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Sophia Haynes
English II Block 6
Mrs. Pritchard
7 January 2016
Writing Reflection
When it came to time management, it went pretty well for both assignments. I did them
both in about a week time, and would randomly add on to what I had previously. It built up, and I
didnt have to rush it the night before. I feel like next time I should be more careful on what Im
trying to say, and spend more time on that. The sources I used were very helpful, and it was easy
to take quotes out and explain what the author was trying to portray to the reader. I believe that I
did use the sources effectively, and they were extremely helpful during my writing process.
When it comes to writing, I usually just write out what Im thinking and go from there. I never
really create outlines, and maybe that could help in the near future with my organization. Then
again, sometimes its just best for me to write out my thoughts. For my readings, I made sure to
read all of them so I understood the full meaning of the story. I read back on my annotations so I
could understand the quotes needed to go in, and how madness or darkness was portrayed in the
reading. My thesis statement for my Dark Romantic Literary Analysis wasnt very clear, but I
made sure to change it the next time I revised it. For my mid-term essay, I made sure to clearly
state my thesis, and explain all my evidence. I believe that for both papers, I made sure to show
the relationships. For my literary analysis, I made sure to connect the symbols and figurative
language between all of the dark-romanticist stories or poems. I wanted to organize my papers
with transition sentences, conclusions, and intros. I try not to make my sentences too long or to
short, but sometimes I slip up when it comes to that. When it came to citing sources, I did cite

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them appropriately, even the poem. I tend to forget about long quotes and how to cite poems, but
looking it up helps me remember. I sometimes have problems with my commas, but Ill usually
fix them, especially because grammarly helps out a lot. Both documents were in correct MLA
style, and if I had trouble remembering, I could simply go back to another previous document.
When it comes to my writing process, I have a lot of trouble discussing what I want to
talk about. Its like I have these thoughts, but I dont know how to execute that and get it out in
person. I dont think theres any way to get rid of this problem, but I hope that writing more will
help me gather my thoughts more. I believe that Ive been pretty strong with my detail. I usually
have a lot to say, but can be somewhat repetitive. I definitely see the change that Ive made when
it comes to the difference in papers. My madness paper was detailed and well explained, while
also backing up my thesis and argument. I had difficulty trying to explain my thoughts for my
literary analysis, and I think the change is amazing.

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You Mad Bruh?

Dark Romanticism and Realism were two influential movements in the 1800s and early
1900s. Dark Romanticism was a period when writers wanted to explore the inner workings and
psychological effects of the mind, giving it a fantastical and shadowy approach. Unlike Dark
Romanticism, Realism was the movement in which novelists wrote about stories of real people
with real jobs. These writers wanted to portray life for what it was, making a huge impact in the
literary movement. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a dark-romanticist writer, wrote The Scarlet Letter to
show the struggles of a young girl who sunk into the temptations of sin and temptation.
Dimmesdale, the man who was also tempted, lived a life of secrecy and misery. Hawthorne uses
symbolism to portray the darkness they both felt throughout the book. Charlotte Perkins Gilman,
a realist writer, wrote The Yellow Wallpaper to introduce a girl that suffered with illnesses such
as post-partum depression. Realism was an accurate description of how life was and is. Both
movements play influential roles in the way authors write today, and it also shows the growth
through time. Dimmesdale and the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper both become mad
because actions and people have driven them to the point of absurdity.
Madness is the accumulation of past events that constantly haunts ones being, and
becomes the outcome of what could be considered insanity. Dimmesdale has had to live and bear
this sin for seven years. The guilt, the sorrow, and the grief started to become too much for him
to handle, and all of his thoughts and demons slowly started to make its way and effect his being
both physically and mentally. He was looked at as an inspiration, a beautiful man with an angelic
voice, someone that many could look up to, but little did people know that he committed

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adultery, something he has to face for the rest of his life. He becomes too weak and lonely even
though he has both Hester and Pearl. Dimmesdale says, Happy are you, Hester, that wear the
letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret! Thou little knowest what a relief it is, after
the torment of a seven years cheat, to look into an eye that recognizes me for what I am!
(Hawthorne 199). Dimmesdale tells Hester that her situation is different to his situation because
shes been able to confess, and shes been punished for what shes done. Hes had to keep this
hidden within, and hes happy he can finally share his thoughts with someone. Dimmesdale can
finally look at someone, and feel free. Dimmesdale also goes on to say, God knows by giving
me this burning torture to bear upon my breast! By sending yonder dark and terrible old man, to
keep the torture always at red-heart I had been lost forever! (Hawthorne 210). He brings
religion into the matter and says that God the one that has given him this flame to withhold in his
heart forever. Chillingworth has only made the matter worse because hes been tormenting
Dimmesdale in order to get revenge for what he has done. His feelings and demons drive him to
the point where hes too depressed and mad to function, which ends up killing him. Dimmesdale
become psychotic because he doesnt know what to do or how things could possibly be resolved.
Madness takes over his being.
In The Yellow Wallpaper, Gilman introduces the narrator as a girl that struggles with
post-partum depression. Shes locked up in an abandoned place with windows barred up, and
shes left there alone. She writes to relieve her stress and thoughts however she doesnt want her
husband, John finding out about it. John intimidates the narrator, and while shes in the house,
the disgusting, yellow wallpaper constantly haunts her. She continuously glares at the wallpaper,
and it somehow controls her state of mind. The narrator says, Such a peculiar odor, too! I have
spent hours in trying to analyze it I wake up in the night and fight it handing over me. The

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only thing I can think of that it is like is the COLOR of the paper! A yellow smell (Gilman 8).
She spends her time thinking about the wallpaper and all of its certain characteristics. It blurs her
mind, and drives her crazy, but she cant stop thinking about it. She feels trapped physically and
mentally, and she becomes psychotic. She starts imagining that there is a girl on the other side of
the wallpaper, and that girl symbolizes herself. The narrator says, Ive got a rope up here that
even Jennie did not find. If that woman does get out, and tries to get away, I can tie her!
(Gilman 10). Shes hallucinating and imaging the whole thing, but she takes out her depression
and madness on the wallpaper. In order to free the girl, she rips all the wallpaper off. It
symbolizes the freedom she wanted from her illness, the room, and John. Madness destroyed her,
and her thoughts continued to haunt her until she went on a rage.
Hawthorne and Gilman incorporate many elements of both dark-romanticism and realism
in their stories. Hawthorne incorporates dark-romanticism by using symbolization and including
darker elements into his writing. He represented Dimmesdale as someone like a sun but
Dimmesdale was clouded by his thoughts. He brought this shadowy approach to the character
and constantly used symbolization to add that mysterious effect to the characters and story
overall. Madness was portrayed all throughout the book, especially for Dimmesdale, and the
dark-romanticism incorporated makes his character dimmer and more grasping. Gilman
incorporated realism by introducing a real person with real problems and relatable plotlines. The
narrator in the story faced issues that were badly treated due to the lack of knowledge people had
about mental illnesses back then, which resulted in her psychotic outrage because her mind was
bottled up with negative thoughts, and she took it out on the wallpaper. She wanted to free
herself, and Gilman gave a realistic, mad approach to the character. Both authors wrote during

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dissimilar movements, giving the characters different approaches to the same idea and traits of
madness.
All in all, both Dimmesdale and the narrator in The Yellow Wallpaper represented the
idea of madness. They wanted to free themselves from their thoughts. Dimmesdale couldnt find
a way to escape his actions, his past, and was never able to move forward like Hester. The
narrator was trapped and didnt know how to express her feelings. She felt as if she wasnt able
to do anything for multiple reasons, and it became too much for her. Their thoughts killed their
being, driving them to that point of madness.

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Connections to Dark Romanticism

Dark Romanticism was a period in the nineteenth century where individuals were
interested in exploring the real interworking of the mind. To depict their emotions, they gave it
that mysterious and dark nature. Many writers at the time used different tools to show their
misery, but also to explain the difficulties they went through. Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel
Hawthorne use symbolism and figurative language to portray the sadness, grief, and struggles, all
in which tie into dark romanticism. Although they both use a lot of important dark elements for
their stories, its significant because they both use the effect of guilt and sin to tie into the
psychological effect of the matter. Poe and Hawthorne show that horrors of evil are lurking in
everyone, however sometimes it is worse for others.
By using symbolism and figurative language, Edgar Allan Poe was able to say something
bigger than him. In Alone, he uses items and nature to symbolize the dark parts of him that
always remained. Poe says, From childhoods house I have not been / As others wereI have
not seen / As others sawI could not bring / My passions from a common spring / From the
same source I have not taken (1-5). He uses a childhoods house to symbolize the normality of
children, and it shows that he felt as if he could never belong anywhere because of his
differences and uniqueness. He couldnt see the views and outlooks of others, and that caused
him to question everything about himself. Humans tend to compare themselves to surrounding
people, and it makes people question their abilities, actions, and traits. He then says, And the
cloud that took the form / When the rest of Heaven was blue / Of a demon in my view" (2022). He uses the color blue to represent the similarity and ordinariness of everybody, but also to

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display happiness in comparison to his gray cloud. The cloud symbolizes his train of thought,
how he is, and who he is. The demon could represent his connection with darkness, or him and
how he interprets his being. Poe also uses figurative language to show his grief in another
direction. He says, My sorrowI could not awaken (6). His sadness was something he felt as
permanent, and rather continuous. He compares his sorrow to sleeping, and his sorrow is
personifying as an animate object. He uses diction like sorrow, storm, and mystery to give it a
cryptic, shadowy approach.
In The Haunted Mind, Hawthorne uses items to symbolize the darkness that controls
and stays within him, but also uses figurative language to portray emotions as people. He says,
In the depths of every heart, there is a tomb and a dungeon, though the lights, the music, and
revelry above may cause us to forget their existence, and the buried ones, or prisoners, whom
they hide. But sometimes, and oftenest at midnight, those dark receptacles are flung wide open
(Hawthorne 2). He is saying that everyone has their battles and demons, and although people can
be easily distracted, the demons are still there and they still haunt. Although people tend to forget
them, the night and darkness cause individuals to remember those inner thoughts chosen to be
pushed aside, even though they can never be forgotten. Nobody has control of his or her feelings
and contemplations, and it causes people to feel trapped with no escape whatsoever. Hawthorne
also corporates figurative language by using certain emotions as people, for example, Passion.
He says:
A funeral train comes gliding by your bed, in which Passion and Feeling assume
bodily shape, and things of the mind become dim spectres to the eye. There is
your earliest Sorrow, a pale young mourner, wearing a sisters likeness to first
love, sadly beautiful, with a hallowed sweetness in her melancholy features, and

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grace in the flow of her sable robe. Next appears a shade of ruined loveliness,
with dust among her hair and her bright garments all faded and defaced, stealing
from your glance with drooping head, as fearful of reproach; she was your fondest
Hope, but a delusive one; so call her Disappointment now. A sterner form
succeeds, with a brow of wrinkles, a look and gesture of iron authority; there is no
name for him unless it be Fatality, an emblem of the evil (Hawthorne 2).
This gutting feeling starts to form in the stomach while all of the feelings become real.
He describes all of his emotions as actual people, along with their actions towards that sentiment
and the characteristics, which tie into the evident feeling. Sorrow is described as a griever, and
once another girl by the name of Hope has done something wrong, she is now called
Disappointment, for her simple actions can only lead to her reputation. Fatality is a man who
succumbed to the temptations of evil, and for that, the guilt took over his body and killed him.
The direction that he took in this specific quotation shows that he felt as if each one of these
emotions had certain characteristics and actions. However, he doesnt explain it in just a casual
manner, but instead brings a deeper meaning into what each of these feelings is really about.
In The Ministers Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses symbols and figurative
language to preserve the secret behind the black veil. Hawthorne uses the black veil as a symbol
to his mystery, and something that explores the dark parts that lie deep in Mr. Hooper, a side
nobody had seen before. He says, All though life that piece of crape had hung between him and
the world; it separated him from cheerful brotherhood and womans love, and kept him in the
saddest of all prisons, his own heart; and still it lay upon his face, as if to deepen the gloom of his
darksome chamber, and shade him from the sunshine of eternity (Hawthorne 11). The black veil
separated him from the world and the people that he loved, but also kept him locked and trapped

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in the worst prison of all which was his mind and heart. The black veil disconnected him from
his eternal happiness. Hawthorne then uses figurative language to compare a cloud to the veil
and sun to his eyes. Mr. Hoopers wife goes on to say, Come, good sir, let the sun shine from
behind the cloud (Hawthorne 7). She wants him to unveil the mask, or figuratively, the
darkness. The black veil represents separation and sin. Because of the veil, it separated and
terrified his loved ones, which usually resulted to them leaving him. Hooper also says that he
will wear the black veil until eternity, and then when he gets to heaven, the veil will be
uncovered, and hell be able to see the sunshine. Hell finally be free of the sin, the guilt, the
sadness and the grief that he felt as a mortal being.
All in all, each of these works ties into dark romanticism because they each give life a
dull, deeper meaning. Many writers told stories and wrote poems in shadowy approaches instead
of casually trying to tell the story. By using symbolism and figurative language, they were able to
portray their sorrow and wretchedness to the reader, and because of that, one could feel the
emotions behind the simple words on a page. Each faced mental issues, and used dark symbols
and figures of speech to show that horror.