Symbolism in the letter “A” Brigham Young once said, “ True independence and freedom can only exist in doing what is right.” In “The Scarlet Letter,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne his protagonist, Hester Prynne, achieves independence when she rebelled against society and committed adultery, the act of having sex with an individual who is not their spouse. During this time Puritans believed all of life’s answers are in the bible. However, Hester committed a sin which resulted in society shaming her by placing
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, is a compassionate yet riveting piece of English literature that supports the movement for equality of suppressed women during a most tumultuous time during the 1800’s. Hawthorne’s use of emotional diction and imagery throughout his novel employs a deplorable tone upon the story. It serves as a stark representation of an imaginative yet realistic example of the indifference of men and women during these changing times. Deeply held Puritanical beliefs
Hester vs. the Community in The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter seems to be created around Hawthorne's obsession with the forbidding quality of the scarlet "A", the symbol from which the novel takes its title. Rrom the rose-bush which Hawthorne selects a flower from as an offering to the reader(1) to the "elfish" child Pearl, every aspect of the story is drenched in this letter's scarlet hue. Perhaps this repetition reflects Hawthorne's own repressed desires
Symbolism is the use of symbols to express or represent ideas or qualities in literature. There are many symbols throughout Nathanial Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. The characters and many different things throughout the book are all symbolic, but the main symbol in the novel is the letter “A” on Hester Prynne’s gown. Not only are there many symbols throughout the novel, but the letter “A” has many different representations of itself such as, adultery, which is the main symbol for the “A,” her ability
a sinner”. Hester Prynne, a tenacious, honest, courageous woman, has committed an irreversible mistake that she will be tormented with, for the rest of her miserable existence. She will be shunned from the rest of her community, only to be accompanied with a constant reminder of the result of her act of love and passion, an act which was also adultery. Her character is revealed through her isolated life with her daughter, Pearl, but will never be forgotten by the scarlet letter upon her bosom
The main characters in this story are Hester Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Pearl. Hester Prynne is from New England, she married a man named Roger Chillingworth. Their plan was to move to Boston together, Hester would go first and Roger would follow. Roger never showed up, so Hester had an affair with Arthur Dimmesdale and had a child with him. Hester is shamed and alienated from the town, Hester becomes very independent. Roger Chillingworth has a distorted soul, he is unable
The Scarlet Letter List of Symbols Scaffold- The scaffold is a place where most of the important scenes in the Scarlet Letter take place. It was placed under Boston’s earliest church and was made of wood and iron. The scaffold is a place of shame and punishment for anyone in the community that commits a sin. It is the most public place in the Puritan society and used for torture of the sinners as they walk up the steps and stand there for hours at a time. In the beginning it is where Hester is
The character of Hester Prynne in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter is the perfect example of a round character: one who is complex as a result of growing and changing throughout the story. Hester is a character through which readers can view growing empowerment, increasing self-esteem, and blossoming confidence. Originally a symbol of sin and wrongdoing, Hester Prynne develops into a figure of ability and strength. From the first time she is introduced in the novel, it can easily be
are. It is not any different in Hester Prynne’s situation in the historical fiction novel, The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne writes of an adulteress, who is forced to wear the letter “A” upon her chest to represent her sin, and her daughter, a constant reminder of what she has done. Although a puritan community demands a society to conform, Hester Prynne continues doing what is not expected and living her individual life even after being forced to hold a symbol of shame, ultimately illustrating
written novel, The Scarlet Letter, the reader is able to fully absorb what it was like to live in a society run under such simple yet draconian Puritan values. Many of the characters in this classic novel display many Puritan values: making clothes for the poor, tending to those who are ill, and preaching God to the community. At the same time, though, most of them have committed some form of serious sin. In a way, the real question is, who is the “best” Puritan in The Scarlet Letter? Well, many believed