Scarlet Letter Pearl Symbolism

Symbolism is used a great amount in the story The Scarlet Letter. “Both characters and actions are soaked in symbolism” (Wagenknecht 61). Both characters from the novel and even main settings and objects in the novel were symbolized by something in some sort of way. Examples of characters and objects from the book that used symbolism in some way were Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, the forest, Pearl and many more were in the story. Hester was one the most if not the most popular fictional, female character in American fiction. Hester Prynne, dark beautiful of form and featured, and unmistakably of genteel background, was the first great female character in American fiction” (Wagenknecht 64).

Hester is a perfect example when talking about

With everything Hester was going through Pearl was who Hester looked forward to every day. “Her mother’s only treasure!” (Hawthorne 98). One of the key symbols with Pearl is nature. Nature meaning wild in this case. Pearl is definitely a wild young girl and like any other little girl wants to understand things and asks a lot of questions. Even in the book Pearl was curious and asked what the “A” on her mother’s chest was for and why she always wore it. Hester knew Pearl was too young to understand and that it was not right for her to tell Pearl what the letter really stood for so Hester covered it my saying “I like the gold thread.” This was definitely a smart thing for Hester. Pearl also in a way is a symbol for the rose bush. This has to relate with the connection between Pearl and Hester and why the rose bush is a good example to represent Pearl. A rose bush is beautiful and is sweet, but a rose bush also has thorns that show pain. Pearl is like a rose bush because she is a sweet young girl and beautiful young girl just like her mother Hester. However, there is a bitter side, or a thorn that comes with Pearl. Pearl stands for her mother’s sin. It’s almost impossible for Hester to look at Pearl and not think about how Pearl is a punishment for her adultery sin. Back to Pearl being a symbol of nature. She was indeed wild and she was excited to go

In the novel the forest was at first looked as an evil, dark, unforgivable place that one must not visit. Then as the story continues the forest changes. Light is seen happiness and peace are felt. The forest gets a whole new perspective. In the beginning of the novel the forest is a dark place and an evil place no doubt. It was said that in the forest roams the “Black man” in other terms this meant the Devil. He walked around with a book and had people who committed a sin like how Hester committed adultery would have to sign the book in their own blood. The beginning of the novel it was clear that the forest was a symbol for evil. As the novel went on the forest had got a whole new perspective that changed the way characters like Hester and Pearl saw the forest. Darkness and evil was lifted from the forest and peace and lift were felt. Peace stood for the forest along with a wild place. Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale went into the forest and had no longer seen the forest as evil, but as a free, wild place for them to be together. It was a perfect spot for Hester and Dimmesdale to be together without people from the town finding out it was him that has done the other half of the sin. The forest was also a place where Heater could be and show her true self. She let her hair down and even tore away the scarlet letter. Dimmesdale and Hester could finally speak to one another and they had a few wild ideas in the forest