Sunday, March 10, 2013

The Scarlet Letter - Thomas Rhodes


In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, there are numerous times where symbolism is used.  The use of symbolism throughout The Scarlet Letter allows Hawthorne to make inanimate objects and people represent more than just one’s physical self.  Three uses of symbolism that stand out in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter include the scarlet letter “A”, the dark, and Pearl.

The scarlet letter “A” is used to symbolize many different things throughout the course of The Scarlet Letter.  In the beginning of the novel, Hester is punished to a life of wearing the “A” on her bosom.  At this point in the novel, the “A” symbolizes the adultery Hester has committed with Dimmesdale.  Later on, the “A” becomes less associated with the word “adulterer” and more with the word “Able.” The townspeople say that Hester’s “A” symbolizes “Able” because she is “so strong…with a woman’s strength.” Farther on in the story, the “A” becomes associated with Dimmesdale and the “A” upon his chest.  Many different interpretations are given to explain the origin and symbolism of the “A.” Some believed that the “A” upon Dimmesdale’s chest was a “hideous torture” that he inflicted on himself to symbolize his adultery.   Others, however, believed that the “A” symbolized “the effect of the ever-active tooth of remorse, gnawing from the innermost heart outwardly.”

Hawthorne also uses the dark as a symbol throughout the development of The Scarlet Letter.  The dark is first mentioned when describing Boston.  For example, the people of Boston are symbolized as being dark by their “somber and grave” attitudes.   The dark is also used to symbolize the character Chillingworth.  Many times Chillingworth is referenced as being “the black man” and as having “dark complexion.”  Both of these descriptions symbolize Chillingworth’s evil and deceptive spirit.  In addition, the dark is used to symbolize Hester’s adultery.  While in the forest, Pearl says that “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . . It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!  Hester is veiled in darkness symbolizing her adultery with Dimmesdale and her inability to obtain happiness.

Another way Hawthorne uses symbolism in The Scarlet Letter is through the character Pearl.  Pearl is first described as “being of great price—purchased with all she had,—her mother’s only treasure!”  From this excerpt, Pearl is symbolized as a precious person who cost Hester much suffering and pain to get.  Pearl, herself, symbolizes Hester and Dimmesdale’s adultery.  She is the physical result of sexual sin and a living symbol of the scarlet letter “A” upon Hester’s bosom.  Not only is Pearl a symbol of adultery, but she is also a symbol of beauty and hope.  Pearl is symbolized as being plucked from a “wild rosebush.” She is also symbolized by her red, elegant attire and passionate attitude.

Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses symbolism numerous times.  By using symbolism, Hawthorne is able to add depth and non-explicitly stated information to the storyline.  Hawthorne’s intelligent use of symbolism through the scarlet letter “A”, the dark, and Pearl, allows The Scarlet Letter to make a lasting impression in the reader.  Personally, I believe The Scarlet Letter is a very good book.  If one has not read The Scarlet Letter before, now is a great time to pick up a copy and try to find some of the instances where symbolism is used.  One cannot go wrong with this great read!

13 comments:

  1. I personally have never read The Scarlet Letter (it's awful, I know!) but your analysis made it simple to understand in a condensed version of the story. I specifically liked how you showed the symbolism of Chillingworth's name. Chill refers to cold, and we often think of evil as being cold and dark. Being in the presence of an evil person may even send a chill down your spine. You did an excellent job describing the symbolism in this story! I'm definitely going to read it now.

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  2. I really like your post on this book. I did read the book in high school and I didn't really like it very much. It's a great story but it was hard for me to get through at the time. Your post explained a lot of things that I missed when I read it and I feel like I should go back and give it a second chance. I had not thought of Pearl in that way. Great post!

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  3. I read the book in high school but it was hard to get through but your post really covered the basics. I really liked how you described the dark and how it was used throughout the book. I never really thought of that and now that you pointed it out, it makes Chillingworth creepier. Great job!

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  4. As you have already mentioned, this novel is laden with symbolism. I, too, read this in high school. Many of the symbols you mentioned had escaped my mind, so thank you for the refresher! I recall that Pearl was significant for her name. However, if I recall correctly, the kid was evil! Though beautiful, she was compared to an imp (I think), which is not a comparison that an author of Hawthorne's time would make lightly. To be honest, this was not one of my favorite books, maybe because of all the symbolism? (Kidding!)

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  5. Kalee- You so need to join the bandwagon and read this book! :P

    I read this in high school too, and I actually enjoyed it then! I think my teacher just did an awesome job pointing out all of the symbolism, which is what makes this book so good. I especially love the part about the pearl, and how it has a couple different sides to its meaning of both adultery and beauty. I am very impressed with how mush you could point out in such a short essay! Great overview- I might be inspired to go back and read this book again...After finals, that is.

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  6. I am like Kalee and have not read the Scarlet Letter. However, I did read this post, and I watched Easy A (not that that counts, but oh well). I think it is interesting that darkness is used to represent something negative throughout much of literature. The color red is also seen to stand for passion throughout many stories. It is so interesting to me how culture can affect even how we view certain colors. The themes of our culture, such as darkness for "bad" and red for bold, permeate so much of our society.

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  7. I haven't read the book, but we did watch the movie in high school, and honestly, all I can remember about it was the insanely loud screaming baby during one scene (which, is exactly what my teacher told us we would remember about it). I do know the basic story line, though I've never (or don't remember-which is probably more accurate) going through all the symbols of the book. I like how you said Hawthorne uses symbols so he doesn't have to state things explicitly. I love how he doesn't throw everything at the reader; instead, you have to pick the story apart to understand what he is trying to say. Good job pointing out all the symbols and also explaining how each symbol changes or symbolizes something else throughout the book.

    Hannah Aycock

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  8. This was required reading at my high school and I loved the rich symbolism so I am so glad that you wrote about exactly that! You did very well in adding layers to the symbolism by saying what the symbol is and then explaining how the symbol took on different meanings as the story progressed. I greatly admire Hawthorne’s ability to create a protagonist that is not necessarily appealing or ideal as well as to develop several interesting characters and this story is a great example of his writing prowess. Your usage of evidence from the source began to dwindle towards the end of your blog entry but you did very well with smoothly incorporating it into your essay. The structure of your essay is very comprehensible.

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  9. I never got to read the Scarlet Letter either because I took AP instead, but I have heard so much about it. I have always loved Nathaniel Hawthorne, and I think it is because he realizes that people screw up. They shouldn't be punished forever because of it. I think we see that in the Scarlet Letter as the "A" starts to stand for hope, and the fact that Pearl is also a symbolism of hope. He wishes that people back then would realize that the past is not what makes a person who they are. It is the present.

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  10. I also read this book in high school, and I had forgotten about the huge amounts of symbolism. It's so easy to forget that the book is an allegory, and to just think of it as strictly a narrative. I also liked that you included several different things that one person/aspect of the story could symbolize. Hawthorne's writing is so impressive in that he weaves in all the different layers of story telling and numerous symbolisms.

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  11. Pearl is evil in child form, you guys. She is proof that you can't trust the stereotyped symbols in a piece of literature. Light doesn't always = good; darkness doesn't always = bad. I like how you said in your analysis that Pearl was a manifestation of evil because she was a product of adultery. She just has a false sense of goodness because she hides herself in an air of innocence, what with the rosy cheeks and bright colors and youth. Very clever, Nathaniel Hawthorne.

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  12. Just like several of my other classmates have previously said, I have not read The Scarlett Letter. I've always wanted to though and, after reading this post, have decided to put it on my summer reading list!
    I think it's very interesting to think of how far the world has come (especially since the Puritan years). In the book, Hester has a child out of an affair and is negatively branded because of it. Situtations like that, however, are pretty common in today's society and no one I know has ever been forced to wear a red "A." Hester's struggle to build a new life is a theme that I think is relatable to many people today.
    - Emily Alves

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  13. Like I said in my last post that was somehow deleted: I commend you for writing on an entire book instead of a short excerpt. Way to think outside of the box! I have to admit that this book was required reading in my junior year o high school, but I STILL never read it. I got an A on the test just because of the class discussion, which I enjoyed much more than the actual writing. I absolutely love reading, but Nathaniel Hawthorne drove me crazy with all his adjectives and very little nouns, so I have to say that obviously this was not my favorite work of his. Still, the story was absolutely rich in meaning and a great idea. If this has been a 100-page book, I think it would have been personally groundbreaking.

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