One of the most prominent symbols of the book is on the very first page- the prison door. The forbidding nature of the heavy wooden door with iron spikes reflects the harshness and severity of Puritanism. Its weather stains and rough state "[give] a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browed and gloomy front" (33). The large door, which is meant to protect the people from sinners, completely shuts in the prisoners so that the people no longer have to think about them. This, in turn, is how Puritanism protects its flock; by shutting away all temptation, the people are not strengthened but merely put a door between themselves and their problems. This issue of isolation due to the strictness of Puritanism resonates through the novel, especially in the characters of Dimmesdale and Hester.
The forest is also important, evoking fears from the deepest recesses of human emotion. The forest is something very much despised by the Puritans in the novel. Living in such a strict community leads them to fear that which they do not understand, and the deep, old forest has many secrets, making it an object of distrust and fear within the community. It doesn't help that hostile Natives and wild animals live in the woods, and that witches were rumored to meet in the woods. Symbolically, the forest represents the fear of sin so present in the Puritan community; the citizens are determined to stay on the straight and narrow path, and so any digression into the "forest" of sin would hurt their chances of salvation. In describing Hester, Hawthorne writes, "She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy, as the untamed forest" (137), where he compares directly the crooked path Hester has been walking with the forest. The snares and vices of everyday life were as scary to the Puritans as the forest that surrounded them, and the repetition of including the forest helps drive that home.
Pearl, although a character, is also a strong symbol of her mother's sin and retribution. Her name is ironic, as instead of being ashamed of her child born out of wedlock, Hester deems Pearl as valuable as a precious stone. Pearl embodies Hester's struggle with her own sin: she is proud and won't divulge details but at the same time feels ashamed of what she has done. Pearl's duality as a symbol of hope and transgression is what makes her so unique. On one hand, Hester pleads with the governor to let her keep her "gift from God," who she deems the most important thing in her life; Pearl is also a punishment, however. She constantly points to a mentions the scarlet letter which deeply pains Hester. Pearl is disobedient, even to the governor, which almost gets her taken away. By representing not just her mother's pain, but also her joy and the transformation of Hester, Pearl represents the dual nature of sin as both a torturer and a teacher.
Of all the novel's symbols, the titular scarlet letter is one of the most important. From its introduction to the novels closing, the symbol evolves along with Hester. At first, the "A" is a sign to display Hester's sin of adultery in public. It humiliates her, and causes people to avoid her. Whenever Pearl mentions it, it hurts Hester deeply, especially when they view the letter in the governor's armor. The letter was so large and exaggerated that "she seemed absolutely hidden behind it;" the letter literally began to consume Hester as an individual. However, as the book progresses, Hester's community service causes people to forget about her adultery; they instead attribute her a to her being "able" to help others. With the stigma gone, Hester begins to heal even more, and her letter lifts her up within the community instead of degrading her.
One major theme is that of sin. From the opening scene at the prison, to the climactic confession on the scaffold, the book centers on the transgressions of its main characters. The greatest sin in the novel is that of adultery between Hester and Dimmesdale, although the sinful revenge of Chillingworth and the witchcraft are also polarizing examples. In Puritan society, sin was the one thing to avoid, as it was from the Devil himself. With the references of the Black Man with regards to Chillingworth, as well as the witch in the novel, people are seemingly inspired by the Devil to do these sinful acts. However, Hester and Dimmesdale's is of a different kind: it started in love but wandered into the territory of sin. This common factor of sin is a uniting force throughout the novel, as every character has to fight the urge to sin, or avoid the ill effects of another's sin. Nobody is perfect, and everybody is a sinner.
Another theme is revenge, and to what extent a human will go to get it. In Puritan society, God is the supreme authority on everything; this holds true with revenge. Divine wrath is the only accepted vengeance, as all others are inherently hateful and only lead to more sin. This holds especially true in the case of Chillingworth. When he comes to America, he immediately finds out that his wife cheated on him while he was away, and gave birth to a child that wasn't his. Enraged, he swore to find out who the father is. After becoming suspicious of Dimmesdale, he mentally tortures him as punishment. He then thwarts the attempts of Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale to leave the country. He is twisted, from simple anger to an all consuming vengeance that takes up all of his waking hours. Although initially right to be angry, Chillingworth goes much to far, drifting into territory that the Puritans consider for God alone. His sin becomes greater than Hester and Dimmesdale's, and he becomes the novel's biggest example of what happens when revenge goes too far.
Redemption is another major theme in the novel, The Scarlet Letter. The Puritan religion is very strict, and pushes the individual to accept dogma and live a life free of sin so that they can go to heaven. Although it seems slightly contradictory, there is also an element of compassion and grace involved, as one must have faith in God so that one's sins can be forgiven. The idea of redemption through grace is especially present in the case of Hester and Dimmesdale. In Hester's case, she bears her punishment of wearing the letter without complaint for years until people forget what it was for in the first place. The stigma of being an adulteress is replaced with general gratitude from the community for her good works. In Dimmesdale's case, after hiding his guilt about his affair with Hester for so long, he reveals his crime and is shocked by the compassion he receives; Both are redeemed due to two major pillars of the Puritan faith: good works and public confession of sins. This theme of redemption ties in directly with the morals of the Puritan faith so vital to the story of the book, and sees the two main characters forgiven by a society that normally would have punished them, but not for faith.
Another theme found throughout the novel is that of hypocrisy. One such case is the elders of the town, who's lack of compassion and harsh ways are magnified by the aristocratic homes they live in. This incongruity of a Puritan living extravagantly helps set the unforgiving tone of the novel. The biggest case of hypocrisy, though, is Dimmesdale. As a minister, he is called to lead his flock to salvation by good example, and yet, he commits one of the most severe sins: adultery. Worse still is that, although he call for his followers to repent for their sins, he is too ashamed to admit his wrongdoing. In fear of losing his status, he almost falls prey to a scandal that would have removed him from his position. Even his own daughter recognizes the hypocrisy, and refuses to allow him to get close to her until he final announces his sin to the town. This theme of hypocrisy goes along with the idea of redemption, as the novel illustrates that that hypocrisy and hiding sin only prevents your from being forgiven.
The forest is also important, evoking fears from the deepest recesses of human emotion. The forest is something very much despised by the Puritans in the novel. Living in such a strict community leads them to fear that which they do not understand, and the deep, old forest has many secrets, making it an object of distrust and fear within the community. It doesn't help that hostile Natives and wild animals live in the woods, and that witches were rumored to meet in the woods. Symbolically, the forest represents the fear of sin so present in the Puritan community; the citizens are determined to stay on the straight and narrow path, and so any digression into the "forest" of sin would hurt their chances of salvation. In describing Hester, Hawthorne writes, "She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy, as the untamed forest" (137), where he compares directly the crooked path Hester has been walking with the forest. The snares and vices of everyday life were as scary to the Puritans as the forest that surrounded them, and the repetition of including the forest helps drive that home.
Pearl, although a character, is also a strong symbol of her mother's sin and retribution. Her name is ironic, as instead of being ashamed of her child born out of wedlock, Hester deems Pearl as valuable as a precious stone. Pearl embodies Hester's struggle with her own sin: she is proud and won't divulge details but at the same time feels ashamed of what she has done. Pearl's duality as a symbol of hope and transgression is what makes her so unique. On one hand, Hester pleads with the governor to let her keep her "gift from God," who she deems the most important thing in her life; Pearl is also a punishment, however. She constantly points to a mentions the scarlet letter which deeply pains Hester. Pearl is disobedient, even to the governor, which almost gets her taken away. By representing not just her mother's pain, but also her joy and the transformation of Hester, Pearl represents the dual nature of sin as both a torturer and a teacher.
Of all the novel's symbols, the titular scarlet letter is one of the most important. From its introduction to the novels closing, the symbol evolves along with Hester. At first, the "A" is a sign to display Hester's sin of adultery in public. It humiliates her, and causes people to avoid her. Whenever Pearl mentions it, it hurts Hester deeply, especially when they view the letter in the governor's armor. The letter was so large and exaggerated that "she seemed absolutely hidden behind it;" the letter literally began to consume Hester as an individual. However, as the book progresses, Hester's community service causes people to forget about her adultery; they instead attribute her a to her being "able" to help others. With the stigma gone, Hester begins to heal even more, and her letter lifts her up within the community instead of degrading her.
One major theme is that of sin. From the opening scene at the prison, to the climactic confession on the scaffold, the book centers on the transgressions of its main characters. The greatest sin in the novel is that of adultery between Hester and Dimmesdale, although the sinful revenge of Chillingworth and the witchcraft are also polarizing examples. In Puritan society, sin was the one thing to avoid, as it was from the Devil himself. With the references of the Black Man with regards to Chillingworth, as well as the witch in the novel, people are seemingly inspired by the Devil to do these sinful acts. However, Hester and Dimmesdale's is of a different kind: it started in love but wandered into the territory of sin. This common factor of sin is a uniting force throughout the novel, as every character has to fight the urge to sin, or avoid the ill effects of another's sin. Nobody is perfect, and everybody is a sinner.
Another theme is revenge, and to what extent a human will go to get it. In Puritan society, God is the supreme authority on everything; this holds true with revenge. Divine wrath is the only accepted vengeance, as all others are inherently hateful and only lead to more sin. This holds especially true in the case of Chillingworth. When he comes to America, he immediately finds out that his wife cheated on him while he was away, and gave birth to a child that wasn't his. Enraged, he swore to find out who the father is. After becoming suspicious of Dimmesdale, he mentally tortures him as punishment. He then thwarts the attempts of Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale to leave the country. He is twisted, from simple anger to an all consuming vengeance that takes up all of his waking hours. Although initially right to be angry, Chillingworth goes much to far, drifting into territory that the Puritans consider for God alone. His sin becomes greater than Hester and Dimmesdale's, and he becomes the novel's biggest example of what happens when revenge goes too far.
Redemption is another major theme in the novel, The Scarlet Letter. The Puritan religion is very strict, and pushes the individual to accept dogma and live a life free of sin so that they can go to heaven. Although it seems slightly contradictory, there is also an element of compassion and grace involved, as one must have faith in God so that one's sins can be forgiven. The idea of redemption through grace is especially present in the case of Hester and Dimmesdale. In Hester's case, she bears her punishment of wearing the letter without complaint for years until people forget what it was for in the first place. The stigma of being an adulteress is replaced with general gratitude from the community for her good works. In Dimmesdale's case, after hiding his guilt about his affair with Hester for so long, he reveals his crime and is shocked by the compassion he receives; Both are redeemed due to two major pillars of the Puritan faith: good works and public confession of sins. This theme of redemption ties in directly with the morals of the Puritan faith so vital to the story of the book, and sees the two main characters forgiven by a society that normally would have punished them, but not for faith.
Another theme found throughout the novel is that of hypocrisy. One such case is the elders of the town, who's lack of compassion and harsh ways are magnified by the aristocratic homes they live in. This incongruity of a Puritan living extravagantly helps set the unforgiving tone of the novel. The biggest case of hypocrisy, though, is Dimmesdale. As a minister, he is called to lead his flock to salvation by good example, and yet, he commits one of the most severe sins: adultery. Worse still is that, although he call for his followers to repent for their sins, he is too ashamed to admit his wrongdoing. In fear of losing his status, he almost falls prey to a scandal that would have removed him from his position. Even his own daughter recognizes the hypocrisy, and refuses to allow him to get close to her until he final announces his sin to the town. This theme of hypocrisy goes along with the idea of redemption, as the novel illustrates that that hypocrisy and hiding sin only prevents your from being forgiven.