Symbolism in the Scarlett Letter

Heidi Stauss

Mrs. Marino

English 5

3 December 2014

Darkness

In the Novel, The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the author uses many different symbols to show the themes throughout the book. This novel contains many themes, and with each theme Hawthorn uses symbolism to convey them. One of Hawthorns many symbols is Darkness. Darkness shows the novels themes of punishment, shunning, guilt, and sin.

Throughout the novel darkness is contrasted with Sunshine. Sunshine being the light, it is happy and free. Darkness is a state of depression, sin, and loneliness with oneself. In this novel the main character, Hester Prynne, is stuck in the darkness. It follows her and she cannot catch light of the sunshine that her daughter, Pearl, lives in. Hester committed the sin of adultery, and has to wear a scarlet letter on her chest everyday for her punishment. The people of her town see this scarlet letter and are reminded of her sin, and ignore her. Hester gets shunned from her society. By getting shunned for the act Hester did she is stuck in the darkness. She becomes lonely, no one will talk to her, and people scowl at her as she walks by. She cannot escape this darkness that has come upon her by her sin, it is a punishment that she learned to accept.

Throughout the book Hester continues to tell Pearl how the sunshine is within her, and will continue to always follow Pearl, where as she will remain in the darkness. Hester believes she will stay in the darkness because she will always carry her scarlet letter upon her chest, never getting rid of her sin, and living out her punishment for the rest of her life.  Pearl explains to her mother, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!”(165-166). Pearl is explaining to Hester that the light, and sunshine hides itself from Hester because it is afraid of the sin she has committed, and Pearl has yet to do anything bad so the sunshine follows her. Showing that the darkness is a punishment giving to Hester from the Sin she has committed.