The Scarlet Letter Symbols

Rachel Matthews
Mrs. Tubbs
AP English
02 October 2012
The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter is a novel filled with important symbols, each with many meanings. Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, knew how to express these symbolswith a creative tough. He used the “A”, the scaffold, and the prison to describe the Puritan society. The symbols or The Scarlet Letter help create a theme, the conflict, and the characters. The scarlet “A” makes its way to be the most important symbol in the novel. The “A” represents adultery, which is a violation of the ten commandments in the Puritan society. The “A” becomes the basis for the novel. Hester Prynne, the main character, committed adultery and had a child with a man that was not her husband. Because of this Hester was assigned to wear the scarlet “A” until the day she dies. Hawthorne wrote, “…fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold-thread, appeared the letter A. It was so artistically done, and with so much fertility and gorgeous luxuriance of fancy…” (Hawthorne, 53) to describe the appearance of the “A”. When the villagers saw the “A” on Hester’s clothing, for them it symbolized she will forever be different in their eyes. In “ The Scarlet Letter Overview”, by James C. Austin, he discusses how he believes the “A” is used too many times in the novel. He states, “ It is true that the letter “A” is overwork in the book, and the moral symbolism becomes wearisome” (Austin). But I have to disagree with Austin. I believe the “A” built the conflict of the novel. And without the conflict, the novel would not be as good as it is. Hawthorn was able to describe the “A” to a tee and also keep the readers attention. Hawthornes next major symbol in the novel is the Scaffold. The scaffold serves at the courtroom of the puritan society. Upon Hester’s verdict. She had to stand on the scaffold for three hours. While standing there, the men and women judged her

Cited: "The Prison in Nineteenth-Century Literature." Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism. Ed. Lynn M. Zott. Vol. 116. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. In this analysis, Lynn M. Zott tells when writers in the nineteenth century would use prisons in their novels, how there were mostly two descriptions. Some used the prison as a place of romantic solitude and the prison as a brutal and inhuman institution. Austin, James C. "The Scarlet Letter: Overview." Reference Guide to American Literature. Ed. Jim Kamp. 3rd ed. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994.Literature Resource Center. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. James C. Austin explains that there are reasons to call The Scarlet Letter the first modern novel. He believes that all other novels after Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter were “offspring” of his novel. Than goes to describe other novels written by authors and how they incorporated Hawthorne writings in their novels. The Scarlet Letter: Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote an inspirational novel that started up the nineteenth-century literature. Hester Prynne, the main character, lived a life of suffering and hardships after she had committed adultery. Hester also affected the lives of the other characters in the novel. Hawthorne used symbols to a very descriptive tone.