Symbolism in "Scarlet Letter"

Symbols can play a significant role in books. They can add deeper meaning to the story, and allow the reader to understand characters or context in a different way. In the book “The Scarlet Letter,” symbolism plays an important role. There are many symbols in the book,The symbols all have meaning, which help the reader to go deeper in the text. Also, symbolism in The Scarlet Letter enhance meaning in the text by allowing the reader to understand the characters on a deeper lever. Three significant symbols from The Scarlet Letter include: Pearl, Hester, and The Forest.

Pearl is a symbol of sin and treasure. She symbolizes sin because she is Hester's child who committed adultery. The book states that she symbolizes Sin. "Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world. An imp of evil, emblem and a product of sin, she had no right among christened infants" (Hawthorne 79). In this case, she would be considered as a Demon offspring because she was born from an adulturous relationship. The puritans believe that Pearl and her mother Hester, outsiders from the good Puritian lifestyle that they strive for. On the other hand, Pearl also symbolizes treasure because she is beautiful, hard to acquire, and a big sacrifice. The book describes how Pearl is a Treasure. “The beauty that became every day more brilliant, and the intelligence that threw its quivering sunshine over the tiny features of this child! Her Pearl!-For so had Hester called her; not as a name expressive of her aspect, which had nothing of the calm, white, unimpassioned lustre that would be indicated by the comparison. But, she named the infant “Pearl”, as being of great price,-purchased with all she had, her mother’s only treasure!” (75). This text is saying that, Hester didn’t call her Daughter “Pearl” for any reason. She called her that to show how Pearl is a great sacrifice. Therefore, Pearl symbolizes Treasure throughout the book, she is always being described how beautiful she is, difficult to acquire, and a big sacrifice. Hester is a strong symbol throughout this book, she represents strength and compassion. By Hester remaining in Boston, she accepts her punishment. This shows good strength, because she could have left, and started a new life somewhere else. Instead, she decides to stay in Boston by making a living by making special garments for the same people who condemned her. The text says, “She was self-ordained a Sister of Mercy; or, we may rather say, the world's heavy hand had so ordained her, when neither the world nor she looked forward to this result. 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.This shows strength by her accepting her fate and her courage to persevere in the community in the place of her sin took place. Also Hester decides not to reveal the identity of Pearl’s father. That is to show that Hester is understanding and allowing to go through her sin and punishment alone. She’s basically taking the punishment for two people, having to be punished and watching someone else who committed the sin with you not be punished, is difficult. She chooses to take the punishment alone and spare Dimmesdale from it. Only a strong person can be a martyr and Hester is definitely a strong person who is a martyr.

Another symbol in this book would be light and darkness. It represents good vs. evil. In the book when Hester and Pearl are in the forest, Pearl says “The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. Now, see! There it is playing, a good way off. Stand you here, and let me run and catch it. I am but a child. It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!” (161) After this Hester tries to put her hand in the light, but it vanishes. This part is saying that Hester represents how Hester wants to be pure, but the light vanishing represents her denial of acceptance. Furthermore, how light and darkness is used as a symbol is when Hester and Dimmesdale cannot acknowledge their love in front of others, When they meet in the woods, they feel that, “No golden light had ever been so precious as the gloom of this dark forest.” (199) This emotion shows that Hester and Dimmesdale will never last together openly because of their sin has departed them too much from normal life.

As you can see, Symbolism plays a significant role in “The Scarlet Letter”. It enhances the meaning of the text by using Hester, Pearl, and Light and Darkness. Each symbol played a significant role by showing how characters can develop throughout the book. At first a character may appear as a different person than their true self, but overtime the symbolism helps readers’ more to fully understand the characters better.