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Figurative Language In The Prison Door By Nathanial Hawthorne

424 Words2 Pages

Figurative language is defined as uses of words differing from their proper definitions in order to achieve a more complicated understanding or effect (1). Nathanial Hawthorne uses figurative language all throughout The Scarlet Letter to give the text a deeper meaning. To begin, chapter one, titled “The Prison Door”, Hawthorne describes a very ugly and disgusting prison and prison door, but next to it, was a rose bush. "... 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, and to the condemned criminal as he came forth to his doom, in token that the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him. (Hawthorne, 33)” Hawthorne uses the setting of the prison and personification of the rose bush to help the readers understand what the rest of his story is going to be like. It will be filled with sorrow and grief and that there is only going to be one small glimmer of hope and happiness. …show more content…

“At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne’s forehead… “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. (Hawthorne, 36)” This quote gives readers a deeper look in puritan believes, society, and what was expected of women at that time. Another important aspect of chapter two is the scarlet letter A sewn onto Hester’s dress. The letter is red and outlined with golden thread. This indicates that Hester took the symbol of shame and made it beautifully embroidered letter, which she wears without anguish or

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