Realism, And Allegory In The Scarlet Letter
In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses a blend of realism, symbolism, and allegory. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses historical settings and various themes throughout the novel as well as his psychology and the supernatural. The psychological exploration of the characters and the author’s use of realistic dialogue only adds to the realism of the novel. The most obvious symbol of the novel is the actual scarlet letter ‘A’ that Hester wears on her chest every day. A rosebush stands in front of a gloomy prison to symbolize frailty and sorrow, beauty and solitude. Hawthorne also uses Hester’s daughter, Pearl, as a symbol: Pearl is important because of her ability to provoke the adult characters in the book. She asks them pointed questions and draws their attention, …show more content…
This is already the better life” (182). They are enlightened from this meeting by seeing the truth. The truth being that they must confront society together, either the society that knows Hester’s shame or the society against Hester’s act of adultery. The letter ‘A’ that illuminates in the night sky, the night Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold represents his cowardice and self- contempt. "A light gleamed far and wide over all the muffled sky. It was doubtless caused by one of those meteors…the minister, looking upward to the zenith, beheld there the appearance of an immense letter-the letter 'A '-marked out in lines of dull red light" (152) implies that this is God 's condemnation of the two sinners, most especially Dimmesdale. Hester has already been discovered and is receiving her punishment by wearing the scarlet letter, branding her as an adulteress and keeping her socially isolated. Dimmesdale, however, hides his sin from people because he has a respective role in
Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter
1227 Words | 5 PagesHester can wear her scarlet letter in public, and has adjusted enough to continue living a normal life. Dimmesdale, on the other hand, lives in secret with his scarlet letter affecting him more every day. He envies how Hester has managed to embrace her scarlet letter, while his guilt is only increasing. At one point, Dimmesdale feels so much envy that he says, “Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret!
Who Is Dimmesdale's Decay In The Scarlet Letter
417 Words | 2 PagesSimilarly, Dimmesdale envies the closure that Hester’s punishment has brought her: “‘Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly open your bosom! Mine burns in secret!’” (151). In this dialogue, Dimmesdale articulates how differently their sin has been treated. In Hester’s case, public punishment initially brought disapproval, but eventually led her to charity and a general acceptance by members of the society.
Dimmesdale's Concealment In The Scarlet Letter
1317 Words | 6 PagesHester is punished by being publicly humiliated, forced to the top of the scaffold and to expose her scarlet letter that she wore, and being booed and hissed at amongst the public. As Dimmesdale is upon the scaffold, he calls to the citizens of the town during the night, and Hester and Pearl soon join him, when a meteor later appears in the sky. The meteor appears in the sky looking like a letter A. Dimmesdale thinks that it is a demeaning representation of his sin, just like Hester’s scarlet letter. Chillingworth’s position on the scaffold involves Dimmesdale, Hester and Pearl upon the scaffold with him, with Dimmesdale revealing Chillingworth’s true evil figure after the torture he had committed upon Dimmesdale as revenge for his adulterous affair with Hester. The idea of the scaffold becoming a unifying device comes from the dynamic changes it goes through.
Redemption In The Scarlet Letter And The Crucible By Arthur Miller
767 Words | 4 PagesHawthorne depicts his message by using symbolism of the letter “A”. When Hester sewed her letter to her bosom, this illustrated that she is in control of her path of redemption and her power over society's
How Does Hawthorne Use Symbols In The Scarlet Letter
619 Words | 3 PagesHow does Hawthorne use symbolism in The Scarlet Letter? In this essay I will be talking about what kind of symbolism he used in The Scarlet Letter and why he wrote this novel The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorneuses key symbols to represent themes in the book. The most influential symbol was the Scarlet Letter that Hester wears on her chest all the time. Light and darkness play a role in the symbolic nature of the background and scenery.
The Nature Of Sin In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter
866 Words | 4 PagesThe narrator illustrates such thought when admiring Pearl for the symbol she serves, “ But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb, and indeed of the child’s who appearance, that it irresistibly and inevitably reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!” ( Hawthorne 96). Pearl is known to the community for her antics and alienous behaviour. Pearl ironically dresses up in red, symbolizing the archetypical fiery nature within her as she further embodies the scarlet letter.
Guilt And Isolation In The Scarlet Letter
495 Words | 2 PagesHer sin is causing her to be isolated from the rest of the community who always reminds her about the scarlet letter she wears and what it’s meaning is. This shows that sin can cause someone to want to be isolated and alone due to their sadness and pain their sin brings them. Dimmesdale and Hester present great examples of how the outcomes of sin, showing guilt and wanting isolation, are represented throughout the novel. Their actions are similar to how people would deal with their sins and mistakes
Arthur Dimmesdale's Guilt Quotes
1158 Words | 5 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale commits a mortal sin by having an affair with a married woman, Hester Prynne. As a man of the cloth in Puritan society, Dimmesdale is expected to be the embodiment of the town’s values. He becomes captive to a self-imposed guilt that manifests from affair and his fear that he won’t meet the town’s high expectations of him. In an attempt to mitigate this guilt, Dimmesdale acts “piously” and accepts Chillingworth’s torture, causing him to suffer privately, unlike Hester who repented in the eyes of the townspeople. When Dimmesdale finally reveals his sin to the townspeople, he is able to free himself from his guilt.
Hester Prynne Symbolism In Scarlet Letter
665 Words | 3 PagesThe book The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne has symbolism all throughout it. People and objects are symbolic of events and thoughts. Throughout the book, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale to signify philosophies that are evident during this time period. Hester Prynne, through the eyes of the Puritans, is an extreme sinner; she has gone against their ways, committing adultery. For this sin, she must wear a symbol of shame for the rest of her life.
Use Of Irony In Dimmesdale's Speech
459 Words | 2 PagesDimmesdale, being a priest, is a man of God, therefore, in a way, being the “heavenly father,” and “earthly one,” (63) that Hester speaks about. As a priest with a high position who engaged in sin with one of the women of the congregation, Arthur Dimmesdale speaks ironically when he attempts to convince her to reveal the name of the man she committed this sin
Pathetic Fallacy In The Scarlet Letter
731 Words | 3 PagesPearl is the product of the A, thus when she sees Hester without the A, she gets upset. When Pearl is in the forest, she spends most of her time near the Brook. Hawthorne uses the brook as a symbol of sadness. The brook symbolizes the release of all the guilt and sins committed. Hawthorne mentions how the brook reflects Pearl’s image.
Hester Prynne Sacrifice In Scarlet Letter
1213 Words | 5 PagesThese themes not only show Hester’s character, but how she stands out in the community of Boston. Hawthorne uses Hester’s love and devotion to Dimmesdale to demonstrate the themes of honor and compassion. Also, the fact that Hester is able to stand up for what she believes in and accept her sins shows her independence.
Reading Response To Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'
1146 Words | 5 PagesAmanda Vicente The Scarlet Letter Reading Response AP English Language Period J 16 August 2016 Journal Entry 1: Chapters 1-2 In The Scarlet Letter, the author sets a mood from the beginning of the book. The setting is old and beat up in front of an aged wooden prison with judgmental Puritans ready to tear a women apart. The Puritans are hypocrites and the author portrays that in the story.
Summary: Symbolism Within The Scarlet Letter
616 Words | 3 PagesSymbolism Within The Scarlet Letter Hawthorne created symbolism throughout The Scarlet Letter in order to develop the theme throughout Hester’s life. Hester is portrayed as a sheltered soul, shunned from society due to her adulterous acts. The red A and her daughter, Pearl, are symbols of Hester’s shame which she bares proudly despite society's harsh judgements. Hawthorne is able to use symbolism to develop themes, characters, and analogies in the Scarlet Letter.
What Does The Deep Red Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter
940 Words | 4 PagesHawthorne uses symbolism throughout the Scarlet letter to display the sin and indecency people see Hester as. The detail represents ,the deep beauty Hester has inside although most people do not see her as a beutiful women. The deep red is a representation of adultery which shows her being an oncast from society. The symbol of the letter “A” is repetitive throughout the novel and grows with Hester and overcomes this with time as people start to see her as a person again and not just a adulterer. Hester acknowledges her sin in her puritan faith but swears to secrecy on the father of Pearl.
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