What Does Sin Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

The Seed, Sin, and Scarlet By definition, a symbol is “something concrete that represents or suggests another thing that cannot in itself be pictured”. Symbolism in literature is important to fully understanding just how meaningful the novel really is. Without symbolism it is just a bunch of meaningless words on a page. Hawthorne uses symbols in The Scarlet Letter such as Pearl, the personification of sin, and the actual “A” to illustrate the characters. Pearl is a sort of living version of her mother’s scarlet letter. She is the physical consequence of sexual sin and the indicator of a transgression. She was named Pearl to mean pure, white, and not sinful. Although to Hester it means "’Pearl,’ as being of great price,-purchased with all she had, her mother’s only treasure!” a pearl from Jesus’ parable that was bought at a great price. For Hester this price was everything she had, including her place in the Puritan society. While Pearl brings joy to Hester’s life, she is also the bane of her existence. Pearl is the reason she gets up each day but she is a constant reminder of the sin she committed and the shame that she felt. Dimmesdale sees Pearl as the "freedom of a broken law"; Hester sees her as "the living hieroglyphic" of their sin; and the community sees her as the
result of the devil 's work. The characters of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth all represent sin. However, these three symbolize different aspects of sin. Through Hester, Hawthorne shows that sin can make a person stronger, even if she has to deal with all of the pain Smith 2 of being an adulterer. Hester truly is a symbol of strength, and because of her strength she is able to get on with her life and not suffer with her grief. Dimmesdale, unlike Hester, became weaker due to his sin, although his sermons were strengthened. He is a symbol of God, and because of this it is hard for him to be open about his sins. Until his death, he can never plainly admit to his congregation that he committed adultery. He says that “At the great judgment day…Then, and there, before the judgment seat, thy mother, and thou, and I, must stand together. But the daylight of this world shall not see our meeting!” Chillingworth is less of a character and more of a symbol doing the devil 's bidding. He was always viewed as an ugly and evil man with a penetrating power. Although he isn’t a Puritan he was allowed to stay in order to help the sick Reverend. He is fiendish, evil, and intent on revenge, his only purpose is to make Dimmesdale suffer until he is pleased.
The most important symbol throughout the whole book is most likely the scarlet “A” that Hester is forced to wear.
It is a sign of adultery, penance, and penitence. It brings about Hester 's suffering and loneliness and also provides her rejuvenation. “Although at first it has a shameful meaning, Hester does not let it dictate the conditions of her punishment.” Hester is a strong woman, too strong for the Puritans from the start, and did not allow the original meaning of the letter to affect her in any way. She fought through the adversity and became a better person because of it. Later, the scarlet “A” became a symbol that meant able or angel, the complete opposite of its intended
purpose. Hawthorne used various symbols in The Scarlet Letter to demonstrate their characteristics. Without these we would have been lost and confused in a story void of meaning. Through the symbols he perfectly portrays the characters and gives their existence a deeper Smith 3 meaning. Works Cited
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Dover ed. New York: Dover Publications, 1994. Print.
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