While protecting their secrets, she is put to shame, but she endures it for the sake of her lover. The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. By doing so it’s showing her punishment for sinning. Throughout the novel, the scaffold’s symbolic significance of guilt demonstrates how one can attempt to overcome their guilt by confessing and being a productive citizen of society. Please join StudyMode to read the full document. Hester Prynne becomes an outcast in her Puritan community when she gives birth to an illegitimate child while her husband is away. Throughout history, people have committed all types of sins, and whether they are major or minor, people have been punished. These opposites are found throughout the novel and often set the tone and define which side of good and evil envelop the characters.  The Sins of the Scarlet Letter Those who have a spiritual background would argue that all sin is equal, and that no sin is greater than any other. These had been her teachers,—stern and wild ones,—and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss. She becomes strong and confident. Hawthorne writes, “Hester Prynne… I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer... though he were to step down from a high place, and stand there beside thee, on thy pedestal of shame, yet better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life. Symbolism in “The Scarlet Letter” In the American literature, Hawthorne has used symbolism in his novel, as to pass the message and keep the theme he applied symbolism in the novel setting, Scarlet A characterization and colors light. In other words, do not be a hypocrite. Nathaniel Hawthorne, a critically acclaimed American writer of the nineteenth century, was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. Unlike many novels, Hawthorne tells us main theme or moral in the last chapters. Some people feel that sinners should be deeply punished… Because of Hawthorne’s broken past many of his writings focus on sin and judgement in Puritan societies. English 1, block 3 Some characters admit their sins and attempt to redeem themselves, while others go on in denial of their sins or keep them a secret. Related Characters: Hester Prynne. 12 October 2013 Women come forward to be extremely strong in this novel. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, there are several chapters devoted to nature and its role in the novel. Though this punishment of wearing a red “A” on your chest to show adultery seems cold, there were some positive outcomes and it was effective after all. The Scarlet Letter, novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, published in 1850. Teacher These opposites are found throughout the novel and often set the tone and define which side of … Nathaniel Hawthorne does this in The Scarlet Letter with several ... in the Governor's garden is personified as it supposedly grows in front of his window on purpose in order to send a message. His symbolisms like the prison door and the scarlet letter “A” all convey the message of evil, sin, and forgiveness very clearly and are all more than once brought up throughout the plot. ...The Scarlet Letter Essay – Amy Campbell - November 2011  Judgement The main theme of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, is judgement. Chillingworth is secretive about it, tormenting not only Dimmesdale but also himself. Religion governed the community and all aspects of life in these communities. The rights of women were nonexistent and were far away to be prevalent. The Scarlet Letter What is the author's message in The Scarlet Letter? Men were considered dominant while women were considered weak. Hawthorne continues to use verbal irony when Hester is discussing her scarlet letter with Pearl. Hawthorne’s excessive use of detailed descriptions and imagery help draw the reader in and visualize the setting in order to fully experience it. She points out that he is so attached to something that is only temporary and man-made, in contrast with the natural world all around them. The Scarlet Letter: Metaphor Analysis. The Scarlet Letter. While some handle it effectively, guilt is the cause of destruction for others. In-depth explanations of The Scarlet Letter's themes. They have promising lives ahead of them. It is OK to let others know you are not perfect. The Scarlet Letter hawthorne's contradictory messages? Sin and redemption are two central themes in Hawthorne’s work. In The Scarlet Letter, nature stands in contrast to Puritanism.Where Puritanism is merciless and rigid, nature is forgiving and flexible. The scarlet letter itself stands for many different things to different people who see it. cried she, positively. She decided to sew an "A" on to her own dress to show that she was not ashamed for what she did. In this way, what is the main message of the scarlet letter? The role of nature in The Scarlet Letter is to reveal the personalities of the characters through its actions. According to the legal statutes at the time and the prevailing sentiment of keeping in accordance with a strict interpretation of the Bible, adultery was a capital sin that required the execution of both adulterer and adulteress--or at the very least, severe public corporal punishme… In the first chapter, we get a mini tour of the most important town buildings and structures: the prison and the town scaffold. Whether moved only by her ordinary freakishness, or because an evil spirit prompted her, she put up her small forefinger and touched the scarlet letter. At first, they cut her out of society and viewed her very poorly. The standards that the Puritan ideal set are virtually impossible for any human to attain. She was, at one point, married to the character who calls himself Roger Chillingworth; however, Chillingworth was said to be lost out at sea after disappearing for a few years or so.