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 differen
The scarlet symbol of disgrace defiled Hester's public image, yet it was a benefit rather than a bane to her soul, for by admitting her crime to the crowd, her soul is freed from two hells: first, the fiery pit where she would otherwise go after death, and second, the own personal hell Hester will create for herself if she had chosen to hide her sin in her heart. Though it was ordered for Hester to wear the letter, it was still her own choice to make it in a vivid scarlet, "so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom. "Hester [imbibes] the spirit" of intellectual emancipation. It may have punished her yet the good deep within the letter is greater than the evil that surrounds it on the outside. Though originally meant as her punishment, the scarlet letter actually liberates Hester from her guilt, and from even greater punishment. " The scarlet A's glowing embers also serve to heal because the pain they inflict on Hester enables her to properly atone for her sin. In a sense, Hester is freed from her punishment, since she casts doubt on the actual magnitude of her sin. " Hester chose red as the color of her brand of shame, to declare to the rest of the townspeople that she is prepared to acknowledge her sin, instead of denying it. By displaying her guilt however, she is granted the opportunity to face her punishment bravely, thus through her public humiliation, she achieves freedom from the personal guilt of not suffering enough for her crimes. While standing for many things, the scarlet token liberated Hester more than it punished her. Her passion, which once flowed generously in her physical appearance, is now geared towards the exploration of her mind's inner depths. 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. Furthermore, "the scarlet letter, forthwith seemed to scorch into Hester's breast, as if it had been red-hot. The scarlet letter restrains Hester's passionate nature in her appearance, transforming her into a colorless and faceless woman, yet her passion finds another outlet in the deep recesses of her own mind.
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Chillingworth Hester's,
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