Throughout Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, the two main symbols, Hester and the scarlet “A”, change profoundly. As a recurring symbol, the “A” first represents the reality of sin, and more specifically, Hester’s sinful act of adultery. Despite this, the letter eventually transforms into other ideas, such as power, courage, and adept, contrasting against the first meaning of the scarlet “A”. The letter also relates to Hester’s daughter, Pearl, various times throughout the novel
The scarlet letter, given to Hester Prynne as an eternal condemnation for committing adultery, is symbolic of change. While it initially symbolizes sin, the scarlet letter ultimately symbolizes the change and development in Hester over the course of the book physically and in the way that she is seen by society as she experiences cruelty from the people surrounding her. An, “ignominious letter on her breast,” the scarlet letter is initially seen as a horrible sin (41). Hester was a fine and polished
January 2016 Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Use of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne uses a large amount of symbolism in his book, The Scarlet Letter. “The characters and the action are soaked in symbolism” (Wagenknecht 61). Symbolism is the use of an object, character, or event to represent something else. Hawthorne uses the symbols in the book to convey the meanings of the story in a creative, interesting way. Hawthorne uses all of the main characters and many objects as symbols throughout
A Sign of Many Meanings An Analysis of Symbolism in "The Scarlet Letter" Early American literature holds an important part in the history of the United States. There are many legendary writers who composed very prominent novels or stories that led to the shaping of early America. These same authors didn't only help with the shaping, but they often explained it, many times exposing the evils of society and the personal experience of the victims of society. To get their point across, many of these
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. He was raised in a Puritan family and his family members were very impactful in Puritan society. His great-grandfather was one of the judges who was part of the Salem Witch Trials. Hawthorne was disgusted by having the same name as his ancestors so he added the ‘w’ to Hathorne, which he went by in his writings. In 1850, Hawthorne wrote what is considered to be his greatest novel, The Scarlet Letter. The novel is set in a Puritan community
The Scarlet Letter is a novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne that emphasizes sin. In the story the main character Hester Prynne is punished by her community because she committed adultery. The living proof of Hester’s sin is her daughter Pearl, a bothersome, yet intelligent, child. Hester is forced to live a life of isolation and raise Pearl by herself because she refuses to admit who the father is. Darrel Abel, in his literary criticism of The Scarlet Letter, wrote, “Society wronged Hester grievously
Author Study on “The Scarlet Letter” and “The House of the Seven Gables” by Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne is a very unique and distinctive author. By reading some of his works, it is very easy to recognize Hawthorne’s writing style. For this author study, of all of his novels, I have chosen only two books to review. The first book I read is “The Scarlet Letter”. The second book I read was “The House of the Seven Gables”. Both books are undoubtedly written by Hawthorne and are very fine
Symbolism in The Scarlett Letter The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is unique based on a plethora of symbols and motifs. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne applies these symbols to represent the central themes in the novel. As one of the most creative symbolists in American Literature, understanding Hawthorne requires an in depth analysis of his symbols in order to grasp them accurately. Generally speaking, a symbol is a literary device that contains several layers of meaning, often concealed
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, a romantic work of historical fiction published in 1860, explores the costs of duplicity and disguised guilt among the lives of individuals who struggle to embrace their self-awareness within a stern society. Set in the mid-seventeenth century in Puritan Boston, Massachusetts, the protagonist Hester Prynne bears the scarlet letter upon her chest. The letter A serves as an unceasing public shaming for her adulterous actions with the highly regarded Reverend
1. I empathize with Hester Prynne in the book of The Scarlet Letter. She survives through guilt, hopelessness, and loneliness throughout the novel. Like the letter A that is sown on her bossom, Hester is the symbol of sin in the Puritan society she lives in. Guilt is something everyone can relate to. It is something we all hate but is, sadly, inevitable. As Nathaniel Hawthorne says, “...guilt...once made into the human soul is never, in this mortal state, repaired” (75). Guilt is a never