Shifts of Meaning in Scarlet Letter

At the opening of the novel, Hester Prynne is portrayed as an adulterer that has the knowledge of her sin, but will not have her pride broken. She first appears to the host with her head held high and a brilliantly embroidered scarlet letter “A” upon her chest. With the use of her needle working skills, Hester presents the highly ornamental scarlet letter on her chest proving she will stand tall though she may be ashamed. Aghast at her decorative appearance, the women of the town see her as no more than a sinner that has a child of the devil commenting that “it were well, if [the women] stripped Madame Hester’s rich gown off her dainty shoulders” (Hemingway 61). Already the letter

As a consequence of the scarlet letter, Hester observes that what she is adorned with is a gateway into others furtive crimes. She has capability to recognize that those who sympathize with her are those who have committed surreptitious crimes (of adultery?) and she sequentially decides to demonstrate her good for those who are secretly fearful of their crimes. Hester reveals to the community through a long period of seven years that ones sins can be forgotten and re-masked. Though she was humiliated for the longest period of time, her new sense of responsibility drives her to continue producing garments to the poor, continue donating her time to others, and continue to be a focal point of disgrace for the community proving that she could carry on in the midst of crime and others could as well. Hester’s change in character is noticed in the community and once more the scarlet letter’s meaning shifts, this instance not to prolong as a blazing and blistering impediment of coals upon her heart, but as reference to “Angel.” The letter seen in the sky was not directly referenced toward Hester, but the detail that it was not referenced to Hester exhibits that the town has forgotten her transgression and now thinks of good when the letter �

Some topics in this essay:
Madame Hester’s, Hester Prynne, Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne’s, scarlet letter, letter “a”, hester prynne, letter shifted meaning, letter shifted, shifted meaning, referenced hester,