the letter a as a symbol in the scarlet letter Essay

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter there are many symbols. One of the biggest symbols of the novel is the scarlet letter A that Hester Prynne is sentenced to wear after she commits adultery. It is a symbol that is sewn onto her clothes for everyone to see. It is a punishment that is meant to humiliate her for the duration of the time that she stays in Puritanical Boston. During the novel, the scarlet letter changes and evolves from meaning adultery to meaning ability and even physically changes its form. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;In the beginning of the story, Hester is being punished for adultery, and is forced to wear the letter A on her bosom. It is shown so that people will know her as an†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Individuals...had quite forgiven Hester Prynne...It is our Hester, the town’s own Hester, who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick...† (149). Hester is protected from all evil that might be around her, and â€Å"had the effect of the cross on a nun’s bosom† (149). The letter became a symbol of love and respect, and meant something good. Hester is able to deal with the townspeople, and they see her and have a new liking for her. They seem to forgive her for everything that she has done, like it doesnt matter, or it never happened. If Hester ran away from Boston, it would have shown her weakness. It would have shown that people of the town had power over her, and could make her feel guilty. Running away would show everybody t hat she was ashamed, and wasnt really good enough to live among them. Staying in Boston showed the townspeople that she was able to overcome her shame and that adultery is a part of who she is as a person. By accepting her adultery Hester is able to move on, having learned from her experiences. At one point Hester says: â€Å"Were I to be quit of it, it would fall away of its own nature, or be transformed into something that should speak of a different purport† (155). This foreshadows that the letter A might show up in new ways. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The letter A shows up numerous times in The Scarlet Letter in many different ways. The letter is originally wonderfullyShow MoreRelatedSymbols In The Scarlet Letter1023 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish Language and Composition AP 06 June 2017 The Scarlet Letter Analysis In the book, â€Å"The Scarlet Letter,† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, many symbols can be found. Hawthorne uses symbols such as the scarlet letter itself, which could represent things like determination, hard work, and a punishment. Another symbol he uses is the forest and the wilderness, which represents Hester and Pearl’s freedom from society as they explore the forest. The last symbol that seemed to have significance to me was Hester’sRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter List of Symbols946 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿The Scarlet Letter List of Symbols Scaffold- The scaffold is a place where most of the important scenes in the Scarlet Letter take place. It was placed under Boston’s earliest church and was made of wood and iron. The scaffold is a place of shame and punishment for anyone in the community that commits a sin. It is the most public place in the Puritan society and used for torture of the sinners as they walk up the steps and stand there for hours at a time. In the beginning it is where Hester isRead More Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Essay1814 Words   |  8 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Symbols unlock the secrets of a story. Hawthorne, in The Scarlet Letter, uses many symbols to represent different things. Some symbols represent the same thing. The letter â€Å"A† has many meanings, each character has their own meanings, and even the different parts of nature are symbols. Also, apart from providing structure for the novel, each scaffold scene conveys something different. One could say, arguably, that nearly everything in The Scarlet Letter is a symbol for something else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  InRead MoreLetter And Symbols In Hester Prynnes The Scarlet Letter963 Words   |  4 Pagesbecause she committed adultery beautifully. There are many symbols in the novel. The most obvious one being the letter itself. While the letter clearly represents the sin Hester committed, it later begins to represent a persons ability to change the meaning behind a terrible mishap. The scarlet letter is so beautifully embroidered onto Hesters clothing that Pearl admires the beauty of the embroidered letter, and it soon becomes a symbol of triumph as Hester defies odds because she is able to proveRead More Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter1157 Words   |  5 PagesSymbols in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚   In nearly every work of literature, readers can find symbols that represent feelings, thoughts or ideas within the text.   Such symbols can be found in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.   Hawthornes book about an affair between a woman named Hester and a minister named Arthur Dimmmesdale is full of feelings of sin, guilt, hate, secrecy, and honesty.   There are many symbols within the novel that can be interpreted to represent the key topicsRead More Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter1178 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism   in The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne isnt noted for perfecting any famous literary style, for writing multiple best sellers, or even for contributing largely to classic American literature.   His only real claim to fame is The Scarlet Letter: a novel that was originally only meant to be yet another Hawthorne short story.   Because of this, it actually possesses many short story characteristics.   It is simpler and more complete than his other novels. (James 285)   It also hasRead More Symbols and Symbolism in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay2336 Words   |  10 PagesThe Scarlet Letter. I. Symbolism A. Definition B. Style II. Symbolism in characters A. Hester B. Dimmesdale C. Chillingworth D. Pearl III. Symbolism in objects A. The scarlet letter B. The scaffold C. The forest D. The brook IV. Symbolic relations between characters and objects A. Characters and the scarlet letter B. Characters and the scaffold C. Pearl and the forest Nathaniel Hawthorne used symbolism to bring meaning into his book The Scarlet LetterRead MoreCharacters And Symbols In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1077 Words   |  5 Pagescommits very offensive and think she should receive a harsh punishment. The letter â€Å"A† represents her sin called adultery, but by the end of the book the letter â€Å"A† changes meanings. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne presents many symbols representing multiple characters and locations in the book. Throughout the book the meaning of the letter â€Å"A† starts to gradually change. As time passes the meaning of the letter â€Å"A† changes the way Hester views herself. Hester Prynne marries an older manRead More##bolism And Symbols In The Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1107 Words   |  5 Pagesnovel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many symbols, from objects to the characters in the story. These symbols are integral to helping give the reader a deeper look into the story. The Scarlet Letter, a story of love and sin, uses its symbols to give the reader a better understanding of the characters and events that take place. These symbols all hold important meanings; however, some of these meanings change depending on which character is interacting with said symbol. DependingRead MoreThe Symbol of Guilt in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter1835 Words   |  8 PagesThe scarlet letter is a symbol of guilt with the power to transform not only its wearer, but everyone involved in its inaugural scandal. Pearl and the lette r share a certain relationship, and at times seem to mirror each other, as they exhibit similar tendencies. As children of indignity alike, they unconsciously serve as emotional grim reapers, and together, they unwillingly carry out the supernatural mandate of punishment rationed to them through sadistic and demoniac means. Because the two chosen