... for her sin. Hawthorne used this scaffold as a symbol of the hypocrisy of the Puritans, for every spectator of the scaffold scene should have been, in reality, on the scaffold themselves. Hawthorne, through this symbol, allowed the readers to realize the Puritans were punishing and humiliating Hester for something they themselves possessed in their own life: sin. Also, Hawthorne used the scarlet letter itself, the elaborate cloth "A" which ... turned it into one for strength, endurance, and compassion. Hawthorne used this symbol to contradict the stubborn judgments of the Puritan leader...

• Word Count: 548
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate