The Adulterer’s Sin: Hester’s Journey of Rebellion to Growth
As seasons come and go, the leaves fall and grow; they flourish in spring, and fade away during the fall. Leaves bring forth new meanings for each season, which constantly change and evolve. Leaves that thrive in the spring essentially foreshadow a long and warm summer, but those that fall and wither away, foreshadow a cold and brutal winter. In the Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the meaning of the Scarlet Letter evolves as Hester develops as a character. This is related to leaves, as they are a crucial symbol which change meaning as seasons change. The "A" that Hester wears upon her dress is meant to be a symbol of shame and sin, but the meaning of the scarlet letter evolves simultaneously with the development of Hester’s character. It eventually gives Hester the …show more content…
Hawthorne conveys an important message about the scarlet letter’s function in Hester life; the various meanings change how the character views the world. When the scarlet letter is introduced, it is given to Hester as a punishment; the "A" stands for adulterer, and it forces Hester into a state of solemnity. In the middle of town, Hester is publicly denounced by all of society. (SP14) The public views Hester’s “A” on her chest as a reminder of her wrongdoing and the demoness inside of her. The puritan society in Salem uses Hester as a perfect model of a sinner and what they should avoid doing at all costs. A stranger stated, "thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone” (Hawthorne 81). Hester cannot escape the “ignominious” letter, it will be a part of her forever, and she will take her sin to the grave. Hawthorne uses obscure figurative language to emphasize Hester’s sinful puritan action, as she is compared to “a living sermon”.
As seasons come and go, the leaves fall and grow; they flourish in spring, and fade away during the fall. Leaves bring forth new meanings for each season, which constantly change and evolve. Leaves that thrive in the spring essentially foreshadow a long and warm summer, but those that fall and wither away, foreshadow a cold and brutal winter. In the Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the meaning of the Scarlet Letter evolves as Hester develops as a character. This is related to leaves, as they are a crucial symbol which change meaning as seasons change. The "A" that Hester wears upon her dress is meant to be a symbol of shame and sin, but the meaning of the scarlet letter evolves simultaneously with the development of Hester’s character. It eventually gives Hester the …show more content…
Hawthorne conveys an important message about the scarlet letter’s function in Hester life; the various meanings change how the character views the world. When the scarlet letter is introduced, it is given to Hester as a punishment; the "A" stands for adulterer, and it forces Hester into a state of solemnity. In the middle of town, Hester is publicly denounced by all of society. (SP14) The public views Hester’s “A” on her chest as a reminder of her wrongdoing and the demoness inside of her. The puritan society in Salem uses Hester as a perfect model of a sinner and what they should avoid doing at all costs. A stranger stated, "thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone” (Hawthorne 81). Hester cannot escape the “ignominious” letter, it will be a part of her forever, and she will take her sin to the grave. Hawthorne uses obscure figurative language to emphasize Hester’s sinful puritan action, as she is compared to “a living sermon”.