Dark forests, haunted items, and representations of the devil. These are all things included in literature, movies, and television that symbolize a form of evil or darkness. In the Scarlet Letter, author Nathaniel Hawthorne uses different aspects to represent a theme of darkness in the book which relates back to the characters and symbols. Hawthorne writes about the looming “black man” and the daunting “forest” as symbols of evil throughout the novel. Symbolism concerning the “black man” in the Scarlet letter show the force of evil that surrounds the characters and their actions. It is also referred to as Satan. In the book’s opening chapters, Hester Prynne has been ordered to wear a scarlet “A” on her chest for adultery. The letter is considered