Hester Prynne's Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Imagine being publicly humiliated for a sin that society believes to be unacceptable. Hester Prynn has to live this harsh life as a reality. Getting shamed on a daily basis. Hawthorn shows in The Scarlet Letter that embracing individuality in the face of society’s push to conform is the true freedom in life through Hester, the symbolism of pearl, and the setting of the scaffold. What society thinks about Hester only makes her stronger than she already is. The letter A stands for the sin of adultery as Hester has it, “On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne 47). Hawthorne shows very clearly that Hester acknowledges that

She is the punishment for Hester, however she is also a blessing. Many think of Pearl to be possessed by a fiend. However Hester believed that Pearl was her own blessing, “‘Mother,’ cries she, ‘I see you here. Look! Look!’ Hester looked, by way of humoring the child; and she saw that, owing to the peculiar effect of this convex mirror, the scarlet letter was represented in exaggerated and gigantic proportions”(Hawthorne 98). Despite being shamed by society, Pearl’s only fear is Hester’s rejection of the scarlet letter. To the townspeople, “poor little Pearl was a demon offspring”(Hawthorne 91). Pearl’s strong and passionate individuality serves as a reminder to the townsfolk of the harm they caused. She may seem and act like a demon, but she just has a wild and free spirit. Pearl also represents purity, beauty, and her mother’s strength. This reminds society, Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth the importance of embracing individuality and rejecting the pressure from societies conforming

The Puritans find public humiliation to be an effective punishment, “It was, in short, the platform of the pillory”(Hawthorne 49). Public humiliation was seen as an effort to change the criminal. They wanted to show everyone that there are serious consequences when you sin, “The scene was not without a mixture of awe, such as must always invest the spectacle of guilt and shame in a fellow creature”(Hawthorne 50). Putting Hester onto the scaffold was meant to be an example of her losing her faith within her Heavenly Father. She is set to be put out as a guilty criminal on it. It is a symbol of power to control and punish the criminals who walk away from society’s norms. The setting of the scaffold does not destroy her but instead strengthens her individuality. By standing there, Hester starts acknowledging and accepting that this is who she