Essay On Symbolism In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Improved Essays
Nathaniel Hawthorne 's The Scarlet Letter is full of symbolism. Every item has a story in it. He didn’t just throw in a rose because they’re his favorite flower. He put thought and meaning into every word in the book. Hawthorne’s symbolism may be over discussed in various english classes, but it for good reason. Most students wouldn’t see the symbolism behind each major items or characters in the book. Probably the most prominent symbol, and the most discussed, is the scarlet letter. The scarlet is best known as the embroidered letter that is worn on Hester Prynne 's dresses. The A at first, stands for adultery, the crime which Hester committed. Throughout the book however, the meaning changes. It stands for able when Hester helps the poor and sick. The town people begin to see the letter as a sign of good, instead of sinful. The letter however, stands for much more. It appears many times in the book, outside of Hester. It’s believed that Arthur Dimmesdale has an a burned into his chest, above his heart. This a is more harmful to Dimmesdale than anyone else, because he’s the only …show more content…
When Hawthorne was writing the book, there was a war going on between between science and religion. The forest represents science because it’s not well known and people associate it with evil. The forest is dark and darkness goes hand and hand with evil. In the book, the devil lives in the woods so the woods are the home of all evil. The rose bush that is by the prison door is a wild rose bush. It is the only beautiful vegetation that grows near the prison and is a stark contrast to all of it’s surrounding. It represents kindness and forgiveness because the prison is cruel and strict, and then there’s the rose bush that grows next to it, a beacon of hope. The rose bush also represents Hester rebelling against the common puritan beliefs and letting go. It just so happens that the rose is the same color of Hester’s scarlet

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Imagery is included in The Scarlet Letter to insert a more profound message. The application of light and dark imagery is essential to the novel in creating a lively and melancholy moods to establish variance in the characters as well as their lives. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses the societal hypocrisy of Puritans, elements of nature and the importance of the scarlet letter to exude the how sin is an entity of life. Puritans are merciless and use public humiliation as an epitome of the consequences of sin. In Boston during the seventeenth century, Puritans came to set up a paradise colony but upon arriving “[the] founders of a new colony… have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of…

    • 1181 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Because of this, it was inferred that the forest was the home of villainous spirits. It was believed that no one ventured there without wishing to convert to depravity. Rumor had it that the “Black Man,” or Devil, would wander around wooded areas under the protection of nightfall in order to manipulate people into selling their souls to him. Even the children of the community are utterly fascinated in this tale. Pearl often questions her mother if she has “ever meet him [the Black Man],” and whether or not “this [the scarlet letter],” was “his mark” (Hawthrone, 170).…

    • 1259 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Arthur Dimmesdale, like Hester, is another important character who plays a significant role in the novel “The Scarlet Letter.” Also like Hester, Arthur Dimmesdale’s name can be linked back to his characteristics. The name “Arthur” is like the word “author” which is a word that can be linked to someone with intelligence (Lei). Nan Lei says the following statement about Dimmesdale “Graduated from a famous university in England, Arthur Dimmesdale is a holy clergyman with great religious accomplishment and high social status. His parishioners turn to him for guidance and direction, and in their mind, he is a perfect model and almost sinless.”…

    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Diction The novel in general is written in formal language because of its complex wording and sophisticated style. For example, Hawthorne uses imagery as well as metaphors and irony. “Thou art crushed under this seven years' weight of misery," replied Hester, fervently resolved to buoy him up with her own energy. "But thou shalt leave it all behind thee!…

    • 1319 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Symbolism comes in many forms, whether through objects, events, environments, or actions. Through symbolism, a single thing can have a variety of meanings. In the 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne creates symbolism through names. Hester Prynne, Pearl, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth all have names that reflect who they are. Hawthorne uses the literary element of symbolism in the names of his characters to enhance the story and give insight into their personalities.…

    • 757 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over time Hester comes to see the letter as a symbol of her strength and individuality and she comes to see it as time goes by. Now that the village has changed it's values, it perceives Hester and her letter as a symbol of being honorable and she gets this respect that she so once desired and wanted all because of time.…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    This paragraph within the introduction of “The Scarlet Letter” is essential for the establishment of the plot. In this paragraph, the author identifies one of the key symbols within the story: the scarlet letter A that Hester Prynne wears upon her bosom. Assuming that this paragraph was not included within the Custom House Introductory, the reader would not be able to identify the inspiration behind “The Scarlet Letter”. Additionally, the reader would not understand the reason behind creating a story based around something as arbitrary as a red letter A. Even though this paragraph creates a basic understanding as to the origin of the scarlet letter, some information is still left out.…

    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In The Scarlet Letter, there are many symbols and themes. One of these themes is good vs. evil. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses plant imagery to illustrate his theme of good vs. evil. The Scarlet Letter contains evil elements such as betrayal and deceit, but it also contains good elements such as free spirit and positivity. Hawthorne uses weeds to illustrate the betrayal and deceit found in The Scarlet Letter.…

    • 366 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Isabella Aiello Mrs. Voshell Honors English 10 22 December 2017 Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter is a romance, historical, and American fiction novel, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne wrote this novel using a time scheme opening in Boston in the year 1642 and closing seven years later. Throughout this period of time little action occurred.…

    • 1533 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The A means a variety of different things including adultery and able. Hester has a child in sin and is forced to wear a letter A on her chest for the rest of her life. She makes this A big and gold on scarlet fabric, which goes to show that she isn't ashamed of it in the slightest, that is until she stands up on the scaffold and is shamed publically. Pearl and the scarlet A itself; both are intimately connected to Hester's adultery. In her initial shame, Hester tries to conceal the A by holding Pearl close to her chest.…

    • 1688 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses many symbols, for example the sunshine, the forest, and water. Symbols of things would be the scarlet letter itself and the symbols of places would be like the scaffold. Finally, symbols of people would include Dimmesdale and Pearl, also being a symbol, are one of the heavily symbolized characters in the book. Some of these symbols can help characters understand their lives or even foreshadow events that appear later in the story.. In this novel, the symbols are used frequently throughout the novel and help the reader understand the book bit by bit with each characters’ input.…

    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Hester's Cottage Symbolism

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Throughout the book the Scarlet Letter there are many symbols that have an important meaning either to Hester and Pearl or other main characters. Some of these symbols such as the rosebush outside the prison, the scaffold and Governor Bellingham's suit of armor are important. However, out of all these symbols there are three that stand out the most which is Nature, the Forest, and Hester's cottage. Each one representing something special to Hester and her daughter Pearl; Nature kept Pearl from being contaminated, the forest gave Pearl a place to live in peace and play, and the cottage represents a safe place where Hester and Pearl can get away from the rest of the world.…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    The theme of nature is portrayed heavily in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Nature is used to show the freedom or/and exclusion in characters such as Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and mostly Pearl as its symbols such as light/darkness, religion and the forest act upon them. This nineteenth century romantic novel portrays themes of Puritan religion that are contrasted profoundly with nature. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the comparison of light and darkness to expose both the good and evil in society itself and its people.…

    • 1856 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Scarlet Letter, a book written by the nephew of Hathorne, who goes by the name of Hawthorne is about a woman who committed adultery, but also has a main point of good vs.evil. Written in the 1800’s by a puritan author and taking place in the New World during the 1600’s. The Scarlet Letter is mainly about a town that revolves around punishment and a woman that who sinned. But it all symbolizes good and evil. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the Wild Rosebush, Pearl, and the Forest and Sunlight to contribute to the overall theme of imperfection.…

    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “... and wherefore is she set up to public shame?” (Hawthorne, p. 54). A symbol in literature means a representation of an object that stands for something that is not material. As seen in many works of literature, a place or setting can often have a symbolic meaning. The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses symbolism to show the importance of settings, objects, and characters in the novel.…

    • 831 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays