Symbols in The Scarlet Letter

The eponymous scarlet “A” is the most central symbol of the novel. Hester is initially made to wear it as punishment for her adultery and as a way for the community to publicly shame her supposed sin. However, as the novel progresses, the “A” becomes a symbol of identity for Hester and takes on a new, and more positive, meaning after she becomes respected by the community.

Many other symbols in the text are drawn from nature imagery. For instance, the forest symbolizes a wild place, free from the laws of society; the brook is where Pearl first sees her reflection and it symbolizes a boundary between her two worlds.

Symbols Examples in The Scarlet Letter:

The Custom-House

"capital letter A. " See in text (The Custom-House)

Notice how much attention is given to the discovery of this relic. The wealth of attention given to the discovery of the relic is important because it contains major symbolic significance in the story the narrator will write.

Red is a religious symbol of evil in Puritan society. With this knowledge and all the religious jargon previously mentioned we can hypothesize that the red cloth the narrator just found is probably an important piece of the story.

Chapter I

"we could hardly do otherwise than pluck one of its flowers, and present it to the reader. " See in text (Chapter I)

The rose-bush is a symbol of hope in the story and a metaphor for the natural-born goodness in humanity. By presenting a metaphorical rose to the reader, Hawthorne tells us that in the midst of a tale of suffering, we can learn a moral lesson about humanity, allowing something good to come from a story of suffering.

"virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison. " See in text (Chapter I)

This is a bleak, yet true, blanket statement that applies to human history. Hawthorne uses a cemetery and prison to symbolize what he believes to be the most certain things for humanity: death (why every town needs a cemetery) and bad human nature (why every town needs a prison).

"congenial in the soil that had so early borne the black flower of civilised society, a prison. " See in text (Chapter I)

This is another use of dark color as symbolism for bad human nature in the first chapter. Hawthorne claims that prisons are the “black flower of a civilised society.” This is an interesting symbol because there are no truly black flowers in the natural world. Perhaps what Hawthorne is suggesting is that it isn’t human nature that has bad tendencies, but instead the effect of society on humans that breeds evil actions.

The wild rose-bush contrasts with the ugly vegetation of the overgrown plot of grass. The rose-bush is symbolic of the possibility of goodness in human beings-even within the “rot” of a bad community. Notice how Hawthorne contrasts the dichotomy of good and evil in humans and how it emerges as a central theme of the story.

The novel starts out with this modified emotional image that claims garments to be “sad-coloured.” In this instance, the garments are a symbol of gloomy and hopeless circumstances, going forward notice how different clothing corresponds to particular character traits . Notice, also, how color is used throughout the novel to portray shifting mood and emotions.

Chapter II

"On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A. " See in text (Chapter II)

Hester Prynne was found guilty of adultery, as evidenced by the birth of her daughter, and has been sentenced to wear an embroidered letter "A" at her breast for the rest of her life. Hester doesn't initially know how to handle the shame that's been bestowed upon her; she tries to obscure the letter "A" with her infant, but resolves to wear her shame with pride. The "elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold" symbolize her refusal to hide her sin.

In this context a scaffold is a raised wooden platform, in the center of the crowd, that Hester must stand on top of for the purpose of public shaming. The scaffold is a recurring symbol throughout The Scarlet Letter that represents punishment for one’s sins and is meant to raise up sinners for the judgement of the townspeople.

"appeared the letter A. " See in text (Chapter II)

The Scarlet Letter A Hester must wear is the the most prominent symbol of this book. In the context of her punishment, it is meant to represent her moral shortcomings. However, because it is described as a thing of beauty, it also represents the bravery with which she takes her punishment.

A Papist is a Roman Catholic. Hawthorne uses this to provide the reader with a contradictory representation of Hester. First, Hester is described as a sinner on a scaffold meant to be shamed by her friends and neighbors. However, here Hawthorne mentions her appearance as similar to that of the Virgin Mary. This contradiction symbolizes a disagreement with the rigid laws of Puritan Society.

The “Scarlet Letter” is a red “A” that stands for “adultery,” and it must be worn as a punishment for having a child out of wedlock. Hester designs it herself by order of the church and chooses to embroider it and make it a piece of beauty. The irony that something to be worn as punishment turned out to be so beautiful and elaborate represents a satirical view of Puritan Society.

Chapter III

"It was whispered, by those who peered after her, that the scarlet letter threw a lurid gleam along the dark passage-way of the interior. " See in text (Chapter III)

We have noticed Hester’s strength many times in this chapter, and here the chapter ends with a metaphor for her goodness. Lightness and darkness are classic symbols for good and evil in literature, and by ending this chapter with Hester’s Scarlet Letter shining light in the dark, Hawthorne is suggesting that not only is Hester strong, but she is also, perhaps, holy.

"civilised and savage costume. " See in text (Chapter III)

Although this describes what the “white man” is actually wearing, this description is a symbol that foreshadows his character traits. Notice going forward how this character has two personas: one that is actually him and the act he puts on to appease the townspeople.

Chapter IV

"what had I to do with youth and beauty like thine own. " See in text (Chapter IV)

Although Chillingworth is talking about the discrepancies between their physical appearances, this is also a metaphor for conflict between good and evil (Hester a symbol for good and Chillingworth a symbol for evil). Notice how the conflict between these two attributes recur throughout the novel.

"Breathe not, to any human soul, that thou didst ever call me husband. " See in text (Chapter IV)

Hawthorne draws a direct literal and figurative line between the two characters here. Hester is the talk of the town, and she will be a public figure of shame, whereas Chillingworth will be the devil in plain sight. She is a symbol of repentance and forgiveness, and he is a symbol of the evils of revenge.

"scorch into Hester's breast, as if it had been red-hot. " See in text (Chapter IV)

Recall the opening essay of The Scarlet Letter, “The Custom-House,” when the narrator first finds the A and he has a similar experience where it seems to be hot as fire. The A stands for many things during the story including sin, forgiveness, shame, charity, pain, and sacredness. It is the most commonly used symbol in the novel.

Chapter V

"she came forth into the sunshine. " See in text (Chapter V)

This line contrasts with the end of the scaffold scene when she walked into the darkness of the prison tunnel, and the scarlet letter gleamed with light. The light symbolizes good, so by pointing out that she walked out of the prison into the “sunshine,” Hawthorne suggests that the end of her prison sentence is the beginning of a new start and a holy life for Hester. It also suggests that Hester will be in the town’s spotlight, even though she has served her prison time.

"a scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom besides Hester Prynne's. " See in text (Chapter V)

In this way, Hester has become a symbol of martyrdom for the townspeople. She wears the scarlet letter for all of the unknown townspeople's sins. If everyone had to wear a mark for their sin, many more people would walk around with symbols on their chests.