Scarlet Letter
The Ambiguity Use of Symbolism in "The Scarlet Letter" Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlett Letter, uses a lot of symbolism in the story that represents several meanings within the context of the story. Hawthorne uses symbolism to add greater meaning to the story. Objects such as the prison, rosebush, scaffold, meteor, forest, brook, and little Pearl are all important symbols in Hawthorne's novel. The most obvious and principal symbol in the novel is the scarlet letter "A", which has several meanings. Each symbol has a special significance that reveals a secret, the theme of the story and it also resembles the character's personality. The author opens his story with the description of the prison and the prison door. The prison is described as an "ugly edifice" and as the "black flower of civilized society" (1131). The prison is a symbol of loneliness and estrangement from the rest of the world. This "foreshadows the life that Hester will lead" even after she is released from prison. Hester lives in a "prison of alienation". She moves away from the town, but remains near. She lives a secluded life on the outskirts of the town. Hester alienates herself from the rest of the town people and tries to avoid any con
At this time the town sleeps and is not aware of what Dimmesdale is trying to do. The town people now see the letter as a symbol of an able person and not a sinner. The Puritans used the scaffold as an object where they placed people to punish them or discipline them for their sins or actions. Like the scarlet letter A, Pearl is a constant reminder to Hester of her shame and sin. There are three scaffold scenes that are relevant to the story. Pearl is the only thing of value that Hester has in her life. Dimmesdale bravely stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl and publicly acknowledges that he is Pearl's father. Hester has to wear this letter as a sign of her sin. Pearl also represents "the great price" that Hester will pay for her sin. This imprisonment of unconfessed sin deteriorates his health and peace with God. As the years pass by, the letter that once stood for adultery, seems to have changed its meaning and is no longer seen as a sign of sin, but as a sign of a person in goodness and loveliness. She lives alone with her child in the outskirts of the town. This symbol can have several different meanings depending on the context of the story. Dimmesdale sees this sign as a sign of his own secret sin.
Common topics in this essay:
Hester God,
Scarlett Letter,
Reverend Dimmesdale's,
Hester Pearl,
Dimmesdale Throughout,
Hester Dimmesdale,
Reverend Dimmesdale,
Chillingworth Hester's,
Governor Winthrop,
scarlet letter,
Nathaniel Hawthorne's,
scaffold scene,
hester pearl,
town sleeps aware,
little pearl,
town people,
black flower,
outskirts town,
wild rosebush,
symbol story,
confess sin,
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Acceptance Essays
