The Scarlet Letter

The scarlet letter is meant to be a symbol of shame, but instead it becomes a powerful symbol of identity to Hester.
The letter's meaning shifts as time passes. Originally intended to mark Hester as an adulterer, the A eentually
comes to stand for Able. !inally, it becomes indeterminate" the #atie Americans who come to watch the $lection
%ay pageant think it marks her as a person of importance and status. &ike 'earl, the letter functions as a physical
reminder of Hester's affair with %immesdale. (ut, compared with a human child, the letter seems insignificant, and
thus helps to point out the ultimate meaninglessness of the community's system of )udgment and punishment. The
child has been sent from *od, or at least from nature, but the letter is merely a human contriance. Additionally, the
instability of the letter's apparent meaning calls into +uestion society's ability to use symbols for ideological
reinforcement. ,ore often than not, a symbol becomes a focal point for critical analysis and debate.

The Meteor

As %immesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and 'earl in -hapter .//, a meteor traces out an A in the night
sky. To %immesdale, the meteor implies that he should wear a mark of shame )ust as Hester does. The meteor is
interpreted differently by the rest of the community, which thinks that it stands for Angel and marks *oernor
0inthrop's entry into heaen. (ut Angel is an awkward reading of the symbol. The 'uritans commonly looked to
symbols to confirm diine sentiments. /n this narratie, howeer, symbols are taken to mean what the beholder wants
them to mean. The incident with the meteor obiously highlights and e1emplifies two different uses of symbols"
'uritan and literary.

Pearl

Although 'earl is a comple1 character, her primary function within the noel is as a symbol. 'earl is a sort of liing
ersion of her mother's scarlet letter. 2he is the physical conse+uence of se1ual sin and the indicator of a
transgression. 3et, een as a reminder of Hester's sin, 'earl is more than a mere punishment to her mother" she is
also a blessing. 2he represents not only sin but also the ital spirit and passion that engendered that sin. Thus,
'earl's e1istence gies her mother reason to lie, bolstering her spirits when she is tempted to gie up. /t is only after
%immesdale is reealed to be 'earl's father that 'earl can become fully human. 4ntil then, she functions in a
symbolic capacity as the reminder of an unsoled mystery.

The Rosebush Next to the Prison Door

The narrator chooses to begin his story with the image of the rosebush beside the prison door. The rosebush
symboli5es the ability of nature to endure and outlast man's actiities. 3et, parado1ically, it also symboli5es the futility
of symbolic interpretation" the narrator mentions arious significances that the rosebush might hae, neer affirming
or denying them, neer priileging one oer the others.

The Scarlet Letter abounds with symbolism, which Hawthorne uses to unify the
novel and add a deeper level of meaning to the story.
The Scarlet Letter "A"
The chief symbol in the novel is the scarlet letter "A", which openly symbolizes
Hesters adultery. !or "immesdale and Hester, the scarlet letter stands for agony,
which Hester displays in her isolated life and which "immesdale displays in his
deteriorating health. #y the end of the novel, the townspeople thin$ that Hesters
scarlet "A" stands for Ability, for she has become a generous helper for the poor and
downtrodden and a wise counselor for their problems.
This gesture of "immesdales placing his hand over his heart is also symbolic. %t is
the ministers attempt to cover his mar$ of sinfulness and prevent his e&posure. %t
also suggests his nervous condition and reflects his grieved state.
The Scaffold
The scaffold is a symbol of penitence and 'ods platform on the "ay of (udgment. %t
is a reflection of appearing before the Almighty in ones wea$ness. #ecause of the
comparison, "immesdale has great difficulty in standing on the platform and
confessing his sins. He first does it under the cover of dar$ness for no one to see
him, as if he were trying to hide from 'od himself. %n the end, however, he bravely
stands on the scaffold and confesses his sin in the light of day and before a crowd of
people. The confession finally gives him a sense of peace.
The )rison
The prison, presented in the opening chapter of the novel, is a symbol of isolation
and alienation, foreshadowing the life that Hester will lead even after she leaves its
confines. *hile Hester lives in the prison of alienation, "immesdale lives in the
prison of his unconfessed guilt, and +hillingworth is imprisoned by his vengeance.
)earl, alone, remains free.
The ,ose #ush
The rose bush growing across from the prison respresents a constant reminder of
salvation and hope to all the prisoners. Later in the boo$ )earl states that she was
pluc$ed from the rosebush and was born. This symbolizes that )earl is the $ey to
not only Hesters salvation, but to "immesdale and indirectly to +hillingsworth.
)earl was born into a world of sin and for her to be saved, everyone must find their
salvation through her. %t represents a light in the dar$ness of Hesters sin.
The !orest
The forest is symbolic of -ature, both in its dar$er and lighter aspects. *hen the
rays of sunshine fall on )earl but do not reach Hester, they symbolize her inability to
find happiness or warmth. The pervading dar$ness is suggestive of the dull gloom in
her life. That dar$ness is dispelled when she meets with "immesdale and plans to
flee from #oston with him. As a symbol of her freedom, she throws away the scarlet
letter and undoes her hair. Appropriately, a flood of sunshine illuminates the forest,
dispelling the dar$ness.
+olors
Hawthorne also gives symbolic meanings to the colors that he employs in the novel.
The dar$, sober, sable garments that Hester wears represent her dull and gloomy
life filled with grief, guilt, and sorrow.
%n contrast, she dresses )earl in bright colors, especially crimson, in defiance of the
scarlet letter and as a symbol of the childs free spirit. The color of the letter carries
special significance. %t is red because that is the color associated with the devil, and
the )uritans believed that Hesters sin was a mar$ of Satan.
%ronically, the innocent )earl fashions a letter "A" to wear herself, but she ma$es it
out of seaweed that is bright green, the color of life itself. #lac$ is also used in the
novel. .istress Hibbins practices blac$ magic throughout the boo$, and many
suspect +hillingworth of doing the same.
An understanding of the symbolic level of meaning in the novel is essential for a
better comprehension of the boo$ as a whole. The discerning reader will find the
repeated use of symbolism throughout The Scarlet Letter
Symbols in "The Scarlet Letter" (anice Schuster
A
The Scarlet Letter %n The Scarlet Letter, symbols appear everywhere. Hawthorne
uses several different concrete ob/ects to represent something of deeper meaning.
Among these symbols is the scarlet letter "A" itself. %t is made of red cloth and
beautifully embroidered. %t is a literal symbol of the sin of adultery. The letter "A"
appears in several places and several forms. %t is the letter that appears on Hesters
heart that she is condemned to wear for the remainder of her life. At 'overnor
#ellinghams mansion it is magnified in the breastplate. %t seems as though she is
hidden behind it. 0n the night that "immesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester
and )earl, a huge letter A appears in the s$y. Later, while in the forest, )earl
arranges a letter a on her heart that is made of eel grass. 0ne of the most dramatic
of the As that appear in the boo$ is the A that appears on "immesdales chest. -ot
only does the "A" symbolize adultery, but it also has several other meanings to the
different characters as well. To the community, it is simply a mar$ of punishment. To
Hester, it is a mar$ of embarrassment and humiliation. To "immesdale, the scarlet
letter is a reminder of his own guilt. To )earl, the mar$ is a mysterious curiosity. To
+hillingworth, the "A" is his chance to get revenge on "immesdale. Later, the letter
symbolizes "Able" when Hester wins some respect from the townspeople.
The scarlet letter is meant to be a symbol of shame, but instead it becomes a
powerful symbol of identity to Hester. The letters meaning shifts as time passes.
0riginally intended to mar$ Hester as an adulterer, the 1A2 eventually comes to
stand for 1Able.2 !inally, it becomes indeterminate3 the -ative Americans who come
to watch the 4lection "ay pageant thin$ it mar$s her as a person of importance and
status. Li$e )earl, the letter functions as a physical reminder of Hesters affair with
"immesdale. #ut, compared with a human child, the letter seems insignificant, and
thus helps to point out the ultimate meaninglessness of the communitys system of
/udgment and punishment. The child has been sent from 'od, or at least from
nature, but the letter is merely a human contrivance. Additionally, the instability of
the letters apparent meaning calls into 5uestion societys ability to use symbols for
ideological reinforcement. .ore often than not, a symbol becomes a focal point for
critical analysis and debate.
The .eteor
As "immesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and )earl in +hapter 6%%, a
meteor traces out an 1A2 in the night s$y. To "immesdale, the meteor implies that
he should wear a mar$ of shame /ust as Hester does. The meteor is interpreted
differently by the rest of the community, which thin$s that it stands for 1Angel2 and
mar$s 'overnor *inthrops entry into heaven. #ut 1Angel2 is an aw$ward reading of
the symbol. The )uritans commonly loo$ed to symbols to confirm divine sentiments.
%n this narrative, however, symbols are ta$en to mean what the beholder wants
them to mean. The incident with the meteor obviously highlights and e&emplifies
two different uses of symbols3 )uritan and literary.
)earl
Another huge symbol in the novel is )earl. She is a constant reminder of her
mothers sin. *hen Hester removes her letter, )earl screams and shrie$s until she
replaces it on her bosom. Hester cannot be associated without the scarlet letter and
her sin.
Although )earl is a comple& character, her primary function within the novel is as a
symbol. )earl is a sort of living version of her mothers scarlet letter. She is the
physical conse5uence of se&ual sin and the indicator of a transgression. 7et, even as
a reminder of Hesters 1sin,2 )earl is more than a mere punishment to her mother3
she is also a blessing. She represents not only 1sin2 but also the vital spirit and
passion that engendered that sin. Thus, )earls e&istence gives her mother reason
to live, bolstering her spirits when she is tempted to give up. %t is only after
"immesdale is revealed to be )earls father that )earl can become fully 1human.2
8ntil then, she functions in a symbolic capacity as the reminder of an unsolved
mystery.
Hawthorne also uses several minor characters in the story as symbols. !or instance,
the )uritans in the mar$etplace represent )uritanism, in general, and how strict
their code is. The )uritan ideas of witchcraft, state, and church are seen in the
characters of ,everend *ilson, .istress Hibbins, and 'overnor #ellingham. Also,
each of his ma/or characters symbolize a view of sin its affects on a human heart.
The ,osebush -e&t to the )rison "oor
The narrator chooses to begin his story with the image of the rosebush beside the
prison door. The rosebush symbolizes the ability of nature to endure and outlast
mans activities. 7et, parado&ically, it also symbolizes the futility of symbolic
interpretation3 the narrator mentions various significances that the rosebush might
have, never affirming or denying them, never privileging one over the others
#lac$ .an
The characters in the novel fre5uently debate the identity of the 1#lac$ .an,2 the
embodiment of evil. 0ver the course of the novel, the 1#lac$ .an2 is associated
with "immesdale, +hillingworth, and .istress Hibbins, and little )earl is thought by
some to be the "evils child. The characters also try to root out the causes of evil3
did +hillingworths selfishness in marrying Hester force her to the 1evil2 she
committed in "immesdales arms9 %s Hester and "immesdales deed responsible for
+hillingworths transformation into a malevolent being9 This confusion over the
nature and causes of evil reveals the problems with the )uritan conception of sin.
The boo$ argues that true evil arises from the close relationship between hate and
love. As the narrator points out in the novels concluding chapter, both emotions
depend upon 1a high degree of intimacy and heart:$nowledge; each renders one
individual dependent . . . upon another.2 4vil is not found in Hester and
"immesdales lovema$ing, nor even in the cruel ignorance of the )uritan fathers.
4vil, in its most poisonous form, is found in the carefully plotted and precisely aimed
revenge of +hillingworth, whose love has been perverted. )erhaps )earl is not
entirely wrong when she thin$s "immesdale is the 1#lac$ .an,2 because her father,
too, has perverted his love. "immesdale, who should love )earl, will not even
publicly ac$nowledge her. His cruel denial of love to his own child may be seen as
further perpetrating evil.
Scaffold
The scaffold is symbolic of redemption and /udgment. The entirety of +hapter <,
The ,ecognition, illustrates the symbolism of the scaffold. Hester is sentenced to
stand atop the scaffold for three hours to stand before 'od to receive their /ust
/udgment; "she will be a living sermon against sin" . At the end, "immesdale is
able to gain the strength and courage to finally confess his sin to the masses.
"Stand any here that 5uestion 'ods /udgement on a sinner9 #ehold= #ehold a
dreadful witness of it=". %n The .inisters >igil, when all three of them, Hester,
)earl and "immesdale, were standing there atop the scaffold, )earl as$s
"immesdale when they will stand there together and he replies that they will on the
day of /udgement , thus they will all be /udged when they stand on the scaffold
together.
Sun
The sun is used to symbolize guilt:free happiness. *hile in the forest, the sun shines
down on )earl and she seems to retain some of this sunshine, but the sun "runs
away" from Hester because of the mar$ on her breast. The forest is another good
symbol used in The Scarlet Letter. %t symbolizes an area where )earl can play openly
and freely and where Hester can remove her letter. %t is an area opposed to the
strict )uritan community and laws. However, it is also a place where the witches
come and sign their souls to the devil. Therefore, the forest can also symbolize
dar$ness and evil
!orest
0ne of the most integral parts of the boo$, when Hester )rynne spea$s to the
,everend .r. "immesdale about their predicament, ta$es place in the forest. *hen
reading the novel, it becomes increasingly apparent that there is a contrast
between the forest and the town, as settings. The forest symbolizes a dar$ and
mysterious place where impulses and urges reign and also where the goings:on are
to be $ept a secret. The forest is described as dismal, gloomy and full of shadows
with an imposing, cloudy s$y that is filled with threatening storms. *hen
"immesdale and Hester first see each other, Hawthorne describes them as being
"in the world beyond the grave, of two spirits who had intimately connected in their
former life, but now stood coldly shuddering, in mutual dead". Also in the forest,
Hester undid the clasp that fastened the scarlet letter, and, ta$ing it from her
bosom, threw it to a distance among the withered leaves....?and@ too$ off the formal
cap that confined her hair.
The Scarlet Letter is a novel with much symbolism. Throughout the novel several characters
represent other ideas. One of the most complex and misunderstood characters in the novel
is Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic
symbol one that is always changing. !lthough Pearl changes, she always symboli"es evil.
Pearl symboli"es evil in the story by representing #od$s punishment of Hester$s sin,
symboli"ing the guilt and the scarlet letter that controls her behavior, and defying Puritan
laws by being cheerful and associating with nature. Pearl represents #od$s punishment by
her moc%ing and nagging of Hester. Throughout the novel she sometimes seemed to her
mother as almost a witch baby &'atthiessen ()*+. She is a baffling mixture of strong
emotions with a fierce temper and a capacity for evil. ,ith Pearl, Hester$s life became one of
constant nagging, and no -oy. The child could not be made amenable to rules. Hester even
remar%s to herself, .Oh /ather in heaven if thou art still my father what is this being
which 0 have brought into the world1 &Hawthorne 23+4 Pearl would harass her mother
Piyasena5Pine 6 over the scarlet .!1 she wore. 0n time, Hester was sub-ected to so much
ridicule from Pearl and others that she was forced into seclusion. Pearl represents the sins of
both Hester and 7immesdale. Pearl is said to be the direct conse8uence of sin &'artin ()2+.
Their sins include lying to the people about the affair that led to Pearl. Hester reali"es what
Pearl represents when she does not hold Pearl up in front of the .!.1 She carries the child
around because it is a direct reflection of her sin. Hester is, .wisely -udging that one to%en
of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another1 &Hawthorne *2+.
7immesdale$s sin is not adultery but not having the courage to admit that he had
adulterated. Therefore his is a .concealed sin.1 The scarlet letter amuses Pearl, and also
controls her behavior. 0t is noted that, Pearl has been described in terms almost exclusively
of uncontrolled, chaotic passion &'acLean 9*+. Throughout the novel Pearl is attracted to
the .!.1 :ven when she is -ust a baby, .her infant$s eyes had been caught by the glimmering
of the gold embroidery about the letter1 &Hawthorne 3)+. ,hen Pearl is older and Hester
throws the letter on the ground, Pearl yells at her mother until she places the .!1 bac% on
her bosom. Hawthorne says that Pearl is, .the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet
letter endowed with life,1 &39+ which proves the she is truly the scarlet letter. Throughout
the boo% the .!1 is the sign by which the colonial authority see% to fix the crime and the
criminal &<agussis 3=+, although the cloth shows the sin so does Pearl. She is a far stronger
device for punishing Hester than Piyasena5Pine > the piece of cloth on Hester$s chest. 7ue to
her influence, Pearl becomes the chief agent to her mother$s salvation. Hester and
7immesdale share much guilt because of Pearl. 7immesdale$s guilt is filled with mental
anguish, and serves as a constant reminder of his sin. 7immesdale is a minister ?who@
commits adultery and is driven to public confession by remorse &'artin ()2+. He remains
silent so that he can continue to do #od$s wor% as a minister. 0t is said that he was a guilty
character ?who@ finds empathy in connection with others &Pec%ham 36+. Pearl brings him
guilt when he would not stand with them on the scaffold; .Thou was not boldA thou wast
not trueA B Thou wouldst not promise to ta%e my hand, and my mother$s hand, tomorrow
noontide1 &Hawthorne (9)+A Hester$s guilt, however, is derived from both Chillingsworth and
7immesdale. Chillingsworth married a woman who did not love him, which is one of the
causes of Hester$s guilt. 7immesdale causes her guilt when he sees her suffering alone for
the sin that they both committed. Though they both committed the same sin, only Hester$s
shines through. Pearl was cheerful due to the scarlet letter her mother possessed. ,hen the
breastplate at #overnor Dellingham$s 'ansion distorts the scarlet .!1 into something
overpowering and horrible, it is Pearl who points at it, .smiling at her mother with the elfish
intelligence that was so familiar an expression on her small physiognomy1 &Hawthorne 33+.
:ven as a child, Pearl is affixed to the letter .and, putting up her little hand, she grasped it,
?the letter@ smiling, not doubtfully, but Piyasena5Pine * with a decided gleam1 &Hawthorne
3)+.
Pearl$s tendency to focus on the scarlet letter is fully developed when she mimics her
mother by placing a seaweed .!1 on her own chest. 'uch of Pearl$s strangeness comes from
her exceptional 8uic%ness of mind and the abnormal environment in which she is reared
with only her mother as a companion. !s Pearl develops a personality, she becomes
symbolic of the %ind of passion that accompanied Hester$s sin. Hester tolerated Pearl$s
pretentious behavior but could not find it in her heart to condemn the child. !s Pearl thus
becomes so closely associated with the letter .!1 on Hester$s breast she becomes the
embodiment not only of Hester$s sin but also of her conscience. Eature is an amusing hobby
for Pearl; therefore one of her favorite activities is playing with flowers and trees. She fits in
with natural things, .and she was gentler here ?the forest@ then in the grassy margined
streets of the settlement, or in her mother$s cottage1 as Hawthorne notes in the novel
&6)6+. She is so closely affiliated to nature that the creatures of the forest approach her
instead of disperse. .The motherFforest, and these wild things which it nourished, all
recogni"ed a %indred wildness in the human child1 Hawthorne notes as Pearl is on a wal%
with her mother &6)6+.
However, the Puritans believed that anything affiliated with the forest was evil; therefore,
Pearl defies their laws by being effervescent and -oyful in the woods. Some of the Puritans
even believe her to be a demon offspring. So unusual is her behavior that she is often
referred to in such terms as .elf child,1 Piyasena5Pine 9 .imp,1 and .airy sprite.1 Pearl is a
virtual shouting match between the Puritanical views and the <omantic ways. Pearl is a
source of many %inds of symbolism. She is both a rose and indeed the scarlet letter. 0f she
had not been born, Hester would not have had to wear the letter. Pearl is a burden to
Hester; yet Hester loves her. She is also her mother$s only treasure and her only source of
survival. ,ithout Pearl, Hester would have lived a different life, one without the scarlet
letter, one without sin, and one without her treasure.
%n *orld #oo$ "ictionary, a symbol is defined as something that stands for or
represents something else, especially an idea, 5uality, or condition. Symbols can be
ob/ects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent ideas or concepts. %n the
novel The Scarlet Letter, by -athaniel Hawthorne, there are many symbols that are
throughout the novel. *hile symbols can be created, such created symbols are
sub/ective and must be given meaning within their conte&t and because the conte&t
is different among individuals and societies and can vary over time. Some symbols
that are used in the novel The Scarlet Letter is the scarlet letter, the meteor, )earl,
the rosebush ne&t to the prison door, and the scaffold.

The scarlet letter is a symbol that is a symbol of shame, %nstead it becomes a power
of identity to Hester. As time passes the letters meaning on Hesters chest shifts
also. "..that many people refused to interpret the scarlet "A" by its original
signification. They said that it meant "Able"; so strong was Hester )rynne, with a
womans strength" ABCDE. !rom the beginnings the scarlet letter intended to mar$
Hester as an adulterer and eventually it comes to stand for able. %t mar$s her as a
person of importance. As "immesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and )earl
in +hapter 6%%, a red "A" appears in the night s$y. "..loo$ing upward to the zenith,
beheld there the appearance of an immense letter :the letter "A":mar$ed out in
lines of dull red light" ABCFE. To "immesdale, the meteor implies that he should wear
the mar$ of shame /ust as Hester )rynne. The meteor is interpreted differently from
the rest of the community. The community interprets the A as "Angel" which means
that 'overnor *inthrop has entered heaven. The )uritans loo$ed to symbols to
confirm divine sentiments.

Although )earl is a character in The Scarlet Letter, she is a main symbol also. )earl
is a living version of Hesters scarlet letter. She is the conse5uence of her mothers
actions and transgressions. She is a reminder of Hesters sin, and is more of a
punishment than a blessing. "'azing at )earl, Hester )rynne often dropped her wor$
upon $nees, and cried out with an agony which she would fain have hidden, but
which made utterance for itself, betwi&t speech and a groan, G0 !ather in Heaven:if
Thou art still my !ather:what is this being which % have brought into the world= And
)earl, over hearing the e/aculation, or aware through some more subtle channel of
those throbs of anguish, would turn her vivid and beautiful little face upon her
mother, smile with spirit:li$e intelligence, and resume her play" AHDE. )earls
e&istence gives her mother reason to live, bolstering her spirits when she is
tempted to give up.

The narrator of The Scarlet Letter chooses to begin his story with the image of
rosebushes ne&t to the prison door. The rosebush symbolizes the ability of nature to
endure and outlast mans activities. "This rosebush, by a strange chance, has been
$ept alive in history; but whether it had merely survived out of stern old wilderness,
so long after the fall of the gigantic pines and oa$s that originally overshadowed it:
or whether, as there is fair authority for believing, it had sprung up under the
footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson, as she entered the prison door:we shalled
not ta$e upon us to determine" ACIE. The narrator mentions various significance to
the rosebush, never admitting or denying them.

The scaffold is a place of public condemnation for Hester )rynne. *henever the
scaffold is mentioned, it signifies ignominy and alludes bac$ to the sin of adultery.
"*al$ing in the shadow of a dream, as it were, and perhaps actually under the
influence of a species of somnambulism, .r. "immesdale reached the spot where,
now so long since, Hester )rynne had lived through her first hours of public
ignominy. The same platform or scaffold, blac$ and weather:stained with the storm
or sunshine of seven long years, and foot:worn, too, with the tread of many culprits
who had since ascended it, remained standing beneath the balcony of the meeting
house. The minister went up the steps" AB<IE. The scaffold is a place of public
confession for ,evered "immesdale. *hoever mounts the scaffold draws attention
of the public.

%n the novel The Scarlet Letter, by -athaniel Hawthorne, there were several symbols
used in the novel. The scarlet letter was meant to be a symbol of shame but it
became a power of identity for Hester. The meteor, for "immesdale meant he
should be wearing the scarlet letter /ust li$e Hester. To the town, the meteor meant
"angel" which meant that the 'overnor entered the gates of heaven. )earl was a
symbol that was a living version of her mothers sin. The rosebush by the prison
door represents the ability of nature to endure and outlasts a mans activities. The
scaffold is a place of public confession and alludes bac$ to the sin of adultery.
Throughout the novel, The Scarlet Letter, the author, -athaniel Hawthorne uses a few $ey
symbols to represent ma/or themes in the boo$. The most obvious and well $nown, as it is in
the title, is the scarlet letter Hester is forced to wear. Three other symbols are the scaffold,
the sun, and the forest.
To begin with, the most important and influential symbol in the entire boo$ is the infamous
scarlet letter, hence the title, The Scarlet Letter. %n the second chapter, Hester wal$s out of
the prison, wearing the infamous scarlet letter JAK. "uring the first few years of HesterKs
punishment, the letter was a daily reminder of shame. %n chapter five, Hawthorne writes,,
"Hester Prynne had always this dreadful agony in feeling a human eye upon the token; the
spot never grew callous; it seemed, on the contrary, to grow more sensitive with daily
torture" As the story unfolds, though, this letter comes to mean other things to Hester and
the people. ,ather than bringing torture to Hester, it eventually becomes a symbol to some
people meaning "able." %n chapter B<, Hawthorne writes, "They said that it meant Able; so
strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman!s strength" A few pages later, Hawthorne writes,
"The scarlet letter had not done its office" The scarlet letter was meant as a punishment for
Hester, and yet here we see that it hasnKt punished Hester. Then, in chapter BH, Hawthorne
writes, "Thus, we seem to see that, as regarded Hester Prynne, the whole seven years of
outlaw and ignominy had "een little other than a preparation for this very hour" Although
the scarlet letter does bring shame to Hester, as Hawthorne writes, it has not performed its
duty. Hester plans to s$ip town and go bac$ to 4urope with "immesdale. %f she had learned
anything from the letter, she would have $nown better than to run away with a man who
wasnKt her husband.
Throughout the boo$, there are various meanings to the scarlet letter. %t means different
things to different people L a sign of wealth to the butler, curiosity for )earl, guilt for
"immesdale, rebelliousness, revenge or motivation for +hillingworth, and betrayal of oneKs
spouse, to name a few. ,egardless, the true duty was to punish and teach a lesson, neither
of which the letter performed successfully.
The scarlet letter is only one of the symbols representing HesterKs shame and punishment.
Another one we see early in the novel, at about the same time we see Hester wearing the
scarlet letter for the first time in public, is the scaffold on which she stands after wal$ing out
of the prison. %n the second chapter, Hawthorne writes, "#t was, in short, the platform of the
pillory; and a"ove it rose the framework of that instrument of discipline, so fashioned as to
confine the human head in its tight grasp, and thus hold it up to the pu"lic ga$e The very
ideal of ignominy was em"odied and made manifest in this contrivance of wood and iron"
These few sentences pretty much sum up the significance of the scaffold in the story. The
scaffold, li$e the scarlet letter, to the )uritans, is a place of public shame for those persons
who decide to brea$ the )uritan Law. %t represents the sin of the person standing upon it and
it shows the )uritan way of dealing with sin.
Among the other symbols we see in the boo$ is the sun and its shining. %ts importance
becomes more evident as the boo$ comes to a close, but the earlier parts of the boo$ are
used to build up its significance. Throughout the boo$, we see that the sun shines on )earl
5uite often, but never on Hester. Then, in chapter BH, we see Hester and Arthur tal$ing in
the forest. After deciding to go to 4ngland and live as a family AArthur, Hester, and )earlE
there, Hester ta$es off the scarlet letter, to show that she is no longer bound by it.
Hawthorne writes that after she had ta$en off the letter, "%ll at once, as with a sudden smile
of heaven, forth "urst the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the o"scure forest, gladdening
each green leaf, transmuting the yellow fallen ones to gold, and gleaming adown the gray
trunks of the solemn trees The o"&ects that had made a shadow hitherto, em"odied the
"rightness now" This can be interpreted to mean that nature is happy with Hester and
Arthur Aas well as )earlE. According to -atural Law, Hester and Arthur arenKt guilty, since
they are no longer oppressed. #ecause 'od has control over nature, He is happy with them.
Although % thin$ this is what Hawthorne tries to convey when he mentions sunshine over and
over, his reasoning is incorrect. %n the Ten +ommandments, 'od tells His people itKs wrong to
commit adultery. .any people say that Hester and Arthur never committed adultery because
Hester, in their minds, was never actually married. 4ven if they werenKt, those saying Hester
and Arthur are not guilty would still be wrong. 4lsewhere in the #ible, 'od says fornication
Ase& between two people who arenKt married to each otherE is wrong. Although the sunshine
is meant to signify natureKs, and, conse5uently, 'odKs, happiness with Arthur and Hester, the
reasoning behind it is incorrect. The #ible says in .atthew D3CD, " for He ?'od@ maketh His
sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the
unjust"
This verse shows that /ust because 'od ma$es the sun rise or the rain fall for a person
doesnKt mean that he li$es what they are doing.
The last of the four ma/or symbols in the boo$ is the forest. Hawthorne writes in chapter
four, "%rt thou like the Black Man that haunts the forest round a"out us'" #y saying
this, Hester is continuing the belief of the )uritans in the story, who see the forest as dar$, or
evil, as the place where the witches go at night to have meetings, and a home of the devil. A
possible interpretation of why the )uritans made up things about the forest could be that
they were trying to $eep the people from the -atural Law L they wanted people to be
sub/ect to the )uritan Law. % thin$ this is what Hawthorne is trying to get across, but, as with
the last symbol and the common interpretation of it, % thin$ he errs in his point. As we
discussed in class, Hawthorne tries to ma$e the )uritans loo$ bad. A!or e&ample, in chapter
IB, Hawthorne writes, "Their immediate posterity, the generation ne(t to the early
emigrants, wore the blackest shade of Puritanism, and so darkened the national visage
with it, that all the su"se)uent years have not sufficed to clear it up"E The common
interpretation Hawthorne tries to get across implies that -atural Law Aas seen in the boo$E is
e5ual to 'odKs Law, and that the )uritans have all their beliefs mi&ed up and theyKre wrong.
This is where Hawthorne errs. %n reality, )uritan Law is closer to 'odKs law than is -atural
Law, as we see it in the boo$. The )uritans base their law on 'odKs Law, but the -atural Law
portrayed in the boo$ isnKt based on 'odKs law.
%n closing, Hawthorne uses several symbols to portray themes and ideas in this novel. 4ach
of these has common interpretations, many of which arenKt completely accurate.