American Literature mistress Hibbons Assignment

American Literature Mistress Hibbons Assignment

Refer to the attached passages about Mistress Hibbons. Look specifically at the quotes and use them to help you decide why she is in this novel? What is her role? What does she add to the story?

Mistress Hibbons serves various purposes in the novel. Even though she only appears sporadically throughout the course of the book, the times in which she does appear are important. The character of Mistress Hibbons adds several different ideas to the story.

Mistress Hibbons is used to further develop Hester’s character. Both Mistress Hibbons and Hester have been isolated from society, yet the way in which these women handle their isolation is different. The story thoroughly makes Hibbins character clear so that the readers are able to see the other path that Hester could have chosen. That path could have lead to her being described as what Mistress Hibbins was- “bitter tempered”, “old witch lady”, “ugly-tempered lady”, “sour and discontented face”, “weird,” and, almost every single time she is present, she is called a “witch” in some form. Hester could become evil like Mistress Hibbons as a result of her isolation. Hawthrone uses juxtaposition to develop each character better. Mistress Hibbons states, “Wilt thou go with us to-night? There will be a merry company in the forest,” and Hester replies “... I must tarry at home..” By Hester saying no, this helps to further understand her character. The fact that Hester said no to go to the forest, a place filled with darkness, the devil, evil, etc., justifies her not choosing the path that Mistress Hibbons took, and instead remaining pure. This illustrate how Hester will not become evil. Mistress Hibbons role is to illustrate the differentiation in characters and represent a path of darkness and evil that Hester could have chosen.

Mistress Hibbons character provides evidence how Pearl keeps Hester pure. Throughout the book, the audience sees how Hester is determined to give proper care for Pearl. Mistress Hibbons helps support this idea when she asks Hester, “Wilt thou go with us to-night? There will be a merry company in the forest,” and Hester replies, “... I must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little Pearl. Had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest, and sign my book in the Black Man’s book too, and that with mine own blood.” Mistress Hibbons is used to prove how Hester will remain pure because of Pearl. Being that the forest represents a place of darkness, devil, and overall negativity, and Hester says she would have gone into the forest if they had taken Pearl from her, implies that if she didn’t have Pearl, she would chose this path of darkness and evil. This reveals how Hester chooses to remain on a not evil path because of her desire to be a proper parent for Pearl. In this case, Mistress Hibbons displays how Hester is dependent on the care of Pearl.

Mistress Hibbins character helps to better develop characters and underlying ideas. Her character adds to the story in a subtle way, but when studied closely, much information is able to be revealed. Mistress Hibbins is a minor character, yet is able to expose many different ideas to the story.

Anabelle Landau 10/18

Mills- American Literature Mistress Hibbons Assignment

Refer to the attached passages about Mistress Hibbons. Look specifically at the quotes and use them to help you decide why she is in this novel? What is her role? What does she add to the story?

Mistress Hibbons serves various purposes in the novel. Even though she only appears sporadically throughout the course of the book, the times in which she does appear are important. The character of Mistress Hibbons adds several different ideas to the story.

Mistress Hibbons is used to further develop Hester’s character. Both Mistress