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The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Nathaniel Hawthorne, who was born in Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1804. His ancestors include John Hathorne, who was the only judge who was involved in the Salem witch trials that never did apologize for his actions. So, Hawthorne, added a "w" to make his ancestral name in order to hide this relation. He attempted many novels; However, The Scarlet Letter was, by far, the most successful. The Scarlet Letter is an engaging and decisive work defined by Hawthorne’s use of symbolism. He used the symbols often throughout the book to create different themes. One of the key themes is that the definition of good and evil are subject to the varying viewpoints of certain people or groups of people and this is clear through the use of multiple symbols and characters. The very first symbol to appear in the novel is the red rose. Hawthorne uses the rose bush to symbolize hope and beauty. The rosebush is the last vision of beauty criminals see before entering the prison where they will enter a depressed state of mind. It is also the last sight seen by criminals heading out to be executed. “But on one side of the portal… was a wild rosebush… with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer…their fragile beauty…in the token that the deep part of nature could pity and be kind to him” (Hawthorne 56). This description emphasizes Hawthorne’s theme of the rosebush symbolizing hope and beauty. Later in the story, it is implied that Pearl is like the rosebush. She is beautiful and

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