... important. In the first scene of the novel, there is a rose bush next to the door of Hester's prison. It is one piece of beauty in this dark, dull atmosphere. It symbolizes the ability of nature to endure and outlast man's activities, and the futility of symbolic interpretation. The narrator mentions several significances that it may have, but doesn't affirm or deny any of them. The prison itself is a symbol of alienation, foreshadowing the life of Hester after her release ... . (Fossum 13) The forest is symbolic of nature and contains aspects of both light and dark. During their time in...

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

... , since Puritan belief is that nothing good can come from sin. Hester proves this wrong however, because her Pearl is a great source of happiness and strength for her. In chapter one, after describing the prison surroundings, the narrator states, "finding it so directly on the threshold of our narrative, which is now about to issue from that inauspicious portal, we could hardly do otherwise than pluck one ... society, but to Hester it is a symbol of her passion and love for Dimmesdale and it reminds her of her strength. Towards the end of the story, society changes their perceptions of t...

• Word Count: 1487
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... , and why she is a symbol of strength. The city in which the novel takes place and the forest just beyond it represent good and evil. The city tries to reflect the "City on a Hill," a utopian town flowing with the human ideal for the city of God based upon His laws as read in the Bible. The people of the city attempt to be good in order to fit in to the city. Those who leave the city and go into ... both deal with the "A" (the sin) reveals their personal integrity, through Hester the "A" shows strength, and through Mr. Dimmesdale it shows weakness. There are many theories to explain the ...

• Word Count: 1820
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... out of seaweed. Pearl plays as a direct symbol of the scarlet letter, which is a way of penance. The feeling of guilt continues with Hester until disease sweeps through the town. No one was as devoted as Hester when the poor were struck by sickness. In times like these her Scarlet letter was not a signal for the start of mockery and ridicule. Instead, it was a talisman in the eyes of the sick. After the event of the disease, the letter became a symbol of Hester ... 's rich and warm personality. The public ... ...

• Word Count: 1253
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... was in search of. Arthur's embrace of his conscience and truth, as well as of the traits of the human character, lead to this and decisive victory in the battle against himself. In the novel, Arthur Dimmesdale was an effective character in illustrating the theme of conscience and redemption through truth. The Scarlet Letter is overflowing with symbolism. Understanding Hawthorne's symbols by themselves is key to understanding The Scarlet Letter as a novel. The Scarlet Letter "A" is the central symbol of the ... is emotional and spiritual, while Chillingworth's alienation is both physical...

• Word Count: 2338
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... denied; however, after a closer reading, this proves to be a novel about brilliantly interwoven characters written in a technically complex format. The symbolism of the prison, roses, the scaffold, the letter "A," contrasts between light and dark, and the forest throughout the novel are the undefined characters. An understanding of these symbols is vital to a complete comprehension of the complexity of the story; Hawthorne technique of using symbolism is brilliant and it helps the reader understand the whole concept. In The Scarlet Letter ... by her mother off the bush of wild roses tha...

• Word Count: 1915
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... , it represents something else entirely. Hester has complete ownership over this symbol emblazoned on her and forces society to recognize her as an independent woman. The letter "never after [] quit her bosom," and has, therefore, created a permanent position in Hester's life (Hawthorne 201). Many members of this society may have forgotten about or forgiven Hester's misgivings, but she does not hesitate to remind ... chosen to accept and face her past, and in doing so, obtains a sort of happy ending for herself. Even after all of the misfortunes she has endured as an outsider in the comm...

• Word Count: 1347
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... is born with their discovery of her adultery: "When this young woman "the mother of this child "stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant closely to her bosom - (46). By the very fact that this child, Pearl, is the product of her affair, the infant stands as the living symbol of her sin. The embrace that she gives ... her baby is, thus, her own embrace of her sin. ... to admit to his role in the adulterous affair. Examining Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth in the context of scaffold scene one, shows the seeds o...

• Word Count: 1627
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... , as seen by Puritanism is an extreme sinner; she has gone against the Puritan way of life, committing adultery. For this harsh sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life. However, the Romantic philosophies of Hawthorne contrast the Puritanical beliefs. She is a beautiful, young woman who has sinned, but is forgiven in the eyes of most. Hawthorne portrays Hester as a someone who can do wrong with her ... and absorb righteousness back into his soul. "He kept vigils, likewise, night after night. . . . sometimes, viewing his own face in a looking glass, by the most powerf...

• Word Count: 2043
• Approx Pages: 8

... explains, "Her breast, with its badge of shame, was but the softer pillow for the head that needed one. She was self-ordained a Sister of Mercy; or, we may rather say, the world's heavy hand had so ordained her, when neither the world nor she looked forward to this result. The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her,-so much power to do, and power ... to sympathize,-that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They ... this dreadful moment, from groveling down upon my face! ... But there stood one in the midst of you...

• Word Count: 1309
• Approx Pages: 5

... Pearl reveals her high moral principles as a Puritan. By upholding her morals, she keeps her daughter and moves to an isolated cottage away from society. After Hester moves away from the village, the Puritans give her the job of making fine clothing for the upper class. With any extra material that Hester has, she makes Pearl's clothes. Pearl's clothes are extraordinarily elaborate, which separates Pearl from ... effort. In fact, because of the great things that Hester accomplishes, the scarlet letter "A" comes to mean something completely different to the Puritans who condemn her. In s...

• Word Count: 1429
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... illustrates that Dimmesdale is a coward and doesn't have the integrity to truly confess his adultery. It also shows how he deals with the moral dilemma of choosing not to admit rather than to admit. The meteor in this scene is an important symbol for Dimmesdale and society. Although the society sees the celestial "A" in the sky to represent a conformation of the Governor Winthrop's ascending into heaven, Dimmesdale sees it ... . This shows that the immense guilt within Dimmesdale has an effect on how he portrays things. The meteor also allows the group on the scaffold to be spotted by Ro...

• Word Count: 1995
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... situation. Dimmesdale's health suffers as he deals with guilt and Hester must face the wrath of the Puritan community by wearing a red "A" upon her chest as a symbol for what she had done. The underlying thesis of this book is how Nathaniel Hawthorne presents and proves in his writing that the truth is what will set people free. Dimmesdale struggles with wanting to live a religious life and ... ; was not only based upon narrative, but also on data. Even though the people in the story did not actually exist, their experiences were based upon history and the way Puritans perceived others i...

• Word Count: 1291
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography

... have to bear the burden of isolation for the rest of her life. She is reminded of her sin every day with her child, Pearl, and the scarlet letter. Hester's perseverance, self-reliance, and strength helped her survive the alienation from the town, but the long period of time without another human's affection besides Pearl's made her callous. Hester made the decision to stay in Boston even after being disgraced by the community because ... yet to be her penitence. She had returned, therefore, and resumed - of her own free will, for not the sternest magistrate of that iron period would hav...

• Word Count: 1733
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... her sin has effected her livelihood and has completely isolated her from the world. Her entrance into this world marks the beginning of her guilt, it occurs when she is "in the prison after her first exposure to the crowd-her "moral agony" reflected in the convolutions that have seized the child; her pride, her daring" (Bloom 34). Her "moral agony" (Bloom 34), is her guilt that is slowly surfacing ... around her and it manages to happen without her noticing. Hester's ultimate consequence of sin is her daughter Pearl. With Pearl, Hester has to assume full responsibility, because she is r...

• Word Count: 1828
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... two hundred years prior. At the same time, The Scarlet Letter, tells the story of one woman's struggle to find meaning in living after disobeying the highly regarded word of God. When dialogue is used in the novel, which is quite frequently, Hawthorne conveys formal and proper language which assists the reader in understanding the Puritan culture and the ancestry of the Boston inhabitants. In chapter 23, Roger Chillingworth kneels down toward the dying Reverend Dimmesdale and says ... that Dimmesdale, a highly regarded Puritan clergyman, had a hand in Hester's punishment when he engaged...

• Word Count: 1296
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... to death. It was in the best interest of everyone involved in any way for Hester to keep her secret buried for the time being and to let the dust settle on the fact that she had committed this sin to begin with. Although she was publicly recognized for her sin and wears the scarlet A as an everlasting symbol that she is an adulteress, the elements of the sin must be kept ... private. This is the first time ... , heard by Pearl and Hester, who were returning home after spending most of the night at the deathbed of Governor Bellingham. Together the three stand united upon the scaffold, an...

• Word Count: 1460
• Approx Pages: 6

... is introduced into the plot, as an adulteress, she is forced to endure ignominy by her peers and is doomed to have the scarlet letter A bound to her heart. When she standing on the scaffold as punishment for her sins, the townspeople consider her as a true falters. As her life progressing, Hester Prynne becomes less of an outcast in the public eyes. Seven years after she has stood ... on the scaffold as a criminal, her letter is thought by the people to mean able as opposed to adulteress, and she is thought of as an angle. It basically comes down to this: Hester accepted the evil, or "f...

• Word Count: 2453
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... . Wearing the symbol of the Scarlet Letter became an integral part of who Hester believed herself to be as a person. Her own daughter Pearl does not acknowledge Hester when she takes the symbol off her dress as she sits and converses with Arthur Dimmesdale in the forest. Pearl demands that Hester put the letter back on and will only interact with her mother once Hester complies. After seven years, the symbol of the Scarlet Letter ... transforms from one of ill repute to one of respect and regard. Hester has lived a blameless, pure life ... ...

• Word Count: 1295
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... on his chest to show that he did feel sorrow for the sin and revealed it like Hester. The sin can never be forgotten because Pearl is the sin resulted by Hester and Dimsdale. The letter A is a symbol os adultery and sin in the world. Pearl is the symbol showing the sin committed. Pearl does not become a human child until the end when Dimdale kisses her and places his hand over ... his heart on the scaffold. For Dimsdale to acknowledge Pearl of course, is another way for him to confess his ... formed an electric chain. (Hawthorne 153) Taking Pearl's hand is perhaps an image contrasted t...

• Word Count: 1408
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... 21). Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. A red cloth can last forever if treated and stored properly but not all of the manifestations of the scarlet letter will last forever. The scarlet letter is brought to life by Hester's daughter, Pearl, who is also a symbol of Hester's conscience. Even though ... at some times Pearl can be a hindrance to her mother she is also a blessing. She is a reason for Hester to live revitalizing her sprits whenever she has the urge ...

• Word Count: 1536
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... 21). Hawthorne finds that the scarlet letter was wrapped up around a letter, after he drops it, written by a Surveyor detailing the whole affair of the scarlet letter. A red cloth can last forever if treated and stored properly but not all of the manifestations of the scarlet letter will last forever. The scarlet letter is brought to life by Hester's daughter, Pearl, who is also a symbol of Hester's conscience. Even though ... at some times Pearl can be a hindrance to her mother she is also a blessing. She is a reason for Hester to live revitalizing her sprits whenever she has the urge ...

• Word Count: 1529
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... and believed in the dark side of man, hence his dark romantic novel The Scarlet Letter. This allegorical novel depends heavily on symbol and character. The novel is chock full of symbolic dimension of images, characters, and descriptions. The Scarlet Letter defines the American Romanticist movement while using symbolic characters and places that give the book seemingly two different stories. The first story denotes the story going on in the book, including the characters. The other story ... have to wear a stitched red letter A on her chest as long as she remained in Boston. After being...

• Word Count: 1687
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... the future seclusion, gloominess and condemnation of the Protagonists. THEME The central theme of the novel is that unconfessed sin destroys the soul. Hester's sin of adultery has been confessed, and as its symbol, she wears the Scarlet Letter A. As a result, the sin does not destroy her inward spirit; instead, she gathers her strength and courage, and flourishes in spite of the Letter A. In total contrast to Hester, Dimmesdale does not confess his sin until after ... it totally destroys him. He hides his adultery and fails to claim Pearl as his daughter; his punishment is guilt and sel...

• Word Count: 1929
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... guilt. It is to be noted that the sin of adultery is, in itself, not the subject matter of the novel. In fact, the novel opens after the sin has been committed and Pearl, the offspring of the sinful, but natural, union is three months old. As Hawthorne himself states in the opening chapter, the novel is about human weakness and its resulting sorrow. Hawthorne's focus of attention is the effect the sin has on Hester and Dimmesdale. They ... proudly embroiders the scarlet "A" with threads of gold, which make the letter attract even more attention. Throughout the book the scarlet letter is...

• Word Count: 1285
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School