Trevor Klipstein
Ms. Elliott
English III
3-21-17
The Symbolism of the Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter follows the story of Hester Prynne throughout her life. Hester committed a sin punishable by death, but was instead given a mark. This mark was the scarlet letter “A”, the meaning of which changed during the course of the story.
First, the original meaning of the letter “A”. At the beginning of the book was the meaning was Adultery, a very grave sin in the eyes of the puritans. The book states, while the stranger is talking to the townsman that, “The penalty thereof is death” (Hawthorne 43). The man then goes on to say, “But in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only
Ms. Elliott
English III
3-21-17
The Symbolism of the Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter follows the story of Hester Prynne throughout her life. Hester committed a sin punishable by death, but was instead given a mark. This mark was the scarlet letter “A”, the meaning of which changed during the course of the story.
First, the original meaning of the letter “A”. At the beginning of the book was the meaning was Adultery, a very grave sin in the eyes of the puritans. The book states, while the stranger is talking to the townsman that, “The penalty thereof is death” (Hawthorne 43). The man then goes on to say, “But in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only