Hawthorne and Walker - Koski

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Alice Walker are among some of the most influential authors of classic American literature. Each author is characterized by unique aspects included in their pieces that entice audiences to continue to read their novels, even today. Although the authors were alive in vastly different time periods and they wrote with dissimilar styles, they were both able to address serious topics in a historical context. They confronted similar issues and their novels The Scarlet Letter and The Color Purple comparatively show both Hawthorne and Walker’s writing capabilities. 

Hawthorne’s pieces worked to give character to America during a time when America was trying desperately to define itself. His early pieces earned him the title, “The American Shakespeare”, and many people identify him today as a literary great. He had many prestigious acquaintances willing to vouch for his work; including Franklin Pierce, Herman Melville, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Margaret Fuller. Emerson and Fuller later pushed Hawthorne into transcendentalism, and many of his novels portray transcendentalist ideals. For example, The Scarlet Letter makes a clear distinction between good and evil. The Dark Man, many people believe is the devil, and Chillingworth seems to embody evil with his plots of revenge. The continuing themes of transcendentalism, Puritan societies, and religion are relevant in many of Hawthorne’s pieces. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne examines the link between sexism and the way the Puritans punish Hester. He explains their failing use of symbols to portray their ideology: such as the scarlet letter A, over time it loses meaning and Hester sees the scarlet A as a defining characteristic, and not as a part of a punishment. Thus she is strong and insightful. Alice Walker may not have been defined as an “American Shakespeare”, however she fearlessly addresses the controversial issues of an earlier time period. Walker’s work was inspired by her life as a civil rights activist. She was willing to confront the issue of racism and lack of women’s rights in her novel The Color Purple. Walker would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize for her bravery. 

Hawthorne and Walker are willing to address similar ideals such as the mistreatment of women. Hawthorne exemplifies this with his use of the Puritan society Hester Prynne is residing in. She faces ridicule and exile from those living in her community for committing adultery. However, Hester is strong. She takes the punishment in stride and her exile allows her to be free thinking and observant about her community. Walker starts her novel off with a disturbing scene of the main character, Celie, being sexually abused by her father. Over time, Celie learns more about her experiences with abuse from the women she surrounds herself with. In her talks with Sofia, she learns that she can be strong in the face of her abusers. She realizes for the first time in her life that she can stand up for herself and fight the mistreatment she has been receiving. Furthermore, each author features religion frequently. The Scarlet Letter thoroughly utilizes the Puritan Society and their inability to separate church and state. The Puritans turned to their religion to solve their problems and saw life as the event separating you from Heaven. For example, Dimmesdale punished himself for his sins, trying desperately to repent and reach out to God to cope with his guilt. Although Walker does not write about religion in the same extreme, it becomes increasingly evident throughout the novel that Celie is dependent on God to help her get through her troubles. “I have to talk to Old Maker… This life soon be over, I say. Heaven last all ways” (Walker). 

However, the similar themes are where the similarities between Hawthorne and Walker end. Hawthorne writes with a sophisticated tone. He uses scholarly diction clearly from his time period. His long sentences in Olde English thoroughly convey his thoughts and give life to the many characters. He defines Hester by her experiences rather than flat out giving her a back ground. Walker however writes with misspellings, atrocious grammar, and no quotation marks. She does this intentionally to convey how uneducated Celie really is. Furthermore, every passage is a letter addressed to God. Hawthorne employs the third person point of view which allows his story to include the viewpoints of several characters. Advantageous to readers because they are introduced to several people who help to move the story forward, but also consequential because the audience lacks the ability to form a personal connection with any one character. Walker employs a first person point of view. Every letter is in Celie’s perspective. Advantageous to readers because they are able to develop a close bond with Celie, however consequential because other characters are never introduced in depth. 

In summary, each author has the courage to address controversial topics. Each define their characters by the events happening to them and each author includes a strong female perspective in their most famous works (The Scarlet Letter and The Color Purple). Additionally, each author defines historical points in American history. Both authors characterize the categories their pieces belong to. Hawthorne defines America, gives voice to the early beginnings of the country, and eloquently showcases the actions of our ancestors. Walker describes horrific realities for blacks and women, exemplifies the psychological effects of violence and abuse, and provides the backbone to a movement lead by female authors. Each author is great in their own unique aspect, and they will continue to symbolize American literature at its finest.