Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Symbolism in literature is using an object to portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Symbols represent ideas or qualities that the author has maneuvered into his or her story that has meaning. There can be multiple symbols in a story or just one. It is up to the reader to interpret the meaning of the symbols and their significance to the story. While reading a story, symbols may not become clear until the very end, once the climax is over, and the falling action is covered. In William Faulkner’s, “A Rose for Emily,” there are multiple examples of symbolism that occur throughout the story.

In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author presents three symbols that all reinforce the main idea of the novel. The main idea that reoccurred throughout the novel is that people don’t have to let their mistakes or circumstances determine who they are or what they become; it’s all in how one interprets life. Many symbols may seem as just an ordinary character or coincidental object to some readers, but the symbols have a deeper, underlying meaning. Although there are many symbols in this book, there are three that really help support the main idea: Hester Prynne’s scarlet letter, the meteor, and Hester’s daughter Pearl.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, symbolsim is constantly present in the actual scarlet letter “A” as it is viewed as a symbol of sin and the gradally changes its meanign, guilt is also a mejore symbol, and Pearl’s role in this novel is symbolic as well. The Scarlet Letter includes many profound and crucial symbols. these devices of symbolism are best portayed in the novel, most noticably through the letter “A” best exemplifies the changes in the symbolic meaning throughout the novel.

If it is important, it is remembered. If it has any value, it will last far into the future, if not forever. This is why Michelangelo’s David, the Mona Lisa, the automobile, The Beatles, and Pride and Prejudice are all remembered. If it is the first to make an impact, it becomes important. That is when it will affect people in future generations. For example, the Model T is not produced anymore, but is the grandfather of almost every car made today, affecting jobs, businesses, people, and the world. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is taught today because it was one of the first important American written novels that contained obvious symbolism. Since symbolism is used in everything of literary merit, it is important to see where it started. In the same way, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has lasted through the years and still be prevalent today. This is achieved in the original books and continuing in spin offs and adaptations.

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)

The Puritan era in New England was inundated with an atmosphere of righteousness and judgment. This culture spurned those who strayed from its religious codes. In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses multiple symbols to bring a deeper meaning to the society, his characters, and to adultery. One of the motifs used comes as the character Pearl, the daughter of the two adulterers. Pearl has multiple descriptions; physically, she is “a lovely and immortal flower,” yet also “an airy sprite . . . as if she were hovering in the air and might vanish” (80, 83). She has a “wild, desperate, defiant mood” and is often referred to as a “flower,” a “bird,” and an “elf” (82, 80, 98, 87). Hawthorne uses Pearl’s multi-layered personality

The setting of Alice Walkers short story” The Flowers” is important for us, the readers to obtain a perspective of how life was like growing up for a 10 year old African American girl by the name of Myop. The title of the story is “The Flowers.” When you think about flowers, you instantly compare them to being beautiful, pure, and innocent. The title of the “The Flowers” is a symbolism that correlates to Myop who is the protagonist of the story. Myop is just like a flower in the beginning of the story. She’s a pure and innocent child but that pure innocence changes when she discovers something that’ll change her life forever.

Pearl Prynne of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter exhibits intuition and persistence by constantly questioning her surroundings. Pearl exhibits intuition by always questioning her environment. During Hester’s conversation with Rev. Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth (check this fact), Pearl spasmodically interrupts the dialogue with “Come away Mother! Come away, or yonder old Black Man will catch you!! He hath got hold of the minister already!” (N.H. 159). Pearl is very suspicious of Roger Chillingworth. Since Pearl is a young child, no adult has told her a single detail about Chillingworth or why he is in her town. Pearl questions the stranger’s abrupt presence in Boston, and she comes to the conclusion that he is up to no good, without

She would often seclude Pearl from the world outside of their backyard. Immediately, one can associate Pearl with the rosebush in nature because of the comfort she tries to provide her mother. Pearl was also referred to as a flittering young bird. A reader can interpret this image as Hester seeing Pearl's freedom. Hester realizes that she will never regain her freedom.

Hawthorne uses allusion throughout the novel to describe the symbolism in various different objects. He writes, “But did your reverence hear of the portent that was seen last night?-a great red letter in the sky-the letter ‘A’ which we interpret to stand for ‘Angel’”. (Hawthorne 135). This is allusion because it is referring to an angel. The A in the sky though is interpreted in many different ways.

The Scarlet Letter as a Dynamic Symbol In the 17th century, Boston was home to a Puritan community whose ideals, values, and traditions were held in strict accordance to the teachings and laws of God. In order to maintain his or her public image, a Puritan man or woman would only dare to be seen or heard of doing religiously appropriate things. Those who failed to uphold the Puritan ideals were shamed, as is best shown by the enforcement of the “scarlet letter” upon Hester Prynne. However, as the story progresses, it can be questioned what the Puritans actually think of Hester and the Scarlet Letter, revealing to the reader the true nature of the Puritans. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, the scarlet letter ‘A’ is a dynamic

Webster defined "symbol" with these words: "Something concrete that represents or suggests another thing that cannot in itself be pictured." This concept has been particularly applied to literature and used by writers throughout history. Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter uses multitudes of symbols in such a manner. One of the most prominent, and most complicated, of such symbols is the scarlet letter "A". The scarlet letter "A" is a symbol of a daughter's connection to her mother, isolation, and the devil and its associations.

From birth she has had an obsession with the object. She instinctively reached out and grabs it as an infant. She makes herself her very own scarlet letter out of seaweed. She plays in the forest with the plants and animals. Pearl is nature's child.

Having this beautiful, wild rosebush growing in an unexpected place against an ugly, iron prison door that is surrounded by darkness and sin symbolizes God’s grace as He provides unmerited mercy and everlasting love to humans, the ultimate filthy sinners that are the opposite of pure holiness and cleanliness of God, as represented by the stark, gloomy prison door against the beautiful, bright rosebush. Additionally, the rosebush represents Hester’s sin since the connotations of a red rose relates to sensual desires and love which is what caused Hester to commit adultery and produce the constant reminder of

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.