The documents under study are three literary works: "A City upon a Hill" by John Winthrop,

"Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Despite being written in different periods, each work offers insightful perspectives on religion
and its impact on society.

In Doc A, "A City upon a Hill,"(1630) John Winthrop delivers a sermon in which he argues
that the Puritan colonists have a divine mission to create a perfect society in the New World.
This text highlights religion as a means of control. Winthrop emphasizes the importance of
obedience to God's will and a strict moral code to maintain a harmonious community.
However, the text also offers insight into the daily life of the Puritans, including their
struggles and triumphs in building a new society.

"The Scarlet Letter" (doc B) (1840) by Nathaniel Hawthorne portrays a community in which
belonging is closely tied to religious affiliation. The novel depicts a society in which religious
dogma and intolerance lead to the persecution of an adulteress, Hester Prynne. This text
highlights the consequences of fanaticism, the importance of tolerance, and the struggle for
personal identity. Literary trend?

In contrast, "Self-Reliance" (Doc C) (1841) by Ralph Waldo Emerson shows religion in a

sense of belonging. Emerson argues that individuals should rely on their own intuition and
inner voice, rather than conforming to the beliefs of society, even in the face of opposition or
adversity. This text emphasizes personal identity and self-expression, which can conflict with
traditional religious teachings. However, Emerson also recognizes the value of community
and encourages individuals to seek like-minded individuals to create a sense of belonging.
Literary trend?

Moreover, "A City upon a Hill" and "The Scarlet Letter" reveal the complexities of religious
dogma and its impact on individual morality. In "A City upon a Hill," Winthrop's emphasis on
obedience to God's will raises questions about the role of personal choice and free will in
religious belief. Similarly, in "The Scarlet Letter," the hypocrisy of the Puritan community
raises questions about the relationship between outward piety and inner morality.

In contrast, "Self-Reliance" offers a more individualistic perspective on religious belief,

emphasizing personal intuition and inner voice as guides to moral decision-making. However,
Emerson's emphasis on self-reliance also raises questions about the relationship between
individualism and community. Is it possible to be truly self-reliant while also being part of a
larger social network?

Overall, these three works offer a compelling exploration of the complexities of religious
belief and its impact on society. How does this set of documents reveal the complexities of
religion's impact on society, from one extreme view to another, the puritan view, and its
extremism illustrated in the scarlet letter and the praising of individualism in self reliance
In this regard, one can try to answer the following question: According to the documents,
what is the balance between society and religion?

First, religion as a means of control will be discussed.

Then, the second part of this analysis will address the issue of religion and personal identity.

Finally, the dangers of extremism will be tackled.

including its role as an instrument of control, its importance in shaping personal identity and
belonging, and the dangers of religious extremism and dogma? Furthermore, how do these
works raise questions about the relationship between individualism and community within the
context of religious belief?

A quoi correspond ce dernier paragraphe ? La problématique seule ? Ou la problématique et

l’annonce du plan ?

This set of documents

Pour davantage de clarté, il vaut mieux poser la problématique en une question et ensuite
annoncer le plan de l’analyse: To answer this question, the issue of … will be discussed in a
first part, then in a second part, the issue of … will be addressed and finally the notion of…
will be analysed…

Ne pas oublier de donner le courant littéraire de chaque oeuvre et d’identifier chaque

document (doc A, doc B, doc C…)

Mouvement littéraire et def du mouvement

Auteur, ses dates, son mouvement, idee

Idées principales

Phare d’accroche

Sinon, c’est très bien écrit. Très prometteur !