SYMBOLISM IN THE SCARLET LETTER Symbolism can be defined as using objects‚ characters‚ figures‚ or colors to represent abstract ideas or concepts. The Scarlet Letter is a story that describes the life of an adulterer‚ Hester Prynne. She had sexual relations with Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale‚ while married‚ that resulted in the birth of her daughter‚ Pearl. However‚ she doesn’t let it get to her and shows great bravery by living on through her hard time. In The Scarlet Letter‚ Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Scarlett Letter Criticism Nathanial Hawthorne envisioned The Scarlet Letter as a short story published in a collection‚ but it outgrew that purpose. Most critics accept Hawthorne’s definition of it as a “romance” rather than a novel. The novel begins with an introductory autobiographical essay‚ “The Custom House” where Hawthorne describes working as a custom officer in Salem‚ Massachusetts. He describes coming across documents that provide him with the basis for The Scarlett Letter. The introductory
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The Scarlet Letter Sin and guilt are themes that are not only central to The Scarlet Letter‚ but to the entirety of Puritan Culture. They come hand in hand‚ and are seen as almost necessary for moral perfection. Throughout The Scarlet Letter‚ nearly every character is changed or at least affected by sin and guilt‚ and for many of them it is in a life changing way. It is an unavoidable side effect of the times they found themselves in that is even there today‚ although less prevalent. Hester‚ Dimmesdale
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but‚ if entrusted to the wrong set of hands‚ it will lead to major destruction. Power has been given to everyone just in different amounts. What people do with the power they have is up to them‚ but‚ in many instances‚ it is misused. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ Hawthorne creates a story that shows the abuse of power by people in different social statuses in Puritanical society. The abuse of power between the Puritans in Hawthorne’s story and people in American society today displays
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In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel‚ The Scarlet letter‚ we are presented to a Puritanical society that resides adulteress Hester Prynne‚ whom must wear a scarlet letter to mark her shame. Within the novel‚ Hawthorne uses detailed descriptions of nature and introduces comprehensive characters such as Arthur Dimmesdale and Pearl with the intention of portraying the central message of good versus evil. To begin‚ Hawthorne illustrates the images of the brook and the forest to put emphasis on the
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novels and writings‚ with one of them being The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Scarlet Letter depicts a woman who is shamed of adultery and has to wear a scarlet “A” on her bosom‚ and the “A” seems to have supernatural powers that effect Hester Prynne and people around her in many different ways. The scarlet “A” attached to Hester Prynne’s bosom was a sign of her committing adultery and was permanently attached for her public shame. But the letter had other negatives to it‚ as “It had the
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assigned letters. Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale are examples of taking two different approaches to a similar problem. Hester faced her challenge and used it as a chance to change‚ while Mr. Dimmesdale let himself be tortured by it. They both went different ways‚ and they both had very different outcomes. Hester lived a better life and fulfilled many more things than Mr. Dimmesdale did. He hid and tortured himself at night overall destroying himself. Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale have received letters in very
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through the Scarlet Letter show in many forms. In this book ‚ the most prominent secret to the reader is the one most guarded. Hester and Dimmesdale’s relationship is shown at first when they meet in the woods. Through the beginning of the book‚ Hester refuses to reveal her fellow sinner though to the reader It is obvious that they both have feelings for each other. Both torn by the separation they must endure‚ and bound by the fear of society finding out their secret‚ they hide. Hester keeps quiet
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observances of fairness‚ while others endure the tumult to find humanity on their own. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ Hester‚ a sinful woman‚ learns to establish a new identity under her branded “A”. Hester develops a new sense of morality‚ as her story darkens to an end foreshadowed by the symbolic rose bush. The rose bush merely symbolizes the commencement of Hester Prynne’s embracing of her new identity through crime and the unraveling of her moral blossom‚ but as well as the break
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Preeminent Triad The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is overflowing with important character relationships. These pairings and triads only become significant when power imbalance is considered‚ which allows the reader to predict future conflicts and recurring themes throughout the story. Relationships are directly linked to conflict‚ which is the most important part of any novel. There are perhaps a dozen crucial triads in the first eight chapters of The Scarlet Letter‚ but one stands out among
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