Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols. The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a book of much symbolism. Set in 16th century New England, the book starts with the public punishment of Hester Prynne, a convicted adulterer. One of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book is Hester's illegitimate daughter, Pearl. Throughout the story, she develops into a dynamic symbol - one that is always changing. Pearl represents her mother's punishment, a rose, and the scarlet letter.
In The Scarlet Letter, the Puritans forced Hester to wear a scarlet letter "A" across for her chest, for the crime of adultery. The punishment continued as Hester was treated as outcast and mocked by the town. "Tomorrow would bring its own trial with it; so would the next day, so would the next," the narrator explained. On the other hand, God's treatment of Hester for her sin was quite different than just a physical token: he gave Hester a very unique child which she......
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Approximate Word Count: 478
Approximate Pages: 2 (260 words per double-spaced page) |