Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, contains a heavy amount of symbolism. One symbol that is most prominent is the symbol of nature. First, we see the sunshine showing sin for Hester, and purity for Pearl. Along with this, there is the prickly burrs, which tag the sinner. Finally, there is the meteor striking across the sky as Dimmesdale sees this as acknowledgement of sin. All of these symbols give a greater meaning to the story. First, Hester and Pearl go out into the forest for a walk. Pearl notices that the sunshine evades Hester, and this frightens her. In chapter 16 A Forest Walk, we see the dialogue between them. “‘Mother,’ said little Pearl, ‘the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and
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The prickly burrs are supposed to represent how nature does not easily forgive and it knows all sin. The burrs attach to Hester, meaning that her chances of avoiding God and sin are gone. In chapter 10 The Leech and His Patient, “...little Pearl paused to gather the prickly burrs from a tall burdock, which grew beside the tomb. Taking a handful of these, she arranged them along the lines of the scarlet letter… she threw one of the prickly burrs at the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale. The sensitive clergymen shrunk, with nervous dread, from the light missile.” Pearl is the guiding hand for nature, as she does many of these types of acts. Nature is trying to show us that Hester since she is marked with the burrs, the people and God know of her sin. Though with Dimmesdale, Pearl throws the burrs, as God knows of his sin, but since he is not marked, the people do not. Nature is symbolizing its overall power over sin. This new perspective shows the reader how the townsfolk are oblivious to the situation. These moments with Pearl, Dimmesdale, and Hester show us the importance of nature. The burrs have us notice that the characters are well aware in how nature is taking the role in character development. Dimmesdale saw that the burrs were on the letter, and in instinct he cowered away from the burrs. It also helps to develop the plot, as this makes more questions appear in the minds of readers, as they
The prickly burrs are supposed to represent how nature does not easily forgive and it knows all sin. The burrs attach to Hester, meaning that her chances of avoiding God and sin are gone. In chapter 10 The Leech and His Patient, “...little Pearl paused to gather the prickly burrs from a tall burdock, which grew beside the tomb. Taking a handful of these, she arranged them along the lines of the scarlet letter… she threw one of the prickly burrs at the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale. The sensitive clergymen shrunk, with nervous dread, from the light missile.” Pearl is the guiding hand for nature, as she does many of these types of acts. Nature is trying to show us that Hester since she is marked with the burrs, the people and God know of her sin. Though with Dimmesdale, Pearl throws the burrs, as God knows of his sin, but since he is not marked, the people do not. Nature is symbolizing its overall power over sin. This new perspective shows the reader how the townsfolk are oblivious to the situation. These moments with Pearl, Dimmesdale, and Hester show us the importance of nature. The burrs have us notice that the characters are well aware in how nature is taking the role in character development. Dimmesdale saw that the burrs were on the letter, and in instinct he cowered away from the burrs. It also helps to develop the plot, as this makes more questions appear in the minds of readers, as they