The Scarlet Letter
December 7, 2007
One of the reasons the Scarlet Letters has become such a timeless story is because of its use of symbolism and the important role that it plays in the story. Symbolism is the applied use of any iconic representations, which carry particular conventional meanings. Within The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne incorporates symbolism to expose a deeper meaning in the story. The first and most obvious symbol that Hawthorne displays is the embroidery of the letter "A" given to Hester to wear as a reminder to the town of her adultery. Another symbol is revealed in Chapter XII, when a meteor in the form of a letter "A" lights up the night sky. Also, Hawthorne reveals symbolism in the scaffold, where many of the important plot points take place.
The Letter "A" is the most obvious form of symbolism within The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne establishes that Hester receives an embroidered letter "A" to mark her as an adulterer. The letter’s meaning shifts as time passes. At first, the "A" is a symbol of shame, but as the story progresses, the shameful "A" becomes her powerful identity. The community started to form a different meaning for the scarlet letter, like ability. In the thirteenth chapter, Hawthorne comes out in the third person and states, "The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her, so much power to do, and power to sympathize, that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength." The letter’s meaning clearly changes when the Native Americans come to watch the Election Day pageant, and think the "A"e; marks Hester as a person of importance. The scarlet letter, in conclusion, was ineffective and "had not done its office."
While Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl in Chapter XII, a meteor outlines the letter "A" in the night sky. In response to the meteor sighting, "There stands the minister, with his hand over his heart; and Hester Prynne, with the embroidered letter glimmering on her bosom; and little Pearl, herself as a symbol, and the connecting link between those two." Dimmesdale believes that the "A" in the sky is a message from God telling him to wear a mark of shame just as Hester does. This revelation causes Dimmesdale to place his hand firmly over his heart. The meteor is interpreted differently by the townspeople of the Salem community. The community feels that the "A" in the sky stands for "Angel," and marks Governor Winthrop’s entry into heaven.
The scaffold is a platform where criminals are punished before all the townspeople. In this case, the criminal is Hester Prynne and the crowd has gathered to witness her shame. The first scene at the ominous platform is Hester’s first public appearance with the child and the scarlet letter. Hawthorne implies to the reader that the scaffold symbolizes punishment and public humiliation. The scaffold and scarlet letter’s meanings coincide. The scaffold also outlines Hester’s strength. In the first scaffold scene, Hester lifts her eyes towards the balcony and grows pale and trembles. When Hester is at the third scaffold scene, she is much more comfortable and less ashamed of the "A" on her chest. Finally, the scaffold proves ineffective in its purpose to punish and publicly humiliate Hester.
Hawthorne’s use of symbolism within the Scarlet Letter adds abstract ideas or concepts to seemingly meaningless objects that are found within the story. It is because of its abundant use of symbolism that this story can relate to every reader and why it has become the timeless work that it has.
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