Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, presents to his readers a novel in
which there are obstacles to overcome by the main characters. His array of symbolism
throughout the novel makes the story seem related to modren times.
In the first chapter, Hawthorne introduces the readers to symbolism beginning with the
prisonhouse and the rosebush. The chapter begins introducing the prison door as "rustic" and an
"ugly edifice." The old prison door is suppose to represent a threshold that seperates the
criminals from the people of the community.-participial Hawthorne makes the readers believe that
the door is somehow connected with the burial ground. The prison is symbolic of moral evil
which would be sin and the cemetery is a symbol of natural evil which would be death. The
rosebush is described as "fragile beauty" and a "sweet moral blossom." The rosebush may
symbolize hope to the unlucky person that is entering the prison house. It is put there to relieve
that person from their sorrows and troubles. With the rosebush being so old, it has been looked
upon by everyone.
In the second chapter entitled "The Market Place", Hawthorne introduces his readers to
on of the main characters, Hester Prynne. Hester is the unfortunate beholder of the "scarlet letter
A." The "A" is suppose to symbolize shame to Hester, but close to the end of the story it
becomes a powerful symbol of identity to Hester. The letter functions as a physical reminder of
Hester's affair with Dimmsdale. But, compared to Pearl, the letter is meaningless. The sixth
chapter entitled "Pearl" introduces readers to Hester's daughter Pearl as a rambunctious little girl.
Pearl is a living version of her mother's scarlet letter.She also represents the sin that Dimmsdale
committed. Pearl really was the scarlet letter, because if Pearl had never been born, Hes...