Symbols in Scarlet Letter
In the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne used symbolism to show the importance of or the meaning of many things. It is demonstrated throughout the entirety of the novel. Henry James, a famous American novelist, said, "...there is, I think, too much. It is overdone at times, and becomes mechanical; it ceases to be impressive, and grazes triviality." One may feel as if Hawthorne did not overuse symbolism, but I agree with James's opinion. There are many cases in the novel that involve symbolism, which is overused. These cases include the letter 'A,' Pearl, and the scaffold. The first major form of symbolism, and the most obvious, is the letter 'A', which appears in various places in the novel. The main example of the letter 'A' is the scarlet letter, which is worn by Hester Prynne. The scarlet letter was the letter 'A,' which was to be embroidered onto Hester's clothing. It symbolized Hester's sin, adultery. There are many instances that describe the 'A' as it appears on Hester's dress. Hawthorne first describes it by saying, "-was that SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminat
Another example of symbolism within the novel is Pearl. ' The reader may consider this to be symbolism because Hawthorne describes this instance by saying, "We impute it, therefore, solely to the disease in his own eye and heart, that the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter,--the letter A,--marked out in lines of dull red light. Hester is sentenced to stand atop the scaffold for three hours to stand before God to receive her judgment; "she will be a living sermon against sin" (p. Dimmesdale responds to Hester's statement by saying, "I have long shrunk from children, because they often show distrust- a backwardness to be familiar with me. It was revealed!" This instance simply symbolizes the sin that Dimmesdale has committed. In 'The Minister's Vigil,' when all three of them, Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale, were standing there atop the scaffold, Pearl asks Dimmesdale when they will stand there together and he replies that they will on the day of judgement (p. Generally, a pearl would be considered to be pure and something treasured. Another example of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter is the scaffold. Throughout the entirety of chapter 3, symbolism of the scaffold is illustrated. Pearl acts as symbolism for a couple of reasons. 81-82) Pearl, also, acts as a bond between Hester and Dimmesdale. 143) In this case, the 'A' may symbolize guilt that the minister may have, as well as symbolize sin.
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