The Scarlet Letter

“No, my little Pearl!' said her mother.’Thou must gather thine own sunshine. I have none to give thee!” (95; ch. 7) Nathaniel Hawthorne was known for using nature as a very obvious symbol in this novel. Many symbols referred to countless meanings. For example, the sun was brought up when there was unhappiness and happiness. This passage has given the reader an idea of how Hester puts the sin on herself and holds herself responsible for Pearl not being able to be happy. Because of her sin that was committed, Pearl has become the only thing Hester has left, and not being able to give her the world tears Hester apart on the inside and out. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne does an exceptionally fine job showing the physical characteristics of Hester, the way she sees herself and how others see her.

Hester Prynne’s character is described in so many ways. At one point, she’s happy and the rest of the world hates her, and at another, the community accepts her and she looks down upon herself. Hawthorne used Nature to describe Hester Prynne in numerous parts of the novel. The sun was a major symbol used to show how Hester was either feeling or how she was being seen. “Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. Now see! There it is, playing, a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!” (168; ch. 16) This passage describes the situation Hester was put through every single day. Pearl was such a curious, yet smart young girl and Hester never had all the answers. However, when she did, she couldn’t necessarily tell the truth. Hester never could tell Pearl why it was that the sun would steer away from her. She just let Pearl use her childish imagination and come up with nonsense ideas. Watching the innocent child grow up not knowing the truth made a definite impact on Hester’s life. Hester felt as if lying to her own child was wrong and she put herself down because of it constantly. The sun symbolizes Hester in a way where when the sun isn’t out, there’s a gloomy, dull feeling and that’s exactly how Hester was on the inside, due to the sin her and Reverend Dimmesdale had created.

Hester Prynne knew what she had done was wrong and didn’t hold anyone else responsible besides herself. Yes, when her and Pearl needed to be spoken for, she expected Dimmesdale to do so. But she never put full blame on him, knowing that it take’s two to create a child. Hester lived life to the fullest, for the most part. Even though she did go to the outskirts of the town, she still provided so much for the townspeople. It seemed wrong for Hester to do this, seeing that all the Puritans mocked her and couldn’t help but talk about her non-stop. "Do you see that woman with the embroidered badge?" they would say to strangers. "It is our Hester,--the town's own Hester,--who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comfortable to the afflicted!" Then, it is true, the