1 / 5 1. At First the Scarlett letter "A" Symbolized Adultery. Adultery was at that time considered to be sinful and a crime at that time. We first saw what A symbolized when Hester was publicly humiliated for committing adultery and had to stand on the scaffold and wear the letter "A" on her chest. She did not just have to wear it on the scaffold, the terms of her punishment stated that she had to wear it for the rest of her earthly life. Eventually as she goes on in her life the Scarlett letter symbolizes other things in a more positive way. (Page 7) The Symbolism of "A" eventually grows into the meaning Abel because. Hester has changed her ways and is starting to be helpful in the community. She is helpful because she starts making clothes and other things for the Poor. The symbolism of "A" changed because Abel shows that she will not let the Scarlett letter …show more content…
For example, on page 11, she was experiencing her humiliation by standing on the scaffold and people tormenting her and harassing her. Although she was experiencing Private punishments on the scaffold too because, she was imagining what her parents are experiencing from this. The main Private punishment for her was when her husband showed up at the punishment. Hester was in shock at this and she was struggling internally when these to this happened internally. Another example of Public vs. Private punishment is when... Again, she is on the scaffold and has to be Humiliated publicly. Although internally she was dealing with the fact that the father. Dimsdale the father was present at Hesters "punishment" and he even spoke up and asked who the father was, this shows that Dimsdale was feeling guilty. Hester wouldn’t say who the father was because she still loved Dimsdale and didn’t want him to get in trouble. This showed her private punishment as well as her public punishment.