This section contains 786 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
The Dual Symbolism of the Letter "A" in "The Scarlet Letter"
Summary: The letter A, the symbol Hester Prynne is forced to wear on her chest, is used by Nathaniel Hawthorne in "The Scarlet Letter" as symbolism for both good and bad events. The letter gradually becomes a symbol of pride for Hester, and the letter becomes interpreted in different ways by the townspeople.
Everyone interprets different elements of writing in his own way. Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter consists of a vast variety of symbolism left for the reader to interpret. One of the biggest symbols present exists in the title itself: the scarlet letter or the "A." The initial symbolism of the scarlet "A" marks the shame or sin that exposes the fact that Hester Prynne committed the act of adultery. The governor shamefully forced Hester to bear the "A" upon her chest for the remainder of her life. However, the "A" does not only represent the blatancy of shame and sin. Throughout the story, the "A" reoccurs in different ways, both good and bad.
Most importantly, Pearl in turn becomes a living version of the "A." Hester decorates her scarlet letter in a baroque and aesthetic sense, ignoring the fact that it reiterates to the people that she sinned...
This section contains 786 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |