How Symbolism Shapes the Views of Society Symbolism is something used for representing something else. Nathaniel Hawthorne has some very well written literary pieces. Some of Hawthorne’s well known pieces are “The Minister’s Black Veil” and The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism within these literary pieces to shape the perspectives of the community members and how they view the individuals that are wearing the symbols but also how the individuals themselves view the symbol. Symbols have different meanings because people interpret symbols differently. How the community viewed the scarlet letter was as a punishment for Hester Prynne. The scarlet letter was meant as a symbol of Hester Prynne’s sin; adultery. It was also put there in an attempt to prevent others from not only her sin but all sin. The people saw her as “Thus she will be a living
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In The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne sees the scarlet letter as something that sets her apart from everyone else. Even when the council members of the community discuss about her being able to remove the scarlet letter from her bosom, she felt that it was her decision if she should remove it or not. While in “The Minister’s Black Veil” Reverend Hooper sees the black veil as if it were representing everyone’s sins not just his own. When the people looked at him, all they saw was the black veil over his face and only his face. On the contrary, all Reverend Hooper ses when he looks out through the black veil is all black. Everyone and everything he sees is black. Reverend Hooper’s perspective while looking through the black veil was that the way he saw it, everyone else was black; covered in their secret sins. So while all everyone else sees when they look at him is the black veil, but only on him, and when Reverend Hooper looks out at all of the people, he sees them in
In The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne sees the scarlet letter as something that sets her apart from everyone else. Even when the council members of the community discuss about her being able to remove the scarlet letter from her bosom, she felt that it was her decision if she should remove it or not. While in “The Minister’s Black Veil” Reverend Hooper sees the black veil as if it were representing everyone’s sins not just his own. When the people looked at him, all they saw was the black veil over his face and only his face. On the contrary, all Reverend Hooper ses when he looks out through the black veil is all black. Everyone and everything he sees is black. Reverend Hooper’s perspective while looking through the black veil was that the way he saw it, everyone else was black; covered in their secret sins. So while all everyone else sees when they look at him is the black veil, but only on him, and when Reverend Hooper looks out at all of the people, he sees them in