The Scarlet Letter

             "When the young woman - the mother of this child - stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom: not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might conceal a certain token, which was wrought or fastened to her chest...On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold-thread, appeared the letter A. (pg. 52-53)"
             Symbolism in literature is the amount of hidden meaning in a piece of work. It is often used to represent a moral or religious belief or value. Without symbolism most literature is just a bunch of meaningless words on paper. One of the most symbolic pieces of work in American literature is Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses many symbols to describe objects or ideas. Each of these symbols have a variety of meanings or affect its target in different ways. One of the most important symbols, the scarlet letter A, uses both affect and meaning and is carried throughout the novel effectively.
             The scarlet letter, used by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a symbol that contains a variety of meanings. Originally standing for the sin of adultery, it has a different meaning for each character. The Puritan community considers a letter a mark of punishment. Hester, who has to wear it because of her adulterous act, sees the letter as a symbol of unjust humiliation. While Dimmesdale, the adulterer, sees the "A" as a reminder of his own guilt, Chillingworth, Hester's husband, recognizes the scarlet letter as a quest for revenge to find the adulterer. On the night of Governor Winthorp's death, the "A" stood for "Angel" when it was seen in the sky.
             While standing for many things, the scarlet token liberated Hester more than it punished her. The scarlet symbol of disgrace defiled Hester's public image, yet it was a benefit rather than a bane to her soul, for by admittin...

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The Scarlet Letter. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 10:36, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/70935.html