What do Hawthorne's imagery and diction reveal about the character of the "figure which irresistibly took possession of [Hester's] thoughts" in the...

Theandof the
first three paragraphs ofreveal a sinister quality in the stranger who appears at the start of
the chapter.

Imagery is description using the five senses of sight, sound,
taste, touch, and smell. The imagery surrounding the figure is disquieting and disorienting. He
comes across as odd. For example, there is his clothing, a "strange disarray of civilized
and savage costume." It is hard to get a clear visual on this dress, except to understand
that he has mixed his English and Native American clothing together. Along with the same garb,
he is trying to "conceal" that one of his shoulders is higher than the other, a
"slight deformity" which gives him a sinister air. Further, we learn that when he sees
:

A writhing horror twisted itself across his features,
like a snake gliding swiftly over them . . . .

A snake
swiftly gliding is another sinister, disquieting image. We cannot have a good feeling about the
appearance of this mysterious man.

Diction is the type of language or words a
writer uses: Hawthorne, in the passage, uses an elevated diction, as he usually does, but also
words that disquiet us, such as "strange" and "peculiarity" to describe this
man. In the third paragraph, the juxtaposition of terms like "writhing horror" and
"powerful emotion" with words such as "calmness," "controlled,"
and "calm" indicate a man who keeps his emotions hidden under a
facade.