...The Scarlet Letter In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, A young woman named Hester Prynne in Boston is prosecuted for adultery. To symbolize her crime, she has an “A” imprinted on her bosom. As a result of her committing adultery, she and Reverend Dimmesdale (his identity is not identified until later in the book) have a child. She is a very curious child, and her name is Pearl. Roger Chillingworth, comes to see Hester on the scaffold and he doesn’t want his identity revealed either but it does get revealed in later chapters. In the Scarlet letter, the author uses different symbols, literary devices, and themes that help Nathaniel’s purpose of writing. Symbolism A symbol in the Scarlet Letter is literally the Scarlet Letter...
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...Symbols in the Scarlet Letter Colors can represent many things; for example it can represent the emotions someone is feeling or to describe something or to simply determine whether a food is going to be eaten. Another example would be a funeral; everyone knows that it’s appropriate to wear black because it’s a time to mourn and sorrow for a lost loved one, but if someone were to wear black to a wedding it would portray to be inappropriate because weddings are created to be a time full of joy and new beginnings. Colors are used in present day to represent things, yet they were just as useful hundreds of years ago, for instance; the 1600’s. In the 1600’s, the Puritan society represented a community that was gloomy and dark while also being full of strict rules and “perfect” people who did not sin. In The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he uses the main character, Hester Prynne, as a representation of the Puritan society by using symbolism in two ways: the scarlet letter itself and the forest. To begin with, Hester Prynne was accused of adultery while her husband was gone from Massachusetts, her home town. Because of this accusation, she was forced to pin a bright red scarlet letter on her chest. This scarlet letter stood out in front of people’s eyes whenever she was around. Now as a Puritan, it was forbidden to sin. They believed that sinners were working with the devil to finish any undone business he had left. It was a rule with the Puritans to have an...
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...In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses rhetorical devices in a unique manner to add depth to the story plot that goes much deeper than an adulterer and her consequences. The use of these devices is what makes the novel worth reading. In the novel, irony aimed at the puritan actions which Hawthorne had strong opinions about. Also, the symbol of the scarlet letter plays a key role throughout the novel which surprisingly is transformed into something new. Lastly, out of many devices, another device used is diction. Hawthorne cleverly chooses specific words and phrases to lock in the reader to look deeper into what he is really trying to convey. Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, religion has a very strong influence over the community and society in which Hawthorne uses irony to project the...
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...The Scarlet Letter Essay In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne effectively conveys his message through his continual use of powerful symbolism throughout the novel. Hawthorne uses copious symbols throughout the book that represent a broader meaning, such as the scarlet letter and the meteor. For example, Pearl’s name is allegorical of her character and the price her mother paid. An actual pearl is not completely white. This demonstrates how Pearl is not entirely pure and has a tendency to be an “elfish” child. Pearl is also correlated to the rose bush near the prison. Hawthorne states, “The child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses” (Hawthorne 90). She relates to this because although Pearl is beautiful, she can have her “thorns.” In the novel, Hawthorne states, “But she named the infant “Pearl,” as being of great price,--purchased with all she had,--her mother’s only treasure” (Hawthorne 73). This...
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...It was a commonality for Puritans to be publicly whipped, pay fines, and be placed on a scaffold in front of others. In the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the many sinful would even inflict self-damage on themselves . The Scarlet Letter affirms the importance of work ethic and virtuosity of life. Hawthorne exercises the device of rhetorical irony and symbolism throughout the book which is supported by other devices such as pathos and abstract ideas to reveal the effects of sin on the Puritans. The Puritan way of life is distinctive from what we see today. Hawthorne establishes symbolic elements in the introduction of the wild rose bush. Hawthorne describes the bush as a possible ¨sweet moral blossom.” Hawthorne then starts with 1st...
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...North American Literature 2014-2015. Individual Freedom restricted by Puritans. Analysis of Hester, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. [Nathaniel Hawthorne; The Scarlet Letter] ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to analyze how Nathaniel Hawthorne deals with the theme of freedom focusing on the major characters such as Hester, Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. I argue that, there is a sign of individual freedom due to the fact that all the characters have the right to act in the way they do it but they will be always suppressed by the decisions of the Puritans. I also argue that, there is no collective freedom in terms of society because Puritanism restricts, punishes and judges individual actions. Key words: major characters, individual freedom, suppressed, no collective freedom. The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850, is constructed by the main themes of isolation and suffering. Moreover, sin and the Puritan law are narrowly connected, making the wish of freedom almost an impossible achievement. Over the course of the novel, Hester is the only one who truly manifests her right of individual freedom. However, she has been punished by the Puritan law, which considers her attitude as a threat to the Puritan community and its religion. Hester’s freedom starts since the moment she decides to carry her punishment in New England and not going back to England, where she could have lived a new life without feeling guilty. Furthermore, her self-determination...
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...Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, he exploits the symbolism of colors to develop Pearl as a character. At Pearl’s birth and beginning years, she is described as “white and clear” (Hawthorne 136) due to how pure Pearl was. As the years went by, Hester’s passion caused a change within Pearl. The white for purity transformed into “deep stains of crimson and gold” (Hawthorne 136). The colors symbolic of love and compassion began to develop within Pearl, eventually creating Pearl’s desire to protect Hester. This desire can be seen when both Hester and Pearl travel to see the governor. During their journey little kids threatened to hurl mud at the both of them but Pearl bolted towards the kids and “put them all to flight” (Hawthorne...
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...Many people commit wrongdoings at some point in their life. Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth from Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter are no exception. These wrongdoings contribute to an overall theme of the novel. This theme is sin. There are many symbols in the novel that draw attention to this theme, such as color and the scarlet letter. There is more symbols that are present in the novel and have high importance, however these two stand out significantly. Through instances involving Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth, color and the mark of the scarlet letter drive the theme of sin within the novel. Hester’s relationship with her scarlet letter is a distinct example of how the symbol of the...
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...violent and rude She is a living scarlet letter She is a wild rose-bush on the prison hall: an evil flower on the prison wall(1.a sin-born infant 2.the emblem of Hester’s guilt and torture 3.the source of Dimmesdale’s agony She is an innocent bush(1.a savor of Hester’s sin 2.a savor for Dimmesdale) Herman Melville title the largest brain and the greatest symbolism D.H. Lawrence Pearl the most modern child in all literature A devilish girl-child tender loving understanding give you a hit a grin of sheer diabolic jeering She is really a combination of good and evil. 2. 一朵野玫瑰 珠儿重要性分析 霍桑和红字：霍桑 红字 On page 81 and 82 Hawthorne describes her beauty very clearly. Pearl is vividly described by Hawthorn in page 81 as the infant whose guiltless life was the product of inscrutable decree of providence. On page 168 hawthorn talks about the light that happily lingers about the child that is lonely as if it is glad to have found such a loving playing mate. We are also told that the sunshine accepts pearl as an equal. The great forest also becomes the playmate of this lonely child. The natural things become her only friends and this in the end makes this child a very weird child. A good example is where Hester tells Dimmesdale that she hardly understands this child but she will love her to the end nevertheless. She goes on and states that sometimes she is afraid of little Pearl. her affinity1 withThe Scarlet Letteris stressed. She is its symbol...
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...Nathaniel Hawthorne and his chilling novel, "The Scarlet Letter." How is "the scarlet letter" in the story more than just the letter itself? What statement was Hawthorne making about the puritan beliefs of his ancestors? Read about Hemingway's life and how it compares with the lives of his protagonists. What were Hemingway's attitudes towards war as discerned through novels like "All Quiet On the Western Front" and "A Farewell to Arms." Discover essays that examine the symbolism in Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." What did Conrad mean by the phrase "heart of darkness"? What does "The Great Gatsby" have to say about the American Dream? Is its picture of life in the 1920's a favorable one? How does F. Scott Fitzgerald's personal life tie into the plot and tone of this novel? Find essays that discuss Arthur Miller's intent for his "Death of a Salesman." How does the fact that "Death of a Salesman" is a play and not simple prose impact the effectiveness of the tale it tells? Find writing examples here that illuminate Edith Wharton's theme of failed marriages and confining social conventions as evidenced in "Ethan Frome" and "The Age of Innocence." What does the person of Beloved represent in Toni Morrison's "Beloved"? What made Anthony Burgess' novel, "A Clockwork Orange," so controversial when it was first published, and what is the value of difficult, sometimes shocking stories like it? Consider this the place to go for examples of literary-themed writing. Whether you're seeking...
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...novel The Scarlet Letter. One important influence on the story is money. Hawthorne had never made much money as an author and the birth of his first daughter added to the financial burden ("Biographical Note" VII). He received a job at the Salem Custom House only to lose it three years later and be forced to write again to support his family (IX). Consequently, The Scarlet Letter was published a year later (IX). It was only intended to be a long short story, but the extra money a novel would bring in was needed ("Introduction" XVI). Hawthorne then wrote an introduction section titled "The Custom House" to extend the length of the book and The Scarlet Letter became a full novel (XVI). In addition to financial worries, another influence on the story is Hawthorne's rejection of his ancestors. His forefathers were strict Puritans, and John Hathorne, his great-great-grandfather, was a judge presiding during the Salem witch trials ("Biographical Note" VII). Hawthorne did not condone their acts and actually spent a great deal of his life renouncing the Puritans in general (VII). Similarly, The Scarlet Letter was a literal "soapbox" for Hawthorne to convey to the world that the majority of Puritans were strict and unfeeling. For example, before Hester emerges from the prison she is being scorned by a group of women who feel that she deserves a larger punishment than she actually receives. Instead of only being made to stand on the scaffold and wear the scarlet letter on her chest...
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...Alyissa Li Brown Mrs. Dick American Literature October 19, 2012 The Many Shades of Red The color red: it is beautiful, rich, and full of meaning. It represents many different things in today’s world such as love, danger, and revenge. Similarly, in the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the color red is especially prominent. Color is important in this novel because every color has symbolic meaning behind it. This device of symbolism is used well in the novel, especially through the color red. It is the most important color because it is used the most, in the title of the book, and the color of the ‘A’. The color red symbolizes passion, shame and ultimately love. In The Scarlet Letter, it begins with a detailed description of a rose bush which symbolizes Hester and her passion. Roses are obviously red so immediately, red is going to be a very important color. In the following quote, it describes the rose bush and how it represents Hester: “This rose bush by a strange chance, has been kept alive in history; but whether it had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness, so long after the fall of the gigantic pines and oaks that originally overshadowed it, - or whether, as there is fair authority for believing, it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson, as she entered the prison-door, - we shall not take upon us to determine” (50). This is the first encounter with red. It is the description of a wild red rosebush growing outside...
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...The Scarlet Letter Critical Reading Journal This novel is written in Historical context and is under the genre of fiction. It is written by Nathaniel Hawthorne and was published in 1896. It is intended for an audience of readers who are quick to critique a person for a mistake they have made, and consider it “unforgiveable”, or grand enough of a cause to consider them an outcast, when in reality the people they look up to the most can be guilty of mistakes as severe as theirs. The message the story conveys is that when people are disapproving and judgmental of a person right away, they can easily influence others to join them in their criticism and they become ignorant to consider how their actions and words might affect their victim. At an early point, the neglect and feelings of shame Hester Prynne received from the town caused her to go as far as wanting to end her own life, had it not been for her baby being the only thing stopping her from doing so. For all of her life Hester is rejected and looked upon as an example of sin and temptation to evil by ministers and society for her commitment of adultery. The scarlet letter she has to wear as a part of the Puritan government’s punishment comes to be a part of her that she never removes, and even when she can remove it she continues to wear it because the guilt she holds within makes her feel that she should live that way for the rest of her life for what she did. After a while, a previous beautiful Hester Prynne becomes a...
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...novel with Antigone and her envy of Ismene's beauty. In a scene she asks Haemon her fiancé if he is sure he is in love with her. Also hinting at the fact that Antigone feels like she doesn't deserve him as well. Ever since of this the sisters have been seen as rivals. Almost like the complete opposite of each other. 7/12/14 Haemon is characterized as Antigone's fiancé and cousin. He is also hopelessly in love with Antigone. He proves so by killing himself to join his love in death because he couldn't bear to love another. Also he is now heir to the throne because both Eteocles and Polynices are dead. He is also seen as siding with Antigone on her decision and pleads his father to rethink his punishment towards her. 7/13/14 The symbolism of the sisters' rivalry are based on their beauty traits and traits. Antigone is seen as loud, brash and tomboyish. Ismene is seen as quiet, timid and beautiful. They are both polar opposites who envy each other traits. Thus causing them to clash from time to time as well. They both are unwilling to cooperate with each other because of this. 7/14/14 The story Antigone is seen similar to the story Romeo and Juliet. They both are tragic plays and end with both lovers committing suicide. They don't have a happy ending and teach the readers a lesson in the end. Antigone teaches us that family loyalty is important. Romeo and Juliet teaches us that true love can conquer all even through death. 7/15/14 The theme tragedy is seen in the...
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...Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter includes many profound and important symbols. This device of symbolism is portrayed well in the novel, especially through the scarlet letter "A". The "A" is the best example because of the changes in the meaning throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel, the scarlet letter "A" is viewed as a symbol of sin. The middle of the novel is a transition period, where the scarlet letter "A" is viewed differently. In the commencement of the novel, the letter is taken as a label of punishment and sin. Hester Prynne bears the label of the letter upon her chest. She stands as a label of an outcast in front of society. She is wearing this symbol to burden her with punishment throughout her life. She stands on a plank where her punishment is given, "'Thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone'"(59). Society places its blames upon this woman. It is because of this one letter that Hester's life is changed. The letter's meaning in Puritan society banishes her from her normal life. The Puritans view this letter as a symbol of the devil. The letter also put Hester through torture: "Of an impulse and passionate nature. She had fortified herself to encounter the stings and venomous stabs of public contumely wreaking itself in every variety of insult but there was a quality so much more terrible in the...
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