Symbolism, And Figurative Language In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

From Hester Prynne’s first public appearance as a sinner to the A illustrated on her grave, she experiences mixed emotions both interpersonally and extrapersonally, defining why Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter receives highest regards. The novel combines various literary elements, contributing to the academic value of the novel. Symbolism, imagery, and figurative language used by Hawthorne assist in conveying the tone of the events occurring in main character’s lives, exemplifying the everlasting educational and historical value of the novel.

From the first scene on the scaffold, Hester’s scarlet letter and her intense grief define her character through a shameful tone. Her A thoroughly isolates her and Pearl from the world around them, even in a crowd of familiar faces. Standing on the scaffold, the scarlet letter burns brighter than anything else about Hester and her life, revealing the great effects that it will leave on her. Hawthorne describes Hester’s letter as having “the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary

Her story deserves accolades, passed on from family to family and generation to generation. However, her scarlet A does not carry the same stigma that it used to. After years of discrimination and judgment, Hester defines herself by her character, rather than her sin. She accepts her actions and “[h]er sin, her ignominy, were the roots which she had struck into the soil” (Hawthorne 74). Although she no longer receives cold stares or mockery in the marketplace, Hester professes lonesomeness in an entirely new manner. She lives an independent lifestyle, one of which satisfies her, as opposed to acquiring public shame. Self actualizing Hester’s life and her place in this world, she reaches authentic happiness and captivates the sympathy of her