Scarlet Letter book Review
Nathaniel Hawthorne's most renowned masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter is considered to be one of the most influential pieces of American Romanticism. Taking this into consideration, I highly recommend The Scarlet Letter to anyone who deems themselves American in nature. Some important features in this book are Hawthorne's use of symbolism throughout the novel. The Scarlet Letter is also significant because it reflects the Puritan life and the restraints that society burdens the people with. Hawthorne's utilization of symbolism in the novel makes the novel much more coherent, almost making parts of the novel tangible in nature. The main symbol that Hawthorne deploys throughout the novel is the letter "A". The letter symbolizes a multitude of things. The most obvious symbol is that it openly symbolizes adultery. This is what it symbolizes to most of the townspeople. To Hester and Dimmesdale the "A" represents agony. This
Mostly Puritans populated the Massachusetts Bay colony during this time. To Hester, the forest represents spiritual freedom and individuality, much like what the forest represented to the Romanticists. This is evident during the Salem Witch trials, and in Hester's case as well. People who committed a sin or did not have the same spiritual beliefs were ostracized from society. This tormented him inside since he was a minister and he knew that confessing would be the right thing to do. His sin is so hard to confess because of the harsh penalties the Puritan community imposes upon society. This book not only is considered Hawthorne's best work, but one of the best pieces of American Literature known. On the other hand, Dimmesdale would not confess his sin. Dimmesdale's name is chosen because he is always in anguish. Hawthorne's development of characters throughout the novel makes you sympathetic toward the characters. Hester admitted in committing her sin, and as a result she was forced to wear the scarlet letter upon her bosom for the rest of her life. is for the extreme pain they must suffer for the sin that they share together. In this novel Hester goes to the forest many times. He always makes note of Hester's "A", whether it is in the sky, reflected off of armor, etc. One last symbol that Hawthorne uses throughout the novel is Dimmesdale holding his hand upon his heart.
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