MirrorsMirrors

Vahak BairamianVahak BairamianAp EnglishAp English

Mrs. HalajianMrs. HalajianJanuary 2008January 2008

What are Mirrors?What are Mirrors?

A mirror is an object A mirror is an object with a surface that with a surface that has good specular has good specular reflection, able to reflection, able to produce an image.produce an image.

A surface capable of A surface capable of reflecting sufficient reflecting sufficient undiffused light to undiffused light to form an image of an form an image of an object placed in object placed in front of it. front of it.

History of the Mirror, and History of the Mirror, and how it is usedhow it is used

The first mirrors used by man were most The first mirrors used by man were most likely pools of dark, still water, or water likely pools of dark, still water, or water collected in a primitive vessel of some sort. collected in a primitive vessel of some sort.

Examples of obsidian mirrors found in Examples of obsidian mirrors found in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) have been Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) have been dated to around 6000 BC.dated to around 6000 BC.

From the Latin Word ‘miror’ meaning From the Latin Word ‘miror’ meaning ‘to wonder at.’ ‘to wonder at.’

Mirrors, are used to create a sense of Mirrors, are used to create a sense of reflection, and a method of evaluating reflection, and a method of evaluating one’s self. one’s self.

How are used in Society now?

Today we use mirrors for our everyday tasks like, brushing-teeth, combing hair, shaving, etc…

Nowadays we gaze in the mirror looking at our figures, pondering whether we should gain or lose weight.

We evaluate and reflect to ourselves by staring in the mirror.

Mirrors are used as a classy and elegant piece of furniture.

The First Image “She saw her own

face, glowing with girlish beauty, and illuminating all the interior of the dusky mirror in which she had been wont to gaze at it.” (Ch.2)

Shows how she was once so natural, and beautiful.

She was a pleasure to look at, the opposite now. Creating a mirror image, reflecting on her image.

The Reflection of the Good Grade Once this freakish, elvish cast

came into the child's eyes while Hester was looking at her own image in them, as mothers are fond of doing; and suddenly for women in solitude, and with troubled hearts, are pestered with unaccountable delusions she fancied that she beheld, not her own miniature portrait, but another face in the small black mirror of Pearl's eye. (Ch.6)

Shows how a mirror is bringing out, the horror that the Scarlet Letter contains.

The mirror shows the way both Hester and Pearl feel about the mark.

The mirrors reminds Hester about the constant struggle the Scarlet Letter creates.

The mirror demonstrates the various emotions of Pearl about the “A”

View from the Armour Little Pearl, who was

as greatly pleased with the gleaming armour as she had been with the glittering frontispiece of the house, spent some time looking into the polished mirror of the breastplate. (Ch.7)

The soldiers armonur acts like a mirror, and reflects an enlarged scarlet letter.

Mirror brings forth the truth, because through a mirror, you can’t hide much.

The Enlarging Letter in the Mirror “Hester looked by way of

humoring the child; and she saw that, owing to the peculiar effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions, so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance. In truth, she seemed absolutely hidden behind it.” (Ch.7)

The mirror shows Hester the significance and importance of the Scarlet Letter.

The reflection on the mirror, enlarges the size of the letter, and implies how it dominates Hester’s world.

Hester’s true feelings, however much she tries to overcome, the letter drags her back down.

A Reflection in the Water The mirror created by

the pure water reflects a pure and natural child, Pearl.

Both reflections are a source of nature and symbolize the pureness of Pearl in comparison to the water.

“Here and there she came to a full stop, ad peeped curiously into a pool, left by the retiring tide as a mirror for Pearl to see her face in.” (Ch.14)

A Mirror and a Forest “All these giant trees and

boulders of granite seemed intent on making a mystery of the course of this small brook; fearing, perhaps, that, with its never-ceasing loquacity, it should whisper tales out of the heart of the old forest whence it flowed, or mirror its revelations on the smooth surface of a pool.” (Ch.16)

The mirror in this passage again, demonstrates the truth and the reflection of certain thoughts throughout the story.

The mirror means reflecting all the good and happy on a new path.

Held In A Mirror “The soul beheld its

features in the mirror of the passing moment. It was with fear, and tremulously, and, as it were, by a slow, reluctant necessity, that Arthur Dimmesdale put forth his hand, chill as death, and touched the chill hand of Hester Prynne.” (Ch.17)

The truth was evident and preserved like a mirror image.

The mirror shows the truth between the relationship between Dimmesdale and Hester.

Reflections Like a Pearl “And beneath, in the

mirror of the brook, there was the flower-girdled and sunny image of little Pearl, pointing her small forefinger too.

‘Thou strange child! why dost thou not come to me?’ exclaimed Hester.” (Ch.19)

The mirror image between the pure stream and Pearl, create a connection to one another.

The mirror acts a a connector and a sort of binder between two holy and natural things.

It creates a happy and vivid image of Pearl.

A point of Reflection

A Mirror Image Mirrors in this book, really

helped point out the pure and the natural in things.

Mirrors created a parallel between life, and the inevitable truth we as humans in society have to face.

We can all hide things from ourselves, but when facing a mirror, we are able to fully see our whole selves.

The mirrors were used as a reminder of the truth, and a way to understand and solve problems.

BibliographyBibliography

• http://dictionary.reference.com/browhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/brookse/brook

• http://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/scarlet/shttp://pd.sparknotes.com/lit/scarlet/section19.htmlection19.html

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrorshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirrors• http://www.crossroad.to/Books/symbhttp://www.crossroad.to/Books/symb

ols1.htmlols1.html• http://www.ahalmaas.com/glossary/http://www.ahalmaas.com/glossary/

m/mirror_transference.htmm/mirror_transference.htm