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If I have not brought it up enough in class enough already, I am currently in Love of Three Oranges being directed by Aaron Cromie, here at Bryn Mawr. The piece is Commedia Del Art, which means it is masked. When teaching the class mask technique, Aaron said something that I think might be useful to our reading of The Scarlet Letter as an autobiography. "Masks reveal more than they conceal." At first, I wasn't sure about this concept. However, having now worked in mask for several months, I can call it a story that I accept. When in mask, I feel that I can allow portions of myself to reveal themselves that are often concealed by the social mask I carry around daily. Before you imbue a mask with the characteristics of any certain character, a mask is a clean slate. You are not limited by the constraints of "your own" personality, and are then able to explore the possibilities of yourself; the one's that were always there, but that perhaps break the cohesive bonds of your person, and to then, be able to return.

I'm thinking of The Scarlet Letter like a theatrical mask, or veil in Hawthorne's own terms. The theatrical mask, which is found varying cultures, styles, and ages, does not violate the audience members right to see a performance, get a story. However, it does also not violate the actor's right to use parts of their personality that would be limited by their more permanent physical mask, and then return to their "in most Me," once the performance is over. So, is Hawthorne putting on masks?

"As if the printed book, thrown at large on the wide world, were certain to find out the divided segments of the writer's own nature and complete his circle of existence by bringing him in communion with it... But, as thoughts are frozen and utterance benumbed unless the speaker stand in some true relation with his audience it may be pardonable to imagine that a friend ... is listening to our talk." (The Custom House page 1)

That's what I hear him saying. He is dealing with the divided segments of his own nature, but it's no good without an audience. The novel is a performance, and without it's performitive qualities, he would be unable to protect the segment which he and society most cherishes.