Assignment #2- Symbols in The Scarlet Letter

There is an effective use of symbols in The Scarlet Letter that contribute to the various themes, such as that no one is free of sin. Everyone in the town blamed others, such as Hester, of committing a sin which helped to lessen their own guilt of other possible sins they could have also committed. The town was very cruel in forcing Hester to wear an “A” on her chest, so as to show her sin to everyone, when they were not brave enough to admit their own sins. Through the use of symbols in the text, the author is able to emphasize the theme.

One of the contrasting symbols is the town and the forest. The town is symbolic of civilization, in which there are laws and the human authority to punish those who do not obey. In the town, everything one does is carefully watched and judged. The forest represents nature, where there is no authority to enforce any laws and no society exists to dictate from right and wrong. The people can truly be themselves and assume alternate identities. When Hester and Dimmesdale both meet in the forest, they are able to express their true emotions and are together without anyone judging them, they are content lovers once again. Hester’s cottage happens to be located on near the town and at the edge of the forest, in the middle of both settings where the life in the town and the forest are applied. Another contrasting symbol is day and night. The day represents those who are socially acceptable since they have nothing to hide and also this is the time where everyone is being watched, in which they can be criticized by their actions. The night represents those who have to keep cover, since they have acted against societal laws but this is also a time that enables actions that are not approved by society. One example is when Dimmesdale, Hester and Pearl all stand on the scaffold but in which they are concealed in the darkness; this secret was kept in the dark for a long time. The night is when one can truly be themselves while in the day this must all be concealed and it all remains a secret.

The scarlet letter is one of the most important symbols in the novel. This emphasizes throughout the novel the adultery that the main character committed. The scaffold upon which Hester is condemned is shaped like the letter “A” and the scarlet letter is also shaped like an “A,” where this letter is significant throughout the novel. This serves as a reminder to both Hester and the town of her adultery. Later in the novel, the letter loses meaning and comes to stand for Able. This also shows the ineffective manner of punishment in the town. The letter “A” appears once again when the meteor passes by in the sky. The letter is interpreted by the town as meaning Angel because of Governor Winthrop‘s death, but Dimmesdale believes that he should also wear the letter, showing his guilt. This emphasizes the change of the meaning of the letter, where it becomes to mean whatever they want it to mean. Pearl is not only an important character but also an important symbol. She is the result of the adultery of Hester and Dimmesdale and cannot be hidden; she is there to remind them of how she came to be. Nevertheless, she is not necessarily a punishment to Hester but a blessing, a reason for her to keep living and to not give up.