The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter

In his novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses a variety of symbols. He uses these symbols to give his novel a greater meaning and, in a way, also uses them to drive his plot to its conclusion. Throughout the novel, The Scarlet Letter, colors, as well as night/day are repeatedly presented, and at the conclusion of the story they become significant.

The Scarlet Letter could be interpreted in many ways. At first, by public display the badge of shame was used to represent Hester’s sin of adultery. However Hawthorne writes, “The scarlet letter has not done its office.” He means that the letter did not do its job, which was to fracture Hester emotionally. Of course it did affect her physically. Her once young and bright appearance transformed into a more solemn and glum look. Despite it negative effect, the letter also had a positive effect on Hester. Because of the letter, Hester was able to seek knowledge of the human truth. She was able to think for herself, thanks to the letter and its dose of “shame, despair, and solitude.” She seemed to have developed an understanding of the natural law and it was because of her instincts that she decided that she, Dimmesdale and Pearl should flee to Europe. Although the letter led to her alienation, it also led her to knowledge.

Throughout the novel, colors are repeatedly referred to. For example, the scarlet red was used to symbolize sin, passion, blood, and life. Because of its symbolic meaning of sin, Hawthorne used it for the letter. In chapter twelve, the readers are introduced to the color black, which represented evil and death. Pearl then makes a scarlet letter for herself out of seaweed in chapter fifteen. The connotations associated with the color green are life and envy. Thus, the reader would conclude that Pearl was envious of the letter, or that her action was a mere test for her mother because she did not know why her mother was shunned from society and wants an explanation.