What Does The Rose Bush Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

In the book The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism to get across the main idea of the book. The main symbol Hawthorne uses is the rose bush, to show that throughout all the pain and judgement Hester Prynne had to go through, this rose bush showed her there is still hope. The rose bush shows her strength, beauty, hope and freedom. A newly mother, Hester, gets publicly humiliated for her sin of adultery, but this one rose bush tells her not to give up on herself and Pearl. The first meaning behind this rose bush is strength and beauty. The bush shows Hester the strength she has and the strength she need to get past this part in her life. It also shows beauty this life has in store for her. The letter is placed on hester causing some issues. It’s …show more content…
It's not the end and her life isn't just going to stop because of this letter. The rosebush represents Hester's strength a mother and it shows beauty of a new life outside the prison doors. In the book it reads “On one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the threshold, was a wild rose-bush, covered, in this month of June, with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner as he went in...”(page 46). Since the rose bush stits right outside this prison, as people get put in the rose bush is the last piece of natater and beauty they see. Being put in this dark scary place the rose bush really helps the prisons see truth and gives them strength to not just give up. There is more the world can offer them, they just need more time to find it.This bush does not only help Hester it also means something for Pearl. “Pearl, seeing the rose-bushes, began to cry for a red rose, and would not be pacified. ‘Hush, child—hush!’ said her mother, earnestly. ‘Do not cry, dear little Pearl!”(page 98). As much as pearl wanted one of the beautiful flowers she wasn't allowed. The are so pretty, she begins to cry