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Symbols In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

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Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbols to reveal themes of the text. In Chapter 15, Pearl creates “herself a scarf” out of seaweed and incorporated the scarlet letter on to it; however, the scarlet letter was, “…freshly green, instead of scarlet!” (139). Pearl, herself, is the living version of the scarlet letter, and has always been wild, but later settles down. Similarly, the meaning behind the scarlet letter has always been “adultery,” but soon becomes a symbol of Hester and does not have a negative representation. Hawthorne uses the fresh green color of Pearl’s letter “A” to symbolize how the scarlet letter has developed a new meaning. Furthermore, this symbol reveals the theme of women and femininity. Hester continues
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“Again, as if her mother’s agonized gesture were meant only to make sport for her, did little Pearl look into her eyes, and smile!” (p 82). Pearl herself being the product of sin, is a constant reminder to her mother that the scarlet letter cannot be neglected. Hawthorne shows this symbolism various times throughout the story. In Chapter two, during the first scaffold scene when Hester tries to hide away her scarlet letter with Pearl, Hawthorne indicates how useless that would be, considering that Pearl is the personification of her sin.

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While reading The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, it is obvious that he uses a lot of symbolism throughout his writing to give the readers a deeper understanding of the Puritans and their views in these times. In this book, the community forces Hester Prynne to wear a scarlet letter on her chest to show her abashment for committing adultery and having a child, Pearl. However, Pearl is actually used as a symbol throughout this book to represent the physical embodiment of Hester’s sin, the repercussions of her breaking the law, and an unworldly being in the usual strict Puritan society. In the beginning of the book, Hawthorne uses Pearl as a way to constantly remind Hester of her sin and as a link between the secret relationship of Hester

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Symbolism Within The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne created symbolism throughout The Scarlet Letter in order to develop the theme throughout Hester’s life. Hester is portrayed as a sheltered soul, shunned from society due to her adulterous acts. The red A and her daughter, Pearl, are symbols of Hester’s shame which she bares proudly despite society's harsh judgements. Hawthorne is able to use symbolism to develop themes, characters, and analogies in the Scarlet Letter.

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All throughout the book “The Scarlet Letter”, symbolism is used. The Most important symbol is in the title The scarlet letter which can symbolize many different things, at many times throughout the novel, it symbolizes adultery, sin, hard work, skill, charity, righteousness, sacredness, and, of even, grace. Symbolism is used through the scarlet letter, to the colors red and black, to pearl, the prison door, the red mark on Dimmesdale’s, ect. Symbolism is a big factor when it comes to talking about “The Scarlet Letter”. The book is about a girl in jail named Hester Prynne, she's an adulterous who is about to be let out of prison so that she can it can be pardoned through town wearing the scarlet letter “A”, she is being forced to wear the letter as proof that she has committed the crime of adultery.

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The book The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne has symbolism all throughout it. People and objects are symbolic of events and thoughts. Throughout the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale to signify philosophies that are evident during this time period. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against their ways, committing adultery. For this sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life.

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The Scarlet A was written on Hester Prynn’s chest, a key point of symbolism within one of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s most famous and prominent works of literature, The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne was able to effectively use symbolism to express his characters and refer to his own personal opinions and experiences. Throughout his ancestry he was related to many Puritans, one of which was a judge. Hawthorne did not agree with their beliefs and customs and later even added the “w” to his last name to separate himself from his family. Within his work The Scarlet Letter he uses the main character Hester Prynn to express the symbolism of adultery and sin, and the toll it took on those affected by it.

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Hawthorne uses symbolism throughout the Scarlet letter to display the sin and indecency people see Hester as. The detail represents ,the deep beauty Hester has inside although most people do not see her as a beutiful women. The deep red is a representation of adultery which shows her being an oncast from society. The symbol of the letter “A” is repetitive throughout the novel and grows with Hester and overcomes this with time as people start to see her as a person again and not just a adulterer. Hester acknowledges her sin in her puritan faith but swears to secrecy on the father of Pearl.

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The narrator illustrates such thought when admiring Pearl for the symbol she serves, “ But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb, and indeed of the child’s who appearance, that it irresistibly and inevitably reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!” ( Hawthorne 96). Pearl is known to the community for her antics and alienous behaviour. Pearl ironically dresses up in red, symbolizing the archetypical fiery nature within her as she further embodies the scarlet letter.

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This role of her being an antagonistic protagonist creates a paradox within the already complex and unusual child. The symbol of Pearl plays an important part in the novel The Scarlet Letter. She is a reminder of her mother 's sin and antagonist toward Hester, as well. She is the root of many other symbols in the book.

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In the very beginning of the novel The Scarlet Letter, the author starts with a puzzling discovery of an old manuscript in the attic along with a rag of scarlet cloth with the letter “A” sewn on it. As the mysterious tone arouses a sense of curiosity in the reader, the suspense takes hold and the author begins his story. The attention then switches to Hester Prynne, a young woman condemned for committing adultery, and the mood transforms into a more sardonic yet heartfelt sympathy for the poor girl. When Dimmesdale and Chillingworth are introduced, the tone switches between the truth of righteousness and true malevolence. Then as Pearl comes into play, she is the symbol of Hester's sin, but the author still introduces her with an innocent tone.

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The scarlet letter is originally a symbol of shame. Instead the scarlet letter becomes a symbol of identity to Hester. The letter’s meaning shifts as time goes on. Originally it marked Hester as an adulterer. The letter “A” eventually comes to stand for “Able.”

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Pearl is a symbol of the scarlet letter. She was born due to adultery, which is the same reason as to why Hester wears the scarlet letter A. In chapter 7, Pearl is coincidentally put into a red tunic, “...arraying her in a crimson velvet tunic … and flourishes of gold-thread” (Hawthorne 92), which makes Hester realize that she is the human version of the scarlet letter. By Hester realizing this, it shows to the reader that Pearl can be a “sin” and a “blessing” all at the same time.

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The Scarlet Letter is a romantic novel by Hawthorne Nathaniel. The novel is set at the time of Romanticism in America in the 17th century. The setting is Boston and the Puritan community. The Puritans are very intolerant of others, very strict and they have highly religious believes. One of the protagonists of the novel is Hester Prynne, who commits an adultery sin and society punished her by wearing a letter “A” and her daughter Pearl who is more a “living” symbol acts as a constant reminder of Hester and her father’s sin.

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“Pearl took some eelgrass, and … imitated, on her own bosom, the decoration… on her mother’s : A letter “A”, but freshly green, instead of scarlet!”, a quote pulled from Chapter 15, is another attempt by Hawthorne to convey the contrasting ideal of Pearl’s innocence and purity to Hester’s sin. The green of this imitated scarlet letter worn by Pearl is associated with nature and purity, while the scarlet of Hester’s original letter is typically associated with passion and

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With Hester changing her ways and helping the poor, the community changed, “They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (Hawthorne 168). While the community originally viewed the “A” as a symbol of sin, they began to see it too as a symbol of being “Able” because all that Hester Prynne had overcome. The Scarlet Letter had many examples of symbolism, but none were more significant that the letter “A”

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