Scarlet Letter Symbolism

There are many forms of symbolism found in The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne, the author uses his many forms of symbolism to project a lesson or moral created throughout the story. Even each of the main characters has a different moral representation. Guilt, repentance, purity, and strength each are shown through the eyes of a different character. Pear, Hester Prynne, Chillingworth, and Reverend Dimmesdale are main characters that are used to show that you should “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!”(Hawthorne286)

Hester is publicly recognized because of the scarlet letter; as a result, she is liberated by it. Readers are told that “many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (146). While Hester’s strength is bolstered, however, Dimmesdale’s only diminishes, because he is forced to internalize his shame and despair. The various ways in which the minister tries to correct this misery are revealed halfway through the novel: “In Mr. Dimmesdale’s secret closet, under lock and key, there was a bloody scourge…It was his custom, too, as it has been that of many other pious Puritans, to fast – not, however, like them, in order to purify the body…but rigorously, and until his knees trembled beneath him, as an act of penance. He kept vigils, likewise, night after night…He thus typified the constant introspection wherewith he tortured, but could not purify, himself” (132). Through these means of self-harm, Dimmesdale acknowledges his tragic flaw, but he does nothing to redeem himself publicly. Dimmesdale is entirely unable to forgive himself for his sin, even when he is able to forgive Hester: “’I do forgive you, Hester. I freely forgive you now!’”

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 a scarlet letter “A” upon her chest. In the novel “ The Scarlet Letter,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the letter “A” is a symbol for adultery, ability, angel, and Pearl’s living persona of the scarlet letter.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written amidst the 1800’s. Hawthorne was a famous American author during that time frame. He is a relative to a judge from the Salem Witch Trials, which was his Great-Great Grandfather John Hathorne. Hathorne was the only judge who did not express atonement for his crimes, which led people to dislike all the Hathorne’s. This sparked Nathaniel Hawthorne's interest in the Puritan times, which resulted in the Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne delineates Puritan standards religiously and culturally in an outstanding way. He was also an Anti-Transcendentalist which means that he believed that all humans were evil. In his novel, the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbols of the scarlet letter, Reverend Dimmesdale, and burrs to add onto the overall theme of guilt.

Not only has he become false to God and man, but to himself as well. While he wears the garb of a minister, he does not minister to his own spirit. In the end, Dimmesdale chooses to conserve his public persona rather than save his own

Nevertheless, Hester accepts her punishment for adultery and faces all that comes her way with it. She may accept wearing the scarlet A trimmed with gold thread as a decoration but it was a burden she carried around daily, and Hester accepting her sin has unhappy results. In Chapter 2, the author mentions that the scarlet letter took Hester out of ordinary relations with humanity and enclosed her in a sphere by herself. As a result, to this Hester becomes lonely because the only person she has is Pearl who is the product of her sin. Although, Hester may not suffer as much as the other characters her sin is widely known to the community and she has

For Dimmesdale, the revered town reverend, the sin pits him with the decision to sacrifice his well being for the sake of the reputation of the church. His agony is seen in chapter 17, “Had I one friend, -or were it my worst enemy! – To whom, when sickened with the praises of all other men, I could daily betake myself, and be known as the vilest of all sinners, methinks my soul might keep itself alive thereby. Even thus much of truth would save me! But now, it is all falsehood!

The Scarlet Letter can be interpreted in many ways and each and every person’s opinion might differ from another. Many objects are considered symbols throughout the book and all of them build up to the climax of the story. The biggest and most prominent symbol in the Scarlet Letter, in my own opinion, was Pearl. Pearl is the best symbol in the book because she is the living, breathing reason of Hester Prynne’s and Arthur Dimmesdale’s hidden romance, that led to pain, torture, and eventually death.

Anything and everything in our world are symbolic. In The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a world in which the symbolic nature of things are meant to give the reader insight into the deeper meaning surrounding the characters. Hester Prynne, Pearl , and Arthur Dimmesdale, struggle with daily life because of their personal choices. For each character Hawthorne demonstrates just how the symbolic nature of life helps and hinders them in making those choices. Symbols come in all shapes and sizes, including people, plants, and even cloth. The symbols in the Scarlet Letter all have an essential meaning.

letter as the Devil. Hester feels the letter burns her skin and soul, and it is a constant reminder

Hester’s scarlet letter is a piece of clothing, the “SCARLET LETTER, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom” (Hawthorn 51). Her interpretation of the extremity of her sins is one of self composure and calm. She views her sins solely as a "violation in the natural order" of the environment and therefore cannot even perceive her sin as being evil except through outside influence. Dimmesdale on the other hand, has a scarlet letter carved in his chest. This is revealed when Dimmesdale was giving his revelation, in which “he tore away the ministerial band from before his breast. It was revealed!” (Hawthorn 232). Dimmesdale 's personal interpretation as to the extremity of his own sins is a "violation of God 's law," which is the law that he is totally dedicated to and supported by. Dimmesdale 's interpretation of his sin is much more severe than Hester 's, it is a violation and direct contradiction of his own self consciousness and physical existence. Therefore the appearance of his A, even though it is never directly described in the novel, must be powerful, broken, and brutally dishonest (...a ghastly rapture; Hawthorne pg.95). Since the Scarlet Letter on Hester is visible to the public, she was criticized and looked down on. “This women has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die” (Hawthorn 49) is said by a female in the marketplace talking about Hester. She becomes a stronger person through living this hard life.

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne is abundant with symbols. Hawthorne’s use of symbols was used to enlarge literal meaning and to make you think of the biggest symbol that the whole story was featured around, the red letter ‘A’. The Scarlet Letter is based back in seventeenth century Boston, which at the time was a purely Puritan society. Hester

Symbolism has many different meanings, and the Scarlet ‘A’ in “The Scarlet Letter” has many different meanings as well. Hester Prynne is the main character who is forced to wear the scarlet letter as remembrance for the crime and the sin that she has committed. This letter completely ruined her reputation in her community. How could a small piece of fabric do so much harm? This letter was a representation of something much greater than the letter ‘A’. This letter was originally made to stand for adulteress, as physical reminder of her sins. The vibrant scarlet red is meant to shame Hester, to make her feel sorry for her mistakes. Most importantly it was a symbol for change and an emblem of identity. In short, the scarlet letter meant much more than a letter of shame, it was simply a piece of fabric with meaning that could easily change.

The Scarlet Letter is a book about the suspense, love, guilt, and the pain of letting your emotions get the best of you. In one incident, Hester Prynne, a member of the Puritan society. Committed one of the most deadly sins, adultery, and was punished to wear the scarlet letter. The Scarlet Letter itself symbolizes isolation, sin, punishment and guilt.

     Dimmesdale symbolizes a few things as well. He is a symbol of temptation, as shown by the original sin of Hester and Dimmesdale, and also later in the story when he asks Hester to run off with him. He tempts her, and she gives in to the temptation in both instances. He is a symbol of Puritanism, not only because he is the pastor, but also the way he repents. When he confesses and dies, he goes straight to heaven, because he repented once and for all. That is a representation of the Puritan belief, that one only needs to repent once, and all is forgiven. Also, one might say that Dimmesdale is the Black Man, from when Hester says that the letter is a mark from her encounter with the Black Man (170). While in the forest, Dimmesdale tries to take Hester away, and according to the townspeople, the Black Man meets