Examples of symbolism in scarlet letter?

Answer 1

Nearly the entire book. Using huge, unnecessary, page-filling diction, Nathaniel Hawthorne takes disappointments that you would usually go "Darnit, this sucks" at and turns them into "Perhaps there was a more real torture in her first unattended footsteps from the threshold of the prison" such. There's so much I really can't pick out just one good example.

Answer 2

The Puritan society itself was a lesson in hypocrisy. Supposedly, they were firm believers in The Bible, but the Bible advocates forgiveness and toleration. The whole society's basis was on religious enlightenment. Yet, why was it that the first thing that was to be built in Boston was a prison? Why is the first building thought of a place of punishment? Another example of religious hypocrisy happened early in the book. Hawthorne described some gossiping housewives that were talking about Hester's punishment. Each one of the housewives was advocating harsher punishment for Hester. "The magistrates are God-fearing gentleman, but merciful overmuch,---that is the truth," added a third autumnal matron. "At the very least, they should have put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead. Madam Hester would have winced at that, I warrant me."(Housewife 36). Religion is often the source of much hypocrisy. A great example of God being perverted into something else, were the Crusades. Christian soldiers were told to go and kill "in the name of God", so they went off into the holy lands and killed the infidel. Fanaticism to a deity is not a good thing. The terrorists of 9/11 killed so many people did so "in the name of God" also. Their creed actually does not call for anything like that. Perversion of God by those who hold power is a sin. Its impossible to truly believe in a religion, and feel justified in killing or persecuting others. The infamous Bill Clinton fiasco was made into big issue because of fundamentalists in government. Newt Gingrich (a former prominent Republican) was much to busy thumping his Bible to even read it. He called for Clinton's head, even thought Newt liked to philander too. This man was exactly like Arthur Dimmesdale in some respects. Both of them were guilty of a sin they themselves were condemning. Hypocrisy was present in Puritan society and it endures still even today.

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Answer 3

well in the beginning of the book there is an example of irony situational irony when the founders of the colony wanted the new land to be utopia which means a perfect place to live but the two necessities were a cemetery and a prison. so they cant get rid of death and crime. crime has been around since earth came to be.

Answer 4

In Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," when Hester is in the governor's garden to see to it that Pearl is not taken away from her, she asks the Reverend Dimmesdale to support her position. This is an example of dramatic irony as the reader knows that Dimmesdale and Hester are partners in sin, but the characters do not.

Answer 5

The Scarlet Letter signifies the adulterous deed itself and the shame of her sin.

Pearl symbolizes the physical form of the Scarlet Letter; she is a constant reminder of Hester's sin and of the unsolved mystery of her nameless father.

The Color Red symbolizes passion.

Darkness and Shadows signify secrets and what is hidden or unknown.

Answer 6

Nearly the entire book. Using huge, unnecessary, page-filling diction, Nathaniel Hawthorne takes disappointments that you would usually go "Darnit, this sucks" at and turns them into "Perhaps there was a more real torture in her first unattended footsteps from the threshold of the prison" such. There's so much I really can't pick out just one good example.

Answer 7

1) Dimmesdale at the beginning of the novel questions Hester about the father of the baby and demands her to tell the name to the entire town so that he could be condemned as well, even though Dimmesdale is the father and is actually wishing the opposite from Hester. That she will hide the identity of the father

2) Chillingworth is described as "There the physician sat; his kind, watchful, sympathizing, but never intrusive friend." (87). However, we know that Chillingworth is actually trying to be intrusive on his 'friend's' thoughts and find out the inner secret of his sins and guilt and get his revenge

3) Dimmesdale is described as a "saint on earth" and even though he confesses his sins, the crowd just revere him even more. It shows the verbal irony of the crowd not listening to what Dimmesdale is saying (condemning himself and confessing his sins) and rather worshiping him. It is situational irony because we know that Dimmesdale is the opposite of a saint on earth, rather he is a huge sinner for he committed adultery, and then lied to hide himself from the punishment and just watches Hester being ostracised by the community.

4) In the woods, Dimmesdale says to Hester "Happy are you, Hester, that wear the scarlet letter openly upon your bosom! Mine burns in secret!: (124). Dimmesdale is completely ignoring the suffering, isolation, and pain that Hester has been through because of her sin, which she found impossible to hide. If anything, Hester has been more miserable than him for she has literally been the symbol of what not to do by every personn in the town, and deemed as inferior to everyone, as Dimmesdale has just become even more popular and revered. Also, Dimmesdale could have easily at any point admitted his sin, but he did not, so he can't be jealous of how openly Hester shows her letter, because he also could be like her

Answer 8

all the different times Hawthorne describes something that indicates a real person. So like in the preface, with him finding the fabric "A", or when during the story he talks of that one guys house. Just when he uses specific names that aren't in the book.

Some if the main elements of Realism are (the questioning of or the ambiguity of) morality, society and character development (a Romance novel focuses more so on plot for example).

Obviously the book is littered with examples of moral questioning, for example according to the accepted ethics at the time one should condemn Hester but sympathise with Chillingworth; after all Hester did cheat on him. But as an audience we see there is far more to the situation than this.

The importance of society is addressed by the fact that what's really killing Dimmsdale is the fact that he is a hypocrite; he preaches to the congregation about clean and moral living when he too is a sinner. That and the reason he is so adored is because of what he represents; a moral well behaved intelligent man. He is valued as a symbol in society, not a friend, lover or personality even.

Finally character development is seen primarily in Dimmsdale and Chillingworth. Dimmsdale begins as one of Hester's accusers, to Pearl's protector, to being dependent on Hester's strength (the scene in the forest) to Hester and Pearl's equal.

Chillingworth too begins as just Hester's ex, but becomes the villain of the plot. He disguises himself as Dimmsdale's friend and doctor, but is really his sworn enemy.

Answer 9

The scarlet letter "A" symbolizes adultery and serves as a mark of shame and punishment for Hester Prynne. The scaffold symbolizes public shame and judgement, as it is the site of Hester's punishment and public confession. The forest symbolizes freedom and a place where characters can escape societal constraints and be their true selves.