Scarlet Letter Symbolism Essay

There is a great deal of symbolism in The Scarlet Letter, and it may seem rather overdone to some readers. This is because the intent of the novel was not to portray a completely accurate or realistic account of Hester Prynne's story, but rather to use that symbolism to make a point. The first chapter, though it is barely two pages long, is absolutely filled with symbolism, and the rest of the novel is no different. James states that the symbolism "is overdone at times, and becomes mechanical; it ceases to be impressive, and grazes triviality." He is not incorrect, however, the symbolism in The Scarlet Letter is a large part of its acclaim. The story would not be what it is without symbolism that can be said to hit you in the face. The scarlet letter itself is a symbol for many things - Hester's adultery is the most obvious example, but her decision to adorn the letter with "elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold-thread" (50) represents her opinion of her punishment. The community's changing view of the letter is also builds the symbolism of the letter "A". The letter becomes almost more of Hester than she is herself, which is likely what Hawthorne wanted to accomplish. By doing this, he is able to show not only Hester's actions, but perhaps more so the reactions of those around her. There may be an excess of symbolism, but it all done for a purpose. The changing opinion of the people around Hester prove that a symbol does not nececcarily need to maintain the same meaning throughout a story. The people begin by regarding Hester with hatred and scorn, but as the story continues, they slowly begin to accept that Hester is maybe not the terrible person that
There is more meaning to the symbols than what may be observed at first glance, so there will be something new to discover every time The Scarlet Letter is