... himself whether the grass would ever grow on it, because an accursed thing must there be buried" (106). Here, grass represents goodness and life, and because of his own sin, he does not believe that nature will reflect his positive accomplishments when he dies. Dead foliage also helps ... attempt by Hester to discard her sin shows that she, like a plant in the forest, is ready for new growth. Living and wild or withering and dead plant symbols help to describe the characters" states throughout the novel. The forest in The Scarlet Letter brings out a different side ... of each character....

• Word Count: 1017
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School