The Scarlet Letter Chapter 14 Analysis

Nathanial Hawthorne in chapter one opens up the story to the scene of Boston in the seventeenth century at the town prison door. At this time, it is the month of June and a colony of utopian puritans surrounds the prison. On page forty-one, in paragraph two, the prison is described as “the wooden jail was already marked with weathered stains and other indications of age, which gave a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browed and gloomy front. The rust on the ponderous iron work of its oaked door looked more antique than anything else in the New World.” Hawthorne sets the mood of sadness and how the description of the jail relates to how Hester Prynne feels inside. The setting starts off as ugly and gloom along with the description on puritan society and culture. The images of punishment and harsh deeds are presented in this first chapter also. Nathanial Hawthorne also begin to use the rose bush that was growing in front of the prison door to serve as a blessing to prisoners. This rose would always sprung up when prisoners entered the jail. For example, on page forty-two, paragraph three Nathaniel shares “it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson. The rose represents “sweet moral blossom”, the representation of Hester sin as a passion.
Concluding as the rose produces blessings the symbol of love produces Pearl and Hester.
Nathanial described the rose as fragrant and fragile beauty and deep heart of nature. Hester and pearl were very special and Hester was good mom for standing up for her sin and being an example to Pearl. Chapter one sets the story up from setting to symbolism. He explains chapter one to be “a tale of human frailty and sorrow. The prison was a symbol of what the prisoners were feeling inside their hearts. The way the prison looked is the way prisoners at that time should feel inside. It’s like Hawthorne sends off a message and clue that later on in the story Pearl will be revealed as a
rose