American Lit Unit 8

S. Q. 8 Nathanil Hawthorne 433, â€Å"The Minister's Black Veil† 457, â€Å"The Birthmark† 465, Herman Melville 504, â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener† 507 1. What is the attractive legend about Hawthorne? He was believed to be a shy recluse, always brooding in solitude. 2. How do the authors describe Hawthorne? He is described as a public figure, capable of a certain urbanity. He is absorbed by the evils of enigma and of moral responsibility. 3. Briefly describe Hawthorne's background.He was born in Salem and moved to Maine with his mother to live with an uncle as a child. He returned to Salem to attend college. He secretly go married, he enjoyed reading and the first novel he wrote was recalled and almost completely destroyed. He continued writing and his first big break was The Scarlet Letter. 4. What is the principle appeal of Hawthorne's work? It is in the quality of its allegory, always richly ambivalent, providing enigmas which each reader solves in his or her own terms. ? 5.How does the preaching of Mr.. Hooper change as he puts on the black veil? He still had the same characteristics of style and manner, but it was tinged rather more dark than usual, with the gentle gloom of his temperament. 6. How does Elizabeth respond to the veil? At first she defends him saying questioning why everyone thought it to be such a big deal. Then she asks him why he is wearing it and seems to take offense of his reasoning and that he will not remove it. ? 7. What did Aylmer think of his wife’s birthmark?He despised it, he wanted her to have it removed. He felt it was the one thing that kept her from being perfect. 8. What word best describes Aylmer’s treatment of Aminadab? He treats him like he is insignificant and doesn't matter. He doesn't understand the science behind Aylmer's work and doesn't agree with him trying to remove the birthmark. Aylmer doesn't care what he thinks nor his own wife. He treats Aminadab as a servant. ? 9. How does the narrator of â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener† characterize himself as a lawyer?He says he is an eminently safe man, he doesn't address juries, rather he works with rich men's bonds, mortgages and title-deeds. 10. What concerns the narrator most about Bartleby’s behavior? He is concerned about him ruining his reputation and his business. He tried to get him to work or leave and he refused to do either. 11. Where does Bartleby die? He dies in the prison yard. ? 12. How does the narrator fail Bartleby? He is unable to save him. He moved his office and when he did the next tenant causes him to be sent to prison because he still refuses to leave. 3. â€Å"At the end of the story, Bartleby's significance expands, and he becomes not only a double for the narrator but also a kind of double for all of humanity. † Explain this statement. We learn that Bartleby lost his job at the Dead Letter Office because of an administration change. The Dead Letter Office would be a pla ce of gloom, where one would deal with human mortality on a daily basis. Also, the narrator had lost his previous job due to bureaucratic changes. The narrator was able to adapt to life but Bartleby, he was unable to save.