1 / 5 1. At First the Scarlett letter "A" Symbolized Adultery. Adultery was at that time considered to be sinful and a crime at that time. We first saw what A symbolized when Hester was publicly humiliated for committing adultery and had to stand on the scaffold and wear the letter "A" on her chest. She did not just have to wear it on the scaffold, the terms of her punishment stated that she had to wear it for the rest of her earthly life. Eventually as she goes on in her life the Scarlett letter symbolizes other things in a more positive way. (Page 7) The Symbolism of "A" eventually grows into the meaning Abel because. Hester has changed her ways and is starting to be helpful in the community. She is helpful because she starts making clothes and other things for the Poor. The symbolism of "A" changed because Abel shows that she will not let the Scarlett letter …show more content…
For example, on page 11, she was experiencing her humiliation by standing on the scaffold and people tormenting her and harassing her. Although she was experiencing Private punishments on the scaffold too because, she was imagining what her parents are experiencing from this. The main Private punishment for her was when her husband showed up at the punishment. Hester was in shock at this and she was struggling internally when these to this happened internally. Another example of Public vs. Private punishment is when... Again, she is on the scaffold and has to be Humiliated publicly. Although internally she was dealing with the fact that the father. Dimsdale the father was present at Hesters "punishment" and he even spoke up and asked who the father was, this shows that Dimsdale was feeling guilty. Hester wouldn’t say who the father was because she still loved Dimsdale and didn’t want him to get in trouble. This showed her private punishment as well as her public punishment.
Hester's divine beauty outshines others corrupt beliefs of her. While Hester walks stumbles out the prison doors and onto the dreaded scaffold, Hawthorne describes Hester as "the young woman [who] was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance, on a large scale" (40). Hester Prynne is being publicly shamed for the act of adultery she committed along with the minister who condemns her. She is forced to stand on the scaffold and beat the sorrow of he sins with the scarlet letter "A" on her bosom to represent her shameful acts. This mark of embarrassment serves a purpose to make her appear unrighteous, but the author chooses to focus on her beauty, which outshines this emblem.
The Scarlet Letter, A, is a work of art and is embroidered onto fancy and beautiful cloth. Although the letter A is a symbol of sin, why did Hester work so hard on it when it represents something as sinful as
Throughout the book The Scarlet Letter, there are many cases of symbolism. One of the most prominent ones is the scarlet A on Hesters chest. The A was a symbol for adultery. Pearl was a symbol of the sin that Hester committed. Pearl is also a symbol of the sun between Hester and whatever his face is.
In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is seen as a disgrace for the town. The “A” on Hester’s chest forces her to feel like she has no independence, since she is not seen like a typical person; she does not feel like she
However, as you dig deeper, you will see Hawthorne’s true purpose for writing the novel. In the Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses irony to criticize the Puritan ideals. Hester’s Scarlet “A” is used to show how imperfect the Puritans are. The narrator describes Hester’s scarlet letter when he says: “On the breast of her gown,
In the beginning the scarlet letter represented adultery and shame, but then the A represented “able.” Hester Prynne showed people that greatness can come out of huge mistake. One bad chapter does not mean your story is over. Willingly, Hester wanted to pick herself up again and move on with her life and eventually people noticed that. They began to respect her and think of her as strong and commendable
According to them, adultery is the biggest sin and if anyone was found committing this kind of sin then they will be punished and have to wear “A” on their dress for committing the shameful act. In the novel, Hester lifted the weight of the scarlet letter on her shoulders because the Puritan community forced her to wear the letter “A”. This demonstrates the importance of geography and demonstrating the community’s religious viewpoints because of its place. If the story had taken place somewhere else then Hester would not have to through this agony. Geography is the device that makes the story.
Hester has to wear a letter A on her chest for her punishment of adultery. In The Scarlet Letter, the meaning and significance of the letter A is altered as the novel goes on. Hester, the townspeople, and Pearl all have views of the letter that change. Through their views of the letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author, reveals what his view on the letter is. Hester’s view of
Hester didn't deserve to be publicly humiliated. Hester already has a lot to deal with. Hester didn't like being shamed. In conclusion, Hester's punishment was unjust because Hester was sent to prison for committing adultery.
The scarlet letter ‘A’ did not stand for “adultery” anymore. It stood for “able.” “The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her, —so much power to do, and power to sympathize, —that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength.”
By wearing the “A,” Hester was publicly humiliated, however, her development in character causes a change in the meaning of the Scarlet Letter, which leads her to taking pride in the letter as it grows a part of her. After Hester’s sin the Puritan community places a false
Hawthorne 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.
To me the “A” symbolizes hard work, morality, and poise. Hester came a long way in the Puritan town. In this passage we see conflict over and over again between all of the characters. Reverend Dimmesdale says
Most readers are entangle in the meaning of the letter A, only adulatory of Hester Prynne? No, it is not that simple. Firstly, the letter A is represent angel. Hester Prynne didn’t harbor a deep resentment for the punishment and abuses, instead of that she still treated nice and gentle to others. Secondly, it is able.
With Hester changing her ways and helping the poor, the community changed, “They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength” (Hawthorne 168). While the community originally viewed the “A” as a symbol of sin, they began to see it too as a symbol of being “Able” because all that Hester Prynne had overcome. The Scarlet Letter had many examples of symbolism, but none were more significant that the letter “A”