Symbolism in the Scarlet Letter

Hanna Giddings

8/25/16

Dr. Karschnik

4th period

                                  Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter

    In literature, a symbol is most often a concrete object used to represent an idea more abstract and broader in scope and meaning. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbols such as the scarlet letter “A”, light and darkness, and the color red to show how the Puritan society views individuals.

    The scarlet letter “A”, which appears in various places in the novel, is one of Hawthorne’s reoccurring symbols. Hawthorne first describes the letter by saying, “ was that the Scarlet Letter, so fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom.” (Hawthorne, 51) Hester Prinne had to wear the letter upon her chest, which symbolized her sin, adultery hence the letter A.

    Light and darkness, sunlight and shadows, are all indications of the same images. At the end of the first chapter, “relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow” (Hawthorne, 46). Hawthorne uses sunshine, or light, to symbolize all the honesty and purity while using shadows to symbolize sin. Pearl is in the sunlight. Pearl’s honesty makes her flawless and preserves her from sin. Hester is seen in the shadows because of her ongoing sin of dishonesty.

    The most frequently employed color by Hawthorne is red. Red most obviously represents Hester’s sin, as shown on the letter A, which she is forced to wear. Her scarlet letter, like her sin, is something she must always deal with and is something she can never escape. The first encounter with the color red is the description of the wild rose bush outside the prison but also when Hawthorne talks about A “on the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (Hawthorne, 40).

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