mom gave me on my 14th birthday. I still remember every detail when I got that gift — my excitement, the smell of new electronics, and a receipt of ￥8999. I waited for the line in front of me to disappear so I could be checked. I had to take the laptop out and put it gently on a tray. Then I had to walk through a gate and my body was searched by hand. I did not like that. It was like being searched by police as a suspect of a crime. Before I left the security check, I re-packed my laptop and carried the backpack on my shoulder and I walked toward the gate.

A vending machine caught my attention. There were instant noodles. I used the ￥5 that I have left to get myself a last treat of close-to-authentic Chinese food before I left. I carried the bowl to the hot water station. The bowl got heavier and warmer. I found myself a seat far away from anyone else and 5 minutes later it was done; such a common junk food tasted so unique and special this time. Loads of cheap MSG never taste so delicious for me. The soggy noodles felt chewy and the spicy oil soup that I usually do not drink was not disgusting anymore. After finishing the noddles and soup for the first time in my life, I threw the paper bowl into a trashcan and resumed walking to the gate.

I boarded the plane uneasily. A smell of gas that is distinctive to the Airbus A330 airliner raised by the engines was carried by air into the cabin after the Captain’s PA about the flight. We waited on the taxiway. Adults were talking, children were crying, and I was looking out of the window. I was thinking about what I carried: some clothes, a laptop, I-20, passport, my dream, the future of my family.

We reached the runway. The big bird carried 234 people — each of us carried memories of their own home — lifted into the sky.

The definition of the American Dream is “A set of ideas (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity, and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers.” Which, in practice, is often misunderstood as possession of a fortune. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, rich people around the narrator, Nick, are the people who misunderstand the American Dream, and Nick watches them and criticizes their versions the “American Dream”.

The rich people in the novel do not care about treating other people equally. As the American Dream implies, if people only focus on gaining money for themselves, how is it possible for other people to also obtain the same amount of money? This novel criticizes this interpretation of the American Dream because this is not sustainable. Nick observes several crashes caused by this interpretation of the American Dream, which includes when sees the valley of ashes, “where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-gray men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (Fitzgerald 23). Ashes from industrialization are compared to wheat that is growing into everywhere. Poor people are falling apart because society is moving forward so fast that the careless rich people forget that there are millions of poor people that are still suffering.  At the same time, rich people like Gatsby or Tom are probably having a party or playing polo. This description of poor people is a perfect representation of the oppressive nature of capitalism. A more specific example is Mr. Wilson. He is a regular hard working man that only lives for his family; however, Tom takes that away. When Tom was in Wilson’s garage “[Mr. Wilson’s] voice faded off and Tom glanced impatiently around the garage. Then I heard footsteps on stairs, and in a moment the thickish figure of a woman blocked out the light from the office door” (Fitzgerald 25). Mr. Wilson is the owner of his garage, but in this scene, Tom invades Mr. Wilson’s life for his own interest, he talks to Mr. Wilson in a way as he is the owner of the garage. Then he takes Myrtle away under Mr. Wilson’s eye; however, Mr. Wilson does not dare to say anything because he is of a lower social class. Tom’s careless creating shows he also always want more than he has, and this has led to Myrtle. After this, Tom makes Gatsby become the scapegoat. Resulting in the death of both Gatsby and Mr. Wilson. This ending really demonstrates nick’s opinion of Tom and Daisy — “They were careless people, they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald 179). In contrast to the idea of building a better world that is advocated in the American Dream, their way of doing things really do not represent the upward social mobility that is mentioned in the American Dream.

Gatsby was a self-motivated person, and this could have made him become a representation fo the American Dream, but he has drifted farther and farther away from his initial motivation toward money. Gatsby’s father, Mr. Gatz, shows a list of young Gatsby’s plan. Mr. Gatz also commented “Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He has always had some resolves like this or something. Do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind? He was always great for that” (Fitzgerald 173). His father’s words clearly show that Gatsby had a dream of being a better person for himself; however, this all changed when he met Daisy. When Gatsby had to leave Daisy “[Daisy] vanished into her rich house, into her rich, full life, leaving Gatsby – nothing. He felt married to her, that was all” (Fitzgerald 149). Gatsby loves Daisy so much that he felt married to her, but he had nothing to win her. As a result of this truth, from that point on, he knows he needs money to get Daisy. Daisy becomes his motivation and Gatsby wants her so much that he does not care if his money is illegal or not. “‘Her voice is full of money,’ [Gatsby] said suddenly” (Fitzgerald 110). In Gatsby’s heart, Daisy becomes the symbol of money. Then as time moves on, his main motivation becomes money itself.

Nick, on the other hand, is a completely different kind of person. He is careful, he watches, he is genuine and hardworking. When Nick says he “inclined to reserve [his] judgment” (Fitzgerald 1). He means a completely different thing. This novel is from Nick’s point of view. The entire book is about his judgment. He says “ Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn” (Fitzgerald 2). Which shows that he dislikes Gatsby’s way of living, which is rich, full of parties, and a big house Rather than doing something good for society, he just uses his money to win the woman he loves, which is his entire motivation and this is clearly on the opposite side of the American Dream in theory. And he describes Daisy and Tom as “careless people who smash things up” (Fitzgerald 179). His critic of the people around him clearly shows that he is a different type of person from the others. He works hard to earn a simple life. Although he dislikes the other people, he still tries to be friend with them, which shows his genuineness. In the end, “[Nick] became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes – a fresh, green breast of the new world. Its vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house, had once pandered in whispers to the last and greatest of all human dreams.” (Fitzgerald 180). He has gone back to the root of this society that has been built on the golden money and blue loneliness and sees the true motivation of all of these, which is a green desire of being better than before, the true American Dream.

The Great Gatsby reflects the broken Ameican Dream in practice from different points of view. Nick understands that the root of the Ameican Dream is not based on money, so he chooses to be a quiet observer of the careless people in this novel, and criticize them.

There was no one on the senior path that day. One the path, a mixture of snow and sands were created by wind. In the morning the sky was filled with gloomy clouds, snowflakes as big as feathers fell from the sky onto the ground. On the side, the lights were already covered with snow, looks so bright to me in contrast with the brown sand, dark green trees, and the grey sky. And in the air, there was snow, lifted up from the field by the strong wing and threw into the sky.

Every time I huddled in my bed when there was a snow day. Every activity outside were too extreme for me to enjoy.

At least the view was something that completely different from the rest of the time. On the trees, snow accumulated and turned dusty green to a fresh and clean white. After a while, the entire world was purely white, simply white, minimalistic white, glossy or matt white.

By 12 o’clock nobody has been outside, an unusual scene like the snow itself. The deeply embedded footprints on the previous snow have been erased. On the sky, the clouds are moving further and further apart, create an opening for the sun to shine through.

The reflection of the sunlight from the snow becomes brighter. Active people come out to enjoy the better version of nature. They put on their shoes and skis and skates; riding on snowboards and sleds and their feet and the smile of their face become bigger and bigger.

Suddenly an intense wind comes, as strong as a tornado. People suddenly stopped as time paused, the atmosphere is filled with silence, only the wind yells louder and louder. Then one skier started moving, everyone resumes. The real winter has begun.

In today’s generation, kids forget what the American dream once stood for. In the long journey of mankind in the United States of America, every living being had their own way of living, and one can say, own American dream. After reading the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, readers find themselves in the midst of wonder: What is the American dream? And as one may summarize it: American Dream is being the best you could be. It’s about finding peace, happiness, and highest possible aspiration for an individual. But as time went by, people changed their motivation from being with their loved ones to being selfish and successful alone and one can argue that the reason for Gatsby’s downfall was his misinterpretation of what he thought was American dream. Even though Nick and Gatsby both were running towards success and happiness, Gatsby found himself in a puddle of loneliness while reaching his goal and ended up giving all of himself to the person he thought was his everything.

Since the beginning of time, the American Dream stood for what one may say: happiness. As time went by, the dream changed into different things acting accordingly to ones selfish needs. Jay Gatsby is a perfect example of the newer version of the American Dream as Gatsby puts everything he ever had from the beginning till the very last end to achieve the goal he dreamed about; the goal was certainly neither success, nor better life, but Daisy. In a party Gatsby asks Jordan to initiate a favor from Nick towards him, “He wants to know,’ Jordan continued, ‘if you’ll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over’” (Fitzgerald 78). Gatsby gave all of his adult life in finding his lost love Daisy and for that he threw tremendous amounts of parties just so Daisy would come once; Gatsby bought the house so Daisy could just be across the bay; Gatsby certainly gave all of himself just to get the thing that he once had; Gatsby misinterpreted the notion of achieving ones greatest aspiration with the desire of getting everything you ever wanted.

Jay Gatsby made his focal point of life to become the richest person alive and coming from a poor family background, no one would deny Gatz’s intentions. Starting off with a mindset of being better in future, Gatsby showed the determination and will that the American Dream initiates in every individual. After his tragic death, Gatsby’s father recalls Gatsby’s teenage years and describes Gatsby’s personality, “Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something. Do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind? He was always great for that” (Fitzgerald 172). The initial motive for Gatsby is often seen in today’s world, especially within the working community. For the youth, working hard is what gets you success and indeed a better life than the ones they live in now. But unlike everyone else, Gatsby’s motive shifted from being better to getting everything he lacked in his life, especially love. When Gatsby pushes Daisy to confess her real truth, Daisy says, “Oh, you want too much!’ She cried to Gatsby. ‘I love you now– isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.’ She began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once– but i loved you too’”(Fitzgerald 132). Gatsby who wanted more than what he deserved ended up getting nothing. Even when he had Daisy he wanted all of her. Moreover, Gatsby in the end not just wanted Daisy but the reputation of being the best; better than Tom and everyone Daisy ever was with. This mindset of him diverted him from his goal and dreams and effectively got him into having nothing.

Gatsby was a lonely character who didn’t know what he truly wanted from his life. His want for love was acceptable as the American Dream itself talks about happiness and love. But because Nick saw what the greed for something can make a person do, he found himself in the comfort and joy with his family and friends. Nick even though, started off to become successful realized, it’s not being successful what the American Dream talks about, but being happy. In the end of the novel, Nick realises what life truly means and says: “That’s my Middle West– not the wheat or the prairies or the lost Swede towns, but the thrilling returning trains of my youth, and the street lamps and sleigh bells in my frosty dark and the shadow of holly wreaths thrown by lighted windows on the snow…. A little complacent from growing up in the Carraway house in a city where dwellings are still called through decades by a family’s name” (Fitzgerald 176). Nick’s summer revolved around Gatsby and after Gatsby’s death Nick realised that East was never his and West was where he belonged. After everything that happened with Gatsby, Nick striked the sense of how lonely Gatsby was and how his efforts to achieving the green light, which in the novel was Daisy was the only goal for Gatsby. Even during his funeral, he had no one showed up but just Nick, Gatsby’s father and a couple of servants. But even after Gatsby was long gone, Gatsby’s experiences knocked some sense into Nick about how important family was and success is not the only thing that matters. What actually matters is your family, friends, and love they give and that is the true definition for the American Dream.

When I was a baby, I thought my home was the entire world. This world contained me, my mom, my dad, and my sixty-years-old grandma. I thought my home was where I eat my rice congee with ground beef. I thought my home was where I crawl under the storage bed and pretend it was my house. I thought my home was where the heater clicks in the winter and the fans buzzing in summer. I thought my home was where my mom would sing to me before bed “Wa la la la la la la~ Rainy day, you can see it’s not just my day.” and dad would sing to me in his old Honda “I love you, loving you, as the mouse love the rice.” I thought my home was where I could have such a simple sweet time.

Until one day, I went to school.

Since then, my teacher taught me that my home was the country, and I believed so. I thought my home was where I contribute to a community and get something in return someday in the future. I thought my home was where I got scared when my parents found out my 60 out of 100 scores test, was where I got proud when I showed my 100 percent assignment to them. I thought my home was where I could get changed and buy popcorn or crisp noodles after school. I thought my home was where I helped with chores and get my mom’s praise in return. I thought my home was where I could have such a simple joy.

Until one day, I went to the countryside for summer.

I cried because I had to leave my home and live with only my grandparents for a month. A few days later, I found the joy of this new part of my home. I thought this home was where I could play with firework all day. Sending little rockets into the water like a torpedo, digging holes with firecrackers. I thought this home was where I could play in the mountain for an entire day, whether fishing or riding a bicycle, then go back to have my dinner after I see smokes from chimneys. I thought this home was where people watch those fat screen television under the yellow and dim filament light bulb hanging on a wire from the ceiling. I thought this home was where I could go to bed when it’s only 8 and wake up at 5 when the rooster crow. I thought this home was where it rained for days and nights for a week and ruined all of my firecrackers. I thought my home can always be this natural and wild.

Until one day. I left all of these, I went into an entirely new world, as a stranger.

I thought, there was no home, there was only self. I thought humans were always alone, all these people, were so far from my reach. I thought, there was no home, there was only an infinity amount of knowledge left for me to explore. Working like a bot, walking around like a zombie. I thought there was no home, there was only loneliness. My bed lay under my bed, my face rolled up on the side of my tears, my phone screen hit my finger, the internet browsed me, and sleep fell into my brain. I thought there was no home, no self. I thought I was consumed by all the unknown of my life.

Until one day…

We always talk about someone our something is moral or not, but have we ever wondered what morality really is? There is clearly no true definition of morality. However, through different literature and events through varies of time in history, the moral standards are always set by and benefit the people in power and utilized by and favor who are manipulative. People always fear new things and act for their own interest. This is still very true for modern America. We are as immoral as the Puritans.

Back to the Puritan times, the Bible was the standard of morality. Who followed the Bible is good, of course; this includes clergy. Anyone that has done things that are not in the Bible is evil. When the Conoly was built “The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it 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” (Hawthrone 1). People, especially those in power were always suspecting other people back then, people at the same time also needed authority. Therefore, they built a place to punish people before they do anything else. Later in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester, a woman with no power was punished, forced to separate from society; although she tried with her hard work and good nature, she still felt that she was separated from the society and couldn;t run away from the guilt so she would say to her self  “What evil thing is on hand?” (Hawthrone 23). However, Dimmesdale, who also committed adultery, was able to hide everything from people before he died because he was a person in power.

This standard of morality not only hurt women but also men. Proctor In The Crucible by Authur Miller was a victim of this immorality. Proctor always went to the church and even built the ceiling of the church, but he was suspected only because he did not like Parris and his wife was sick. Abigail was an orphan, but she was able to succeed in the end because she was such an actor. Using witchcraft to scare the authorities, and therefore; utilizing the authorities power is a true talent. She played the loophole of the standard of morality so well. Why did authority matter so much? “Perhaps the needs of justice and the necessity for sustaining the authority of the court have not always been coincident and because there will always be those who defend the latter, believing that by doing so they sustain the possibility of the former. Perhaps because there are those of who believes authority is all of a piece and that challenge it anywhere is to threaten it everywhere.” (Bigsby viii). Relying on authority and therefore being controlled by the authority and people who manipulating authority is an immoral nature of the society.

This is still true in modern time. People in power always take those who are not in their tradition as threatens. Communism, in theory, even in practice if Lenin was in power for longer and Stalin and Mao did not exist, has never been a bad thing, nor something that needs to be feared, nor analogous to fascism. However, the capitalist’s side always thinks that it is threatening. They “have been enslaved by the demons of words, creating Atlantic Charters and waiting for a magical realization of their noble ideals,” while others “have succumbed to the magic of Karl Marx, which transforms the real world into a Garden of Eden.” (Plain Dealer 8). Utilizing this fear of communism, Joseph McCarthy was able to harm so many people just like Abigail. The red scare is the second Salem Witch Trail of the 1950s, which directly caused Authur Millar to write The Crucible. To this point, America was still as immoral as the Puritans, and this madness still does not end.

In the 21st century, people still fear the unknown, and they use false arguments to justify and convince people. Trump and his follower are afraid of differences; one example they suspect all Muslims as terrorists. In 2016, many people were unable to get into the United States because of their race and religion; however, because people can get information much faster than before, some people become easier to manipulate. Trump and his followers used false arguments such as “Mexican people took our jobs.”, or “Asian students are spies.” to convince those people to act for their advantages, which is essentially the same or a more modern version of the so-called “morality” of the Puritans era.

We as human tends to act for our own interests, act immoral, and then set up rules that favor us and call these rules moral. Then people in power and those who follow them try anything they can to convince people, to manipulate people that are different and they fear. Most of us have absolutely no understanding and care about differences. We have unchangeable immorality planted in our society.

Work Cited

Bigsby, Christopher Introduction of The Crucible. Penguin Books, 2016.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. 1850.

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: a Play in Four Acts. Penguin Books, 2016.

Plain Dealer, 22 Jan. 1945, p. 8. NewsBank,

“infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=EANX-K12&docref=image/v2:122AFBBA107AC9E4@EANX-K12-126DF4765C4AFB9F@2431478-1268B07CE743DFA2@7-126E32D1993325EA.”  Accessed 17 Dec. 2018.

Pearl is a gift and a curse. This statement perfectly describes Pearl’s role in Hester’s life in the novel The Scarlet letter by Hawthorne. Pearl is definitely a gift for Hester. She supported Hester when Hester first wore the Scarlet Letter. She was Hester’s only company, so Hester interpreted Pearl as a gift; however, Pearl is more of a curse than a gift for Hester because Pearl always acts against Hester, she indicates bad things, and if Pearl doesn’t exist at the first place, Hester’s life would be less dramatic.

Pearl is a curse because she seems to have a nature of afflicting her mother with the letter. The reason for this might be that Pearl, like the letter, is a consequence of Hester’s sin. Pearl is a child of devil; she was born to revenge Hester for her sin. When Pearl was playing by the sea while her mother was trying to stop Chillingworth’s revenge, “Pearl took some eelgrass and imitated on her bosom, as best she could, the decoration that she was so used to seeing on her mother’s. A letter—the letter A—but green instead of scarlet” (Hawthorne 75). She did this to catch her mother’s attention so that she could ask about the letter; however, her mother never told her about this. Why? It is easy to assume that although Hester has used to the letter, she still wanted to be free from the letter, she did not want Pearl to bring this up. We can also see this when Hester was finally able to discard the Letter, but this caused Pearl to refuse to come back to Hester when she decided to leave. Pearl exposed her wild side of her characteristics. Her resistance embarrassed Hester, she was, “startled at her mother’s threats, any more than mollified by her entreaties, now suddenly burst into a fit of passion, gesticulating violently and throwing her small figure into the most extravagant contortions” (Hawthorne 94). She might not have the intention to hurt her mother, but she forced her mother to put the letter on again. It’s not hard to tell from this statement of the narrator that Hester was destroyed by this action of Pearl. “As if there were a withering spell in the sad letter, her beauty, the warmth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a gray shadow seemed to fall across her.” (Hawthorne 95). Pearl retriggered the spell in the letter. Her mother had to live in gray shadow again. Pearl peeled the scab on Hester’s heart again and again. She was a true curse for Hester.

Pearl also destroyed Hester’s life by indicating bad events, as if she is the bad thing itself.  Every world that Pearl said has consequences; her words could always be implied, which was unusual for a small child. When Hester and Pearl were passing by Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, “the child laughed aloud, and shouted,— ‘Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother, or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!’”(Hawthorne 50). Pearl indicated that the Black Man, which was the devil would catch Hester and has caught Dimmsdale already. Later during the procession, Mistress Hibbins said the Black Man worked for her and Dimmesdale’ sin would get exposed publicly, and this happened. Dimmesdale was dead in the end. Hester and Dimmesdale’s plan of starting a new life was not going to come true; her hope was diminished. From another perspective, this event also supported that pearl is a devil’s child, who was born to catch Hester and people around her.

Some might argue that Pearl also saved Hester; however, only on the surface. When Hester and Pearl finished their visit to the town’s governors, Mistress Hibbins asked Hester to come to witches party. Hester refused because she had to take care of Pearl. The narrator stated that “Even thus early had the child saved her from Satan’s snare”(Hawthorne 40). Yes, this is very true because Pearl existed, but what if Pearl was not born? All of the stories, good or bad, would not happen. Hester might have the chance of living a peaceful life, without the gift and curse, curse more than a gift, little Pearl, who was a representative of the devil, trying to drag Hester to the Hell all the time.

In brief, Pearl always acts against Hester, and act as a devil’s child to bring curses to Hester. Hester would have a peaceful life without Hester; However, Pearl is the only one to truly prosper in this novel, and the reason for this is what Pearl destroyed is the opposite of the main idea of this novel. She is a symbol of independence, so she has to act against the old ideas; to destroy what Hester wants. From Hester’s view, to counteract this negative force, Hester interprets Pearl as her little company, but Pearl is a destructing force in Hester’s life in nature.

The bell rang four times. I woke up suddenly on a Saturday morning for no reason. Staring at the unfamiliar ceiling quietly, I led my thoughts to fly wherever they wanted to, something I do a lot. My thoughts usually land somewhere a little bit sad. “I am kind of aspire to the ceiling. It appears to me unfamiliarly although I have been under it for a week. I have no way to know its past.” I thought naively, “It’s like a piece of paper that has never been written on. I wish I can also erase my past, just like the ceiling.”

I felt a mix of anxiety and disparaging filling my heart lightly. I was about to realize something that I would never want to admit. I grabbed my phone and browsed randomly, what I always do as a relief when I feel lost. Hum Hum, my phone vibrated, the only sound in the silent world around me. This inconspicuous buzzing sound connects me to a colorful world with people that do not know the things that I want to forget. I was also like the vibrating sound in the silent darkness, always doing things that I am supposed to do in my own world.

The Bell rang once, breaking the silent world, it’s four-thirty. I hugged on my blanket, which was the only warm and soft thing that could possibly comfort me down in the room that I can get my hands on, yet the storm in my heart did not want to die away. I always wonder why do I keep thinking so much? Why can’t I just forget everything in the past and live a peaceful life like a plant, or the ceiling? Why do I always want to run away from people? Something must be not quite right. I knew. I always know it, I just couldn’t get it, or I only didn’t want to admit it, but why? What’s the purpose of torturing myself by thinking too much? Things exist for a reason.

I felt my pillow was damped with a “ta” sound made by some liquid. My nose congested. Why can’t I just be strong and face everything whether good or bad, past or future like everyone else? Do I really need to forget everything? Can I really do that? I am a human being. Unlike a ceiling. I am a person because I make connections with other people. If I erase everything and stay away from people, do I still remain myself? Do I really gain happiness or I actually lose everything, like a ceiling, unfamiliar to anyone standing or sitting or lying underneath it? Time only goes forward. A person can never erase their past. They only run away from it and leave their footprints. I have to live with my past and shape my future.

And the bell rang five. My heart was peaceful again.

“Puritans were united in their dependence upon the Bible as their supreme source of spiritual sustenance and guide for the reformation of life.” (qtd. in Cosby 298) Based on this definition of a Puritan by Kelly Kapic and Randall Gleason, readers gather that the Puritans were a group of people who used the Bible as their law. For the Puritans, the Bible dictated what was right or wrong; it was their guidance for restoration in their faith.  Two texts that exemplify the high moral standard in the Puritan society is represented by The Scarlet Letter by Hawthorne and The Crucible by Miller. However, Americans today lack this type of theocricial moral guidance. The Puritan government was a theocracy and ruled in the name of God, whereas America today is a democracy, which has a law system that determines right from wrong, but these laws don’t dictate what moral rights are. As such, Americans today are less moral than the Puritans because they don’t adhere morally to the Bible as their law. Also, during Puritan times people sought redemption after their acts of sin to be righteous again whereas Americans today will hide their sins as much as they can.  

In Puritan times, knowing the Ten Commandments was seen as a test to figure out if one had sinned in their life. Elizabeth Proctor in the play The Crucible, is described to have eagerly without hesitation say when asked to recite the Ten Commandments, “I surely do. There be no mark of blame upon my life, Mr. Hale. I am a covenanted Christian women” (Miller 66). Elizabeth’s confidence in knowing the Ten Commandments shows just how important theocracy and the value of morality being the law of the land was to the Puritans. Breaking these laws set by God tarnished one’s reputation, their trustworthiness, and significance in society. John Proctor from The Crucible reputation in his town is stained when he confesses to have committed adultery. Moral goodness is shown through John Proctor wanting to redeem himself in the eyes of God even if his reputation would be destroyed. In today’s society, we have elected people like Donald Trump as our president who has been accused of having affairs and sexual misconduct with porn stars. In August, Trump’s longtime lawyer “Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight federal crimes, including making illegal contributions to the Trump campaign on the same day he facilitated a $130,000 payment to the porn star to keep her from speaking about the affair.” (Higgins and Breuninger, Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen pleads guilty, admits to making illegal payments at direction of candidate to influence election, CNBC)

Yet, Trump was still elected America’s president. This speaks to American morals on how those who have done multiple immoral acts are seen as still fit to lead.

John Proctor’s guidance from the Bible to seek redemption for his sin contrasts to the American law system “innocent until proven guilty”. In the article Peace, Love and Puritanism by: David D. Hall, he talks about how the Americans believed the publication of law would encourage reconciliation and restitution, when the rule of law actually became “deeply problematic: more a matter of entitlement than obligation to the whole. Everywhere, we see power abused, the common good scanted.” (Hall 2). Americans absence of moral guidance has created this faulty law system. Philosopher Richard Garlikov talks about how the law system has inadequate laws which leads to immoral consequences: “For example, laws concerning evidence and procedure in courtrooms often lead to acquittals of obviously guilty defendants, and sometimes to convictions or continuing sentences and punishment of known or likely innocent ones.” (Garlikov, Morality and Law) This immoral law system of the United States doesn’t influence Americans to be moral and righteous, it does the complete opposite. Scandals from priests in the Catholic Churches are coming to light about sexual abuse thirty years ago. The abusers were priests who should have been preaching God’s moral ruling, but they were committing  horrendous crimes. Instead of coming clean about what they had done and asking for forgiveness from God, the church leaders sympathized with the abusers and felt that they could cover the abuse up, hiding it from the public. Priests’ immorality in American society speaks to how Americans care less about redeeming the sins they have committed, and more about being able to cover it up and not being convicted, unlike Puritans whose souls anguish about breaking their moral law that they live by. In the Scarlet Letter, a tale set in Puritan times and driven by Puritan ethics, Dimmesdale was a priest who committed a sin and felt so ashamed he whipped himself at night:

His inward trouble drove him to practices more in accordance with the old, corrupted faith of Rome than with the better light of the church in which he had been born and bred. In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge. Oftentimes, this Protestant and Puritan divine had plied it on his own shoulders, laughing bitterly at himself the while, and smiting so much the more pitilessly because of that bitter laugh. (Hawthorne 175).

The narrator exemplifies how breaking the law as a Puritan deteriorates a person mentally and physically because the act of being moral was everything. Dimmesdale seeked out confession even though his reputation as a priest would be ruined. In Dimmesdale’s last confession about his sin revived his soul and brought him to peace within himself.  The unselfish redemption Dimmesdale sought out is an example of the strong Puritan belief about fixing your wrongs. However, Americans nowadays do not hold themselves to this high standard and are less moral because they cover up their crimes and do not take ownership nor responsibility for their actions.

Puritans using the Bible as their law and following a theocracy, while also redeeming and publicly accepting their sin despite negative outcomes shows how Puritans are more moral than Americans today.

Works Cited

Cosby, Bill H. Toward a Definition of ‘Puritan’ and ‘Puritanism’: A Study in Puritan           bbbb  

         Historiography. biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/

         churchman/122-04_297.pdf. This is a pdf.

https://biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/churchman/

         122-04_297.pdf

Garlikov, Rick. “Morality and Law.” Garlikov,  www.garlikov.com/philosophy

         moralityandlaw.htm.

Hall, David D. “Peace, Love and Puritanism .” The New York Times, 23 Nov. 2010,   

         www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/opinion/

         24hall.html.

Higgins, Tucker, and Kevin Breuninger. “Ex-Trump Lawyer Cohen Admits to Illegal

         Payments at Direction of Candidate to

         Influence Election.” CNBC, CNBC, 21 Aug.

         2018, www.cnbc.com/2018/08/21/trumps-

         ex-lawyer-michael-cohen-strikes-plea-deal-

         nbc-ws.htm

Miller, Arthur. The Crucible: a Play in Four Acts. Penguin Books, 2016.

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Signet Classics, 2009.