scarlet letter Essay

Submitted By BUBBLEBUTT36
Words: 1403
Pages: 6
Open Document
The Scarlet Letter
LIT 331

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote a true American novel that dove into the complexities of Puritan and early American society; it was called The Scarlet Letter. In this novel it discussed the hard times of Hester Prynne, the main character as well as her secret lover Reverend Dimmesdale. The novel addresses their trials and tribulations of their love affair, their child Pearl and multiple symbols used to discuss identity of one’s self, along with the identity of the people. Through this story the reader can interpret the multiple symbols, such as individualism, conformity, the light and dark, which bind the story together. The running theme of identity versus society is developed for one to understand that individuality is more important than falling victim to the society’s ideals; this is shown through the interpretations of the multiple symbols such as Pearl who symbolized the light that brings the happiness to all the people involved, Chillingworth symbolized the dark that emphasized the light, Hester’s scarlet letter symbolizes individuality, and also Dimmesdale’s scarlet letter, that he wears on the interior, symbolizes conformity to the reader. The theme of identity versus society in The Scarlet Letter can be seen in Pearl because she is one of the major symbols that helps develop that theme. Pearl differs from the other characters in the novel because she is not faced with any type of hardship of her identity and how it clashes with the way society views her. Instead of finding it hard to deal with society she is the light that symbolized the illumination her mother’s and father’s identities. Pearl’s life started off in isolation from the rest of society, so she does not carry the biasness that society carries which means her interpretations are pure. So when Pearl mentions something about Dimmesdale clutching his heart in pain, one can assume that this is symbolic of his pains of conformity to his society’s ideals. Pearl states “A strange, sad man is he, with his hand always over his heart” (Hawthorne, 2005). Pearl also shown light on her mother, Hester, when she removes the scarlet letter, this seemed to Pearl as a grave event, because she saw her mother trying to escape from her identity, instead of accepting her identity. Roger Chillingworth is the dark that enhances the light of Pearl in The Scarlet Letter. His character is disliked by many but is needed for the novel, because all stories need a villain and a fair maiden. Chillingworth’s character adds to the theme identity versus society because his dark intentions help show the light and also enhance Hester’s individuality, along with breaking the bonds of conformity for Dimmesdale. Chillingworth was Hester’s husband, but when he entered the story it had been years since they had seen each other. Hester was the only one who knew who Chillingworth really was. He incorporated himself into society under a false identity, as the new doctor of the town. Even Chillingworth’s appearance enhances the dark villainy aspects of this character. As quoted from The Scarlet Letter “…Chillingworth was a striking evidence of a man’s faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil’s office” (Hawthorne, 2005). Throughout the novel the reader can see that Chillingworth is cold hearted and does not feel pity for anyone. He is out for revenge; Hawthorne uses this to symbolize the dark to enhance the light of Pearl in this novel. Chillingworth was hurt and distraught over the fact that his wife had moved on in her life without him, this turned him into a vengeful and cold hearted person. Even though Pearl was the child of his wife, Hester, and her new lover Dimmesdale, Chillingworth saw the light in Pearl and at the end of the novel left a great sum of money to Pearl. Another character that contributes to the theme would be Hester and her
Show More

Related Documents: scarlet letter Essay

Scarlet Letter Essay

English III 1st Period The Symbolism of The Scarlet Letter Have you ever read a book with lots of symbolism? Did you notice there was one symbol the author went to great extents to represent to the reader? The Scarlet Letter is a well known book that has been read for many generations. It is one of those books that has lots of symbolism but has one primary symbol that is concentrated on throughout the book. This major symbol is a scarlet letter A. This letter is worn by a young girl that has committed…

Words 497 - Pages 2

The Scarlet Letter Motif)

Mini-Report #2 (The Scarlet Letter Motif) In chapters nine through sixteen, Hawthorne alternates the meaning of the scarlet “A” from adultery to able. The letter now symbolizes Hester’s strength and ability. Metamorphosis says that the townspeople who once condemned her now believed her scarlet "A" to stand for her ability to create beautiful needlework and for her unselfish assistance to the poor and sick (Metamorphosis online). During this section of “The Scarlet Letter,” Hester begins to be…

Words 340 - Pages 2

Sympathy In The Scarlet Letter

Surname 5 Name Professor Subject Date The Scarlet Letter This essay will take a defensive position on the assertion that people are not actually “humanized” or capable of sympathy until grief deeply touches them. Evidence will point out that people reactions to sympathy for others have to be emotionally induced, mostly by pain or unusual happenings and acts. Pearl is the daughter of Hester, and the book uses her as a symbol. She becomes an important character in the book through her ability to provoke…

Words 1134 - Pages 5

Essay on scarlet letter

of the Letter in The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter includes many profound and important symbols. This device of symbolism is portrayed well in the novel, especially through the scarlet letter "A". The "A" is the best example because of the changes in the meaning throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel, the scarlet letter "A" is viewed as a symbol of sin. The middle of the novel is a transition period, where the scarlet letter…

Words 1495 - Pages 6

The Scarlet Letter Transcendentalism

disagreed with the practices and dependency on religion, and he wrote The Scarlet Letter in backlash. Puritan society did not believe in putting individuals over the whole community nor did they believe in finding spirituality in nature. Transcendentalism is a literary movement presented in the book the Scarlet Letter, It is demonstrated through Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Pearl. The main character of The Scarlet Letter is Hester Prynne, a woman who committed adultery and who is publicly…

Words 518 - Pages 3

Hycrisy In Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter is a romantic fiction, that was written by the American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. The setting of the novel is Boston during the Puritan era, where a woman (Hester Prynne) who is not married gets pregnant which makes her an adulteress. Her punishment for adultery is to wear a the scarlet letter “A.” on her chest as a visible representation of her sin. The town then basically shuns her, especially because she does not disclose the identity of pearl’s (her child’s) father…

Words 1208 - Pages 5

The Scarlet Letter Essay

The Scarlet Letter “The Scarlet Letter” is set in Puritan times when morals and beliefs greatly affected daily existence and people’s belief structure. The functional physical setting of “The Scarlet Letter” is to both foreshadow what will come and relate to the actual events occurring. For example, in the beginning of the story, the cemetery can represent the negativity in the following scene where Hester is made fun of at the scaffold. The forest represents evil because it is where witch meeting…

Words 476 - Pages 2

Scarlet Letter Symbolism

that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow” (74) shows that the rose holds valuable significance throughout the story. The scarlet letter itself, the “A”, descriptively stands for “Adulterer”, which outlines the sin that Hester had committed. The letter holds a lot of pain and shame to it, shown by, “...for the remainder of her natural life to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom” (95). Another form of symbolism is the scaffold, which…

Words 1032 - Pages 5

Scarlet letter Essay

Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter is a figure of shame and sin. Hester is looked down upon and shunned by the townspeople because she's has committed adultery. She is forced to wear the letter "A" to tarnish her reputation. Hawthorne's attitude toward Hester is different from the rest of the townspeople because of the way her presents her and finishes the story. As the novel continues the meaning of the scarlet letter changes from adulterer to able, adding to Hawthorne's true view of Hester Prynne…

Words 597 - Pages 3

Scarlet Letter Essay

A simple letter of the alphabet transforms into a symbol of sin, shame, and identity in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter. In the Scarlet letter, as a punishment for the crime of adultery, Hester becomes forced to wear the scarlet letter A for the duration of her life. In Puritan Boston, which the story sets, the town considers adultery an ignominious act. In the romance The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses diction, and point of view to create a critical and analytical tone in order…

Words 478 - Pages 2