Hester Prynne Symbolism In Scarlet Letter

Branded on her chest for all to see, Hester Prynne has to wear the letter A for the duration of the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Although it is not explicitly stated, Hawthorne makes it apparent that the letter stands for adultery. Her fellow sinner, Arthur Dimmesdale, her husband, Roger Chillingsworth, and her daughter, Pearl, are all physical manifestations of the letter A. Dimmesdale represents her guilt, Chillingworth represents her fear, and Pearl represents the good that came from the A, along with many other characteristics. In the beginning of the book Hester stands on a scaffold with infant Pearl where she is being judged for her crimes, at this point the readers aren’t sure why she is here. However, Arthur Dimmesdale is one of her persecutors and speaks positively on her behalf. Because he is Pearl’s father he urges Hester to say the name of her fellow sinner, she, however, refuses. After public humiliation, which she accepts without complaint, she goes back to her prison cell. This is where she meets her husband, …show more content…
The rose represents Pearl and Hester, good things that came from a corrupt society. The prison is one of the first symbols Hawthorne uses to describe the hypocracy in Puritan society, a topic he has personal and strong feelings towards. The prison and the graveyard were the first things built in the town Hester lived in. Puritans, who judge others before themselves, were very hypocritical in their punishment and in their daily lives. There are many instances in the book where the author describes a person by their physical appearance and then will write their personality in a way that counteracts this. One example of this is Roger Chillingworth, who looks savage from his birth deformity and his time with the natives, is actually a practiced physician and holds immense intellect. Sadly, his name mirrors his cruel