In the first chapter "The Prison Door" of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne's diction of details and imagery allows for him to set the tone, setting, and symbols that will dominate throughout the story.

Hawthorne's suppression of narrative conveys an ominous tone. The first two paragraphs of the story incorporate several verbal phrases such as "sad-colored garments", "gray, steeple-crowned hats", and "studded with iron spikes" that connote a tone of despair and gloom. In addition, the group of Puritan settlers dressed in dark, simple clothing surrounding the prison introduces a somber mood and foreboding tone. It reveals that the Puritans are the evil, powerful, and overshadowing characters of the book. Furthermore, because the entire chapter is written in a passive voice and does not include a protagonist, it creates an ambiguous narrative tone. Instead, Hawthorne uses an inconclusive tone to allow the...