Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Essay - 1814 Words

Symbols unlock the secrets of a story. Hawthorne, in The Scarlet Letter, uses many symbols to represent different things. Some symbols represent the same thing. The letter â€Å"A† has many meanings, each character has their own meanings, and even the different parts of nature are symbols. Also, apart from providing structure for the novel, each scaffold scene conveys something different. One could say, arguably, that nearly everything in The Scarlet Letter is a symbol for something else. In the novel, there are four different versions of the letter â€Å"A†. The first is presented at the beginning of the book, where Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter â€Å"A† upon her breast. The second occurrence is during the second scaffold†¦show more content†¦Also, she is a symbol for the Catholic faith. When she is on the scaffold, during the first scaffold scene, Hawthorne describes her as Divine Maternity (53), another name for the Virgin Mary, who the Catholics revere. Also, like the Catholics believe, she repents by working all her life to do good deeds, instead of the Puritan belief that repentance is spontaneous and forever. Another example of such is the fact that she embroidered her letter â€Å"A† to be decorative and fancy, which is a more Catholic idea. The Catholics decorate their churches, where Puritans feel that such decoration takes away from God. 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 meetsShow MoreRelatedSymbols In The Scarlet Letter1023 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish Language and Composition AP 06 June 2017 The Scarlet Letter Analysis In the book, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter,† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many symbols can be found. Hawthorne uses symbols such as the scarlet letter itself, which could represent things like determination, hard work, and a punishment. Another symbol he uses is the forest and the wilderness, which represents Hester and Pearl’s freedom from society as they explore the forest. 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Hester Prynne marries an older manRead More##bolism And Symbols In The Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1107 Words   |  5 Pagesnovel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many symbols, from objects to the characters in the story. These symbols are integral to helping give the reader a deeper look into the story. The Scarlet Letter, a story of love and sin, uses its symbols to give the reader a better understanding of the characters and events that take place. These symbols all hold important meanings; however, some of these meanings change depending on which character is interacting with said symbol. Depending