When commenting about how he found the original manuscript of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne says, "It should be borne carefully in mind, that the main facts of that story are authorized and authenticated by the document of Mr. Surveyor Pue ... I have allowed myself, as to such points, nearly or altogether as much license as if the facts had been entirely of my own invention. What I contend for is the authenticity of the outline" (27).
Given this, what is the significance of the fact that The Scarlet Letter was not a completely original idea of Hawthorne's? How does Hawthorne add aspects of his own original thought and create an "autobiographical" work, like the authors he describes in the beginning of "The Custom House"? More importantly, how does this relate to the idea of tradition, and the fact that The Scarlet Letter was written literally from something created previously by someone else?
I think that the quotes that you have brought up are key in illuminating Hawthorne's personal struggle with tradition and how it effected his life specifically. We have talked a lot about the idea of tradition and how it effects society in general and especially in literature. In T.S. Eliot's "Tradition and the Individual Talent," Eliot describes the importance of tradition as well as the more important ability to escape tradition and create something truly original. He says, "this historical sense, which is a sense of the timeless as well as of the temporal and of the timeless and of the temporal together, is what makes a writer traditional"(Eliot 1). He expands on the importance of creating a balance between individuality and influences from tradition. Emerson states, "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion"(Emerson 438). Emerson stresses the importance of individualism and to "trust thyself"(438) in life as well as in literature.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that The Scarlet Letter was not a completely original idea of Hawthorne's is significant because it exemplifies the exact reasoning of Eliot and Emerson; to have the capability to exceed tradition and to find oneself and originality in everything that a man does. Hawthorne himself refers to his finding of the original manuscript of The Scarlet Letter and says, "It should be borne carefully in mind, that the main facts of that story are authorized and authenticated by the document of Mr. Surveyor Pue... I have allowed myself, as to such points, nearly or altogether as much license as if the facts had been entirely my own invention. What I contend for is the authenticity of the outline"(Hawthorne 27). In writing this, Hawthorne illuminates the exact concept of being inspired by something else, but taking those ideas and making them somehow original.
Hawthorne establishes this sense of originality by sculpting the characters of his novel in the most imaginative way possible. He refers to these characters as questioning him "What have you to do with us?"(28). In developing the scenes in which he would have his characters live, he took influences from things such as "the somewhat dim coal-fire" to produce an "essential...effect"(29).
All in all, there is much importance in the fact that Hawthorne's novel was not predominately based upon his creative thoughts alone, however, he is able to escape the bounds of tradition and of "imitation" by truly creating a setting and characters by which the Surveyor's story could be told originally.
I think this is an interesting question you pose, Emma. I wonder if, in a way- all authors base their ideas off some outside influence. When we examined society in Emerson's "Self Reliance," we concluded that some form of influence was inevitable when subjecting oneself to conformity. To survive in society, man must "command all light, all influence" (437).
ReplyDeleteWriters themselves make up an important part of society as their job is to examine it- whether in the woods like Thoreau, or facing the community like Emerson. Whether intentional or not, I believe writers provide their insight into society through their forms of literature.
This is where the "autobiographical" aspect comes into play of writing.
Through literature we can cleary see where an author stands in society- and Hawthorn clearly offers his own ideas into his work.
"The Custom House" is basically an extension of "The Scarlet Letter" in relation to his own life working in a Custom House. Here in this quote, "It is my belief, however, that, had I attempted a different order of composition, my faculties would not have been found so pointless and inefficacious. I might, for instance, have contented myself with writing out the narratives of a veteran shipmaster, one of the Inspectors, whom I should be most ungrateful not to mention; since scarcely a day passed that he did not stir me to laughter and admiration by his marvellous gifts as a story-teller" (48) Hawthorn clevery contrasts his own individual ideas with the influence of those around him.
He starts off asserting his own opinion with "I believe.." and goes on to say how he was tempted to write about "one of the Inspectors" who "stirred [him] to laughter and admirtation by his marvellous gifts of story telling" (48).
So when are our ideas clearly and plainly our own? Isnt everything in someway (even subconsciensly) effected by that "marvellous story teller" or that "moonlight and sunshine, and the glow of fire-light" (47).
Perhaps these outside influences arent a bad thing at all, as it inspires writers to write, and people to think...and helps to eventually form out own individual ideas.
I had nearly the same question as you Emma, so I would just like to bring up the point that Amanda also pointed out on my blog. She mentioned that in the footnotes, it notes that "There is no evidence that The Scarlet Letter or these papers ever existed outside Hawthorne's imagination" (27).
ReplyDeleteI think that this brings up an interesting question. If it might not be real, why would Hawthorn even mention this? Why make it seem so real, where there is a possibility that it isn't?
Personally I think that by creating doubt in what would otherwise be true, Hawthorne wants us to rexamine what is truth and what are facts. For example, it may be that he did not find, "several foolscap sheets, containing many particulars repecting hte life ad conversation of one Hester Prynne"(27); however, he did produce a piece of literature based around this idea. So out of something that may be true, Hawthorne creates a truth in his book.
Also, while I have not read The Scarlet Letter, I know that the ideas that Hawthorne will present are very real, despite the book being fictitional. I think that what I am trying to say is that Hawthorne wants us see that there can be truth in something the is fictional, or has the possibility of being untrue.
I would like to continue upon the idea that many comments above have discussed; that although this piece is not Hawthorne's original thinking, the mastery behind his setting, as well as his characters make The Scarlet Letter distinct.
ReplyDeleteExamining the language of Hawthorne's description of the Collector can negate any understanding that Hawthorne's writing was an imitation of something else. He described, "looking at the old warrior with affection...I could discern the main points of his portrait. It was marked by noble and heroic qualities..." and Hawthorne goes on to continue talking about the Collector's 'wake-up call' to live life passionately, which he did (19).
In passages such as these, there is a great deal of care in the word choice and formation of his characters. It seems not to matter if Hawthorne's idea was sparked by another; it would be wrong to critique him either way because most ideas (as Rebecca was saying) can be traced to be sparked from another person's thinking. Hawthorne's attention to detail and ability to create such human, 3-dimensional characters in his literature makes the idea that this was not soley his own thinking completely infinitesimal.
It is interesting that Emma said "An author becomes immersed in his writing, and adds aspects of himself and his thoughts into his works" (Sweet). If Hawthorne did not actually get the idea for The Scarlet Letter, then how is he at all immersed in his writing? He does this through his techniques of writing. He shapes his characters very creatively and he makes the story his own. "It should be borne carefully in mind, that the main facts of that story are authorized and authenticated" (27). So although The Scarlet Letter idea is not mainly his, he makes it his own.
ReplyDeleteOn Chelsea's question,
ReplyDeleteI agree that Hawthorne is making a connection between fiction and the truth. It's especially intersting becasue it seems like the narrator is almost playing with the readers minds a bit when he says the reader "must not doubt [his] word" (26). Yet, we have no proof his story is true and it is commonly doubted. It's almost like Yann Martel's Life of Pi, in the end you know both the huamn and animal stories but it doesnt really matter which one is true as long as you see the themes of sacrifice, faith, and survival.
The narrator's story helps emphasize the long and lasting traditions in Salem and how its customs are opposite of the transcendentalist beliefs. The custom house, for example, is a place where "all the scratchings of the pen are..worthless" (24).
This may come into the play in the scarlet letter.I have never read it, but I believe Hester has an affair when she believes her husband is lost at sea? Though she does not believe she is breaking her faith if he is dead, the customs of Puritan society label her as an adulteror (again i could be COMPLETLEY wrong because we havent started reading yet).
I think,perhaps, we can better answer this question on the inclusion of this essay after we read the book, but I think it will be interesting to see where it leads.
Also,Emma I am not sure there is a link to your blog on the wikispace? I went through Claire's blog to find yours, which may be why there is only five posts.
Hawthorne taking another person's idea is quite interesting to think about. Immediately it brings to mind our discussions in class from this week, it's as if Hawthorne is trying to find his own voice in another person's work. Which is quite the opposite of what the thinkers we have talked about would have wanted. It also brings to mind Robinson's account of trying to write about a place she doesn't know and failing due to lack of knowledge. With the lack of knowledge that comes from not being the original source of the idea, does Hawthorne lose perspective and insight on the situation. Keeping that in mind can an author write as honestly as he does on page 8 when he describes Salem if he is now looking at something originally in another writer's perspective? Finding individuality within other people's guidelines may not seem logical but it most situations it's necessary, like here, telling the story he found may cost him some insight but it's something worth telling.
ReplyDeleteGreat job, everyone! Amanda, I really like the point that Chelsea brought up about the footnotes, I actually had not noticed the footnote. Given this, what do you think is the purpose of writing "The Custom House"? Like we discussed in class, do you think that the narrator is Hawthorne, or a character created to mirror him? Perhaps "The Custom House" is a story mirroring his own thought process for The Scarlet Letter, or the situation he wanted his readers to think occurred. Finding an actual scarlet letter "A" gives the idea in the novel a more solid basis, rather than the reader believing that it was only a made-up idea. Or, in creating this situation, Hawthorne reflects on the idea of tradition in pretending that The Scarlet Letter wasn't an original idea.
ReplyDeleteIn response to my question, I liked what Molly and Claire said about Hawthorne's originality spurring from his characters. This is one of the things that most defines an original author: their capability to put part of themselves in their characters, just like Hawthorne did with his narrator, whether he meant it to be him or a character similar to him.