Friday, September 11, 2009

Question 3

In chapter 2, Hester thinks of her childhood home as she stands on the scaffold. What does this glimpse of her past suggest about her family background?

65 comments:

  1. I think that when Hester is going threw this hard moment in her life, and reflects back to her family and thinks of her loving parents, it shows that she was raised in a wholesome enviornment and had a good childhood.

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  2. Standing on the scaffold is a very embarrasing and shameful moment. So when Hester is thinking about her childhood it must remind her of happy times and thoughts. This can mean that she grew up in a loving and peaceful home. She must have had a close and caring childhood in order to be getting her through what she is feeling at that painful time in her life.

    jasmine perez 1hr

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  3. Hester thinks of her childhood because it helps her to overcome her fear and the worry when standing on the scaffold. Her childhood must of been full enjoyable memories, love, laughter, and compassion.

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  4. Hester thinking back to her past, happy memories is a way of dealing with what is currently happening to her. During that time on the scaffold, when everyone in the world seems to be against her, she thinks back to a time when love and compassion were still present and part of her life, and that helps her to get through this tough time.

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  5. I think that when Hester is looking back at her childhood(when now shes at such an embarrassing point in her life) it shows that she must have had a very happy family life if reminiscing back on her childhood memories made it a little more bearable to be up on the scaffold.

    Bethany Gander
    6th hour

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  6. When Hester is standing up in front of the entire town, she tries to recall happy times in her life so that it might take away some of the pain and embarrassment that she feels. Her childhood was probably one of the best times of her life.

    Kris Callahan, 1st Hour

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  7. Her childhood was that of innocence and happiness. Standing on the scaffold is the shameful, embarrassing, and harsh reality that Hester is trying to escape by referring back to these memories. That shows that her childhood was a good one, because it is something she longs for and wishes to go back to.

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  8. She sees everyone staring at her, and she hates it so she thinks of all the good times she had when she was a child. Wishing she could do it all over.

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  9. She had a good childhood. Her life was far better than its going at this point. For her, thinking of the past takes her away from her current situation. No matter how little it takes her away from it all it helps her when trying to cope.

    Katie Hays- first hour

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  10. As she's encountering what is probably the most embarrassing moment of her life, she recalls her childhood. She probably feels that not only was that the best time in her life, but she is most likely wishing for the innocence of childhood to come back to her. Things back then were simple. Now simple innocence in the one thing she wants most. At the same time, she's probably feeling that her childhood was cut short as she was married at a young age, forced to leave as a young bride, and branded as a sinner as a young mother.
    In conclusion, I don't think just one feeling could come from a passage as vague as that. Concerning the situation, she must have felt many emotions at once.
    Amanda Bursztynsky 1st hour

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  11. Hester is standing on the scaffold burning with embarrassment. During a time like that I would assume that someone would want to think of happy thoughts to get them through the situation. With that said, I believe that she had a very loving childhood. It must have been happy if it helped her get through one of the hardest times of her life.

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  12. The purpose in her standing on the scaffold is to embarrass her, so once she starts feeling this embarrassment she thinks back to old memories. That's when she realizes the life she had wasn't so bad and it helps her to manage the pain she is dealing with now. She made a mistake and is now dealing with the tough consequences that come with it. I think that all of the time she spent with her family in the past, has put an impact on the way she looks at things now.

    Brittany Hougas, 6th hr.

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  13. She's remembering a more innocent time where she didn't know about the harshness and corruption of the world.

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  14. She is in a terrible situation so she wants to think back to her childhood which I imagine was enjoyable..

    Who would want to think of something terrible WHILE something terrible is happening to you? Not many people.

    So, obviously her childhood was enjoyable.

    Richie Keith
    3rd hour

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  15. She was thinking of something happy during a not so happy situation, so we can assume that her childhood was one of relative happiness. Like Richie said, why think of something bad to distract yourself from the current fiasco. That's not going to help in the slightest.

    Sarah Walker
    3rd hour

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  16. By looking back on her childhood Hester was reminded of good times from the past. Instead of focusing on the present where she was being made an example for all to see. Her childhood must have filled her with good memories of happiness and joy because she was able to get through the hours she had to endure on the scaffold.

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  17. I think of this a different way. I think that her glimpse of her childhood was to have the readers understand where she has come from and to introduce her not as a complete sinner, but a good natured person who got caught up in a bad situation. She came from a good family with a good life and then got into a marriage she didn't have her heart in. I think the thoughts she shared with us as she was on the scaffold was to give us a deeper look into the better person she was.

    Megan Hambleton - 3rd Hour

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  18. I think it suggests that she had a very embarrassing childhood, so this monumental event triggered memories she isn't particularly fond of.

    ---Kyle Turner---
    6th Hour

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  19. she made a mistake, and now she can't change what she has done, she is probabaly realizing how great her life actually was as a child, her parents loved her, she was happy, and she sinned and brought this suffering upon herself. it happens to everyone... not the same sin, or in some cases, not even close, but sins are committed in every human being, and myself being a sinner realizes that i too look back and think about things like what she was thinking about. so i actually feel bad for her even though she was wrong.

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  20. This glimpse of Hester's past on the scaffold suggests that she had a good family and just an average, good childhood even though they didn't have a lot of money.

    Austin Martinovich -> 3rd hour

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  21. The glimpse reveals that the family might not have been well-off, or maybe were just very humble, but that they were respected, and had a place in the world. Also, like others have said, she wouldn't try to escape present agonies with past agonies, her childhood must have been a great time in her life.

    Jacob Nicholson :]
    3rd hr

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  22. I think that when she thought of the past she remember her parents and such and it revealed good memories to her. Hanging on to those memories is awesome for if she ever down she can bring herself up. What she went through in her present life isn't something she should forget but to learn off what she did and know the consenquences of it.

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  23. I think her past represents happiness, the best times in life that she has had. It shows that she wasn't always a disgrace to everyone, she was just a normal girl. Maybe she is wishing her life would go back to normal and showing us how normal her life use to be.

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  24. hmmm interesting thought. I believe that while the life she is living now is extremely rough, she still remebers her childhood. Her reasoning for this was because her child hood was filled with joyful experiences unlike her life now. So in a nut shell her life now is horrible the simple memories of her childhood would somehow help.

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  25. I agree with Jerrid and ksanders, Hester wants to get away from the moment when she's on the scaffold, and the best way for her to do that is to think of happier times. If she was in the moment on the scaffold she'd feel really embarrassed and shameful but she thinks of the happier times she can fend off the bad feelings with good ones

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  26. Obviously she is ashamed of what she is done so she recalls her childhood thinking of all the great memories she had. It was probably the happiest time of her life. I agree with Megan on this one because she got wrapped up in a bad situation but was brought up to be a good natured person. I think now if she could do it all over again she would.

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  27. I think that its just her minds way of dealing with all the stress. its also a great way for the author to give us some background on Hester.

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  28. Since Hester's childhood was good for her, she starts to remember all of the great things from the past to keep her from thinking about what is really going on.

    Bree Carlson
    6th hour

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  29. She is stressed out about what is going on at the moment so she is tying to find a way to get rid of some of the stress at least

    Billy Keene 3rd Hour

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  30. Hester wan't exactly born into a rich family, but into a very well known family. She thought of the good and the bad of her childhood. She was emotionally drained by this time and is dazing off to find an escape to her punishment.

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  31. the comment above is...
    Kourtney Vara 3rd Hour

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  32. I think the same thing as everyone else. Obviously you think of something happy when you are scared and that is the same thing Hester did. She thought of the happiest moments in her life which is her family.

    Carlee Lieser
    6th hr.

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  33. Hester is thinking of her childhood to numb herself of her current pain. It's like Mr. Andrew's says, "Put your mind in a better place, don't think about how much this hurts!" The fact that the first thing to come to mind is her childhood shows me that this was probably an enjoyable and memorable time for her.
    T.J. Draper 3rd hour

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  34. Like Jasmine said Hester must have had a good childhood bcause when she thought about her childhood it got her though the tough time she had hile standing in front of all the people while wearing the scarlet letter

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  35. This passage shows that Hester had a good childhood. She grew up with a loving family, and everything was good. She sinned, and now she has to live with the embarassment of it. Standing on the scaffold, she realized that she regrets what happened, wishing that somehow, things could go back to the way things were. Thinking of the good times made her realize that she wasn't a bad person.

    Saralyn Simpson
    3rd Hour

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  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  37. i agree that Hester had a pretty good childhood. Even though she is in a hard spot at the scaffold shs is still remembering her family, which shows she really loves them.

    taylor damyen
    6th hour

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  38. Since Hester is probably not in the place she wants to be up there on the scaffold being looked at as a piece of garbage, she put her mind in a better place. i think she chose her childhood because it must have been a better time in her life. probably because she wasn't knocked up at the time and being treated like she is now. by the way mrs billing i dont like doing this

    Ammazing 1st hour

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  39. Is it possible that she had a lot of shameful memories in her childhood? I think that it is very possible that this public ridicule he is experiencing on the scaffold is reminding her of painful memories of her childhood at first, and the she tries to focus on the positive rather than the negative. But is the author trying to tell us that she also had issues as a child?

    Drew Coveyou 3rd hour

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  40. She had a very strict childhood but she still liked it. Maybe one of the favorite times of her life. No troubles yet. She is innocent, still.

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  41. Like commic relief in a sad novel, Hester needed something better to think about other than the humiliation of standing on the scaffold.

    Tracy Pfeffer
    3rd hour

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  42. When she thinks about her childhood it reassures her that she is not a bad person and thinking about happier times was better than feeling sorry for herself.

    Lexi Poulakos - 6th hour

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  43. Hester was looking for a way to forget what was actually happening at the present and she did this by thinking of her past to help her get through the humiliation of her punishment.


    Corey Barnes- 3rd Hour

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  44. As she stands in front of everyone, and her memory flashes back to her childhood, it shows us how innocent and sinless she was. But now, reality comes and she realizes there is no going back.

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  45. Looking back at her past and at the good things that happened probably helped her through the bad situation that she is in now. It is tough for her, especially standing up on the scaffold. The flashbacks show that she wasn't always likely to do the bad things that she has done and is being punished for now. She had a good childhood and because of her sin, she changed a lot.

    Krystal Moe
    6th hour

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  46. She was brought up by a loyal and good-natured family. She was loved as a child and her family brought her happiness. She was an innocent child with no worries. SHe thinks of these things while she is facing a regretful and hard situation in her life right now and since she can't leave physically, she lets her mind leave her.

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  47. i agree with carly in the part of it helping her through being up on the scaffod. As a child she was respected, and had a great life. Her family was well known and respected. She was sinless.

    ...Daymion Haggard 3rd hour...

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  48. I think shes thinking of her happy past to take her mind off of everything thats happening around her. She always wants to remember the times that shes proud of, instead of leaving all her memories to focus on this one bad thing that has happened.

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  49. As she thinks back to her childhood she is ashamed and also regretful of the how her life has turned out. Children are innocent and her life is exactly the opposite today.

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  50. Her childhood must have been a much better time in her life. She is trying to reflect on the good things in her life because they are probably over now.

    Bryer Lehr
    3rd Hour

    ps- nice mr andrews reference tj

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  51. That she had a strict but loving family, who treated her right and well.

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  52. Hester thinks back to her childhood as a way to get herself through the embarrassment of standing on the scaffold. Thinking of fun and happy times she had with her caring family takes her mind of what's currently going on around her.

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  53. I think that when Hester is on the scaffold and thinks of her home it is because her home was a trying place to be at and felt that she was being judged by those who were supposed to be understanding of her.

    LoGaN rOiX-3rd hour

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  54. That her childhood was not the greatest. That maybe when she was yonger she always had people talking about her or looking at her. She may have felt embarrassed about her childhood.

    Kendra Brenbarger
    6th Hour.
    (:
    (:

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  55. I agree with many of the other people.

    Because she was going through such a humiliating time in her life she thought of her childhood to help her get through it.
    It reminds me of when I'm watching a scary movie and its really freaking me out. I try to think of something else that is happy to not think about the scary thing as much.

    Bri Groble, 3rd hour.

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  56. While standing on the scaffold, the childhood memories get her though what she is expeiencing at that moment. It shows that she had a great childhood.
    Ali Stevenson - 1st hour

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  57. I think that Lucy is right and when she is thinking of her childhood I think she is gonig back to a happier time and place for her and she is trying to block out what is going on around her right now.

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  58. Her upbringing was a happy and remembered time in her life that much is certain. But in situations of misery one must keep a cheerful mood to sheild from the time being. Im a cross country runner and during your runs you have aches and pains all over the place. But if you keep your mind elsewhere and dream of the times when you actually wanted to be there, youll keep going.

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  59. Hester's past shows how she would have never expected the scarlet letter and the events in her present life. She came from a healthy home with good parents and came to the new world with her husband. Her past never foreshadowed her future.

    Elaina Bruck 6th Hour

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  60. I think that it says that she had a very nice childhood and was not raised a sinner and that even though she had sinned it does not change who she is and what kind of person she is. She is embarrassed of her sin already and she knows that she is not the kind of person that deserves to be treated how she is being treated.

    Corey Skolek, 3rd hour

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  61. Hester tries to block out reality when she stands on the scaffold by running through happy memories in her mind, which leads her back to her childhood. Although her family did not have much money, she had a nice family who she loved very much, and a good childhood.

    Rae Sakakibara, 6th hour

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  62. While Hester is on the scaffold being humiliated, she has a flash back of her childhood. I think we all try to have pleasant thoughts in times of despair, and in Hester's case, her pleasant thoughts were memories from when she was a child. This suggests that she had a good childhood and that her family name was well-respected.

    Hanna Sakakibara 3rd hour

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  63. When Hester is standing on the scaffold thinking of her childhood is a way for her to cope. She is trying to be strong and a way to forget that she is standing on the scaffold is to think of happy thoughts. It shows that her family is loving and she had a good childhood.

    Amber Weitzel-3rd hr

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  64. When she is on the scaffold she is thinking about growing up and how her life was when she was little. She is trying to think of happier thoughts so she doens't feel so horrible.

    Elizabeth Berryman
    6th hour

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