The Scarlet A Multiple meanings and discussion providing insight into the letter The letter "A" was to be worn as a punishment, to be worn in shame, to be worn as "adulteress." This may not have been clearly and directly stated to the reader, but throughout reading the book, you gather possible hidden meanings of Hester's scarlet letter. Although the sense of the meaning "adulteress" is constant, the metaphoric, emotional, and moralistic meanings of the scarlet letter vary from positive to negative interpretations throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter. The Puritan community was a dark, stric...

• Word Count: 1352
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Symbolism in the Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne contains abundant symbolism, which is used to unify the novel and add deeper meaning. Although the actual "A" is the most obvious symbol, there are several others which have great importance as well. The most important symbol in the novel is the scarlet letter, which affects each character in a different way. The characters who are affected by the letter are Arthur Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, Pearl, and Hester Prynne (Schneider). The scarlet letter is a sign by which the colonial authority seeks to fix the crime of ...

• Word Count: 1366
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The Scarlet Letter To the naked eye, the story of The Scarlet Letter appears to just be a well-written love story within a puritan society full of unexpected flips and turns. Upon closer examination, The Scarlet Letter is really filled with obsession, guilt, and morals. The author, Nathaniel Hawthorne, uses a twisted physician, a minister, and a very independent character to express the theme of revenge among his three main characters. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses his very different characters to show that no matter what type of person one may be, human nature is absorbed with revenge...

• Word Count: 1480
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• Grade Level: High School

Jake Smith Mrs. Cunningham Honors English 10 (4) 19 October 2014 Religious Corruption The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a historical novel that takes place in Boston, Massachusetts. In the story, the town emphasizes religion over everything else, and its citizens treat the Bible as not only a guide for life but as the rulebook for law. The strict religious beliefs of the characters cause them to shun and condemn a young woman by the name of Hester Prynne for committing adultery. They force Hester to wear a scarlet letter A on her chest as a constant reminder of her wrongdoing, and...

• Word Count: 1403
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Every author looks for a way to connect the theme of his book. In Nathanial Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne uses the theme sin and concealment. The three scaffold scenes throughout the book are used to connect this theme. The first scaffold scene takes place right at the beginning of the novel in chapters 2 and 3. One of the characters that are involved in this scene is Hester. The book starts out with Hester in a prison and then they took her out to go and sentence her. They sentenced her to wear the scarlet letter and to stand on the scaffold in front of everyone. She feels that the...

• Word Count: 1336
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• Grade Level: High School

The Metamorphosis of Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many characters that transform; one of them is Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale committed a great sin of the puritan society, he slept with another mans wife and Hester Prynne became pregnant. Hester was punished for her sin but Arthur Dimmesdale had not admitted to it, so he lives with this guilt and it is much worst for him because he is a puritan minister. Dimmesdale inflicts punishment upon himself because of his adulterated sin. Dimmesdale transforms throughout the novel alw...

• Word Count: 1308
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• Grade Level: High School

According to Anne Marie MacNamara, Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter goes through several stages of spiritual growth; preparation, communication, transformation and finally revelation. To further understand why Dimmesdale is so hard on himself we must first Learn a little back ground on Puritanism. Puritanism was a move influenced by the Reformation, but whose main objective was to purify the Church of England. The most out going of the puritans wanted to return to primitive Christianity. One thing to remember about Puritanism is that it was movement that was with in the Church of Englan...

• Word Count: 1813
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• Grade Level: High School

... was on his was to London. Little John and Much set off to find the monk. When they found him, John killed him, and Much killed his page. Afterwards, they delivered the monk's letter to the king. The king makes them yeomen of the crown, and sends them back to Nottingham with a letter ordering the sheriff to send Robin to him. When they got back to Nottingham, John ... and Much were received by the sheriff who invited them to dine with him. After dinner, while ... argue. Little John returned to Barnsdale, but I stayed with Robin. Later Little John told me that when he got to Barnsdale, h...

• Word Count: 2228
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School