Scarlet Letter-Allegory, Symbo
Symbolism, Allegory, and Realism in The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne used several common literary devices in writing The Scarlet Letter, as writers generally do. The three most important ones he used are symbolism, allegory, and realism. Symbolism in the book is what helps emphasize conflicts, characters, links between people and events, and other that aren't told to you outright. Allegory in the story is what contains the themes central to the book. Realism is what sets the stage for every scene, and adds believability to the novel. To understand The Scarlet Letter fully, you must first understand these three devices central to Hawthorne's masterpiece. Throughout the story, symbolism is the most common method of Hawthorne bringing forth conflicts and ideas, or linking people, objects, and events. The most obvious symbol in the story is the Scarlet Letter. It is intended by the clergy to be a symbol of the crime that Hester committed, and it does just that, and much more. The scarlet letter also represents her inescapable agony and her ever-growing strength. In the beginning of the story, the letter serves its purpose as a punishment, and it alienates Hester from society. As the story progresses, we can see tha
Finally, as a symbol, Perl is a human manifestation of the Scarlet Letter. Other symbols are meant to represent hidden guilt and secrets. It is basically the parts of the book that describe the background or the basic overview of a scene. He is also physically weak; he always quivers and has his hand gripping his heart. Perl is also the link between Hester and Dimmesdale-she is the result of the their sin. For example, in the first scaffold scene, Hawthorne gives a description of what the scaffold was used for, who the woman on it was, and why she was there. Perl as an allegory represents innocence. His weakness is in his inability to face his sin and confess to the world. The constant referral to the chest when talking about people and their feelings indirectly shows that the book and its major themes are based on emotions (always associated with the heart). The effect of hidden guilt is shown through his constant deterioration of health due to his unwillingness to come forward. It becomes a symbol of her benevolence toward the community; she has done nothing wrong since her punishment and has devoted her entire life from that point on to others, often less needy than herself. The scaffold is the public forum for revealing crime to the community, and in the story it represents publicly confessing and relieving hidden guilt. This is the main theme of the novel-be true to the world and to yourself by not being afraid to show your worst to everyone else. This perpetual anguish is at least put on hold when she removes the letter in the forest, showing how instrumental the Scarlet Letter is in her unhappiness.
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