The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

The flushed letterThe Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, delves into symbolism. A fewof the symbols throughout are the Scarlet A embroidered on Hesters chest, theForrest (in the daytime), the Forrest (in the darkness), the prison, the rose growingup by the prison w every last(predicate) and light and dark. Each of these has a certain signifi contributece. The A is the outward symbol of Hester and Dimmsdales trespass. It is thetangible, form of punishment. The thing that physically facilitys Hester apart. Thissymbolizes her sin and her punishment.The Forrest during the daytime is a symbol of beauty of freedom. While atnighttime it is the devils playground, symbolizing chaos and evil. The Puritans feltthis way because they had no control over the Forrest and were thus threatened byit. The prison is soon enough another symbol of Hesters physical punishment andisolation from the world. She is conformation out. No longer an accepted member of societyfor the crimes that she has committed. The prison is solid and cruel, it is also areflection of the ideals of the Puritan society. The rose gifts the beauty that cangrow out of that harsh, ugliness. The rose is Pearl. Light and darkness is used to show Dimmsdales guilt and his mentalanguish. He walks to the scaffold, mocking a defense at night in the darkness. Then blazes an meteor in the vend as if God himself were looking down and sayingto Dimmsdale, Almost, but not quite.The author gives several lengthy, difficult descriptions in the beginning ofthe novel to set the harsh, Puritan tone of the novel. He says, The founder of anew colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originallyproject, have ever recognized it among their earliest practical necessities toallot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, with this rule, it may safely beoff-key that the forefathers of Boston had built the first prison-house gone wherein the vicinity of cornhill, most as seasonable as they mark ed out the firstburial-ground, on Isaac Johnsons lot... (pg. 75). He uses very long, hard to readpassages to create a Puritan-esque feeling in the reader. Pearl is her mothers only treasure, bought with all she had. She is thesymbol of her guilt, and the price of her sin. Pearl is described as a poof and anelf-child. She is lively, and spirited. She is a constant reminder to Dimmsdale ofhis mistakes, and the fact that he has yet to be punished for them by the