The Symbolic meaning of the letter “A” In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel‚ The Scarlet Letter‚ the meaning of the letter "A" stands for “adulterer”‚ but the symbolic meaning of the “A” changes throughout the book. This change is significant as it indicates the personal growth of the characters as well as the enlightenment of the townspeople. When the novel begins‚ the letter "A" is a symbol of sin. In the puritan village Hester resides in‚ a person that commits adultery is to be condemned to death
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” A Parasitic Worm-Leech The uses of blood-sucking leeches as medical tools are prevalent‚ but a lot of people still detest “leeches” and in The Scarlet Letter‚ Hawthorne used both characteristics of a leech to epitomize Roger Chillingworth‚ the husband of Hester‚ the protagonist. In the story‚ to find the man who gave birth to Hester’s child‚ Chillingworth entered the Puritan town‚ where Hester and Dimmesdale lived in. In the town‚ people considered doctors as “leeches” and Chillingworth lived
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Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter there are many symbols. One of the biggest symbols of the novel is the scarlet letter A that Hester Prynne is sentenced to wear after she commits adultery. It is a symbol that is sewn onto her clothes for everyone to see. It is a punishment that is meant to humiliate her for the duration of the time that she stays in Puritanical Boston. During the novel‚ the scarlet letter changes and evolves from meaning adultery to meaning ability and even physically changes
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The Scarlet Letter‚ written by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ follows the story of Hester Prynne and her dealings with a nasty love triangle and life with the sin of adultery. Hawthorne also outlines the consequences of keeping secrets and the effects it may have on the lives of oneself and others. In this novel‚ Hester keeps many destructive secrets that harm more than herself and some that she should have shared before it got too late. Hester most likely believed that her secrets harmed herself and spared
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In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ a character named Hester Prynne committed adultery with a man who at first was unidentified but later confirmed to be her reverend‚ the worshipped Arthur Dimmesdale. Since Hester became pregnant after the affair and her husband had not yet arrived in the colony‚ it was clear that she had committed adultery. The government of the colony demanded to know who her lover was‚ but Hester repeatedly refused to incriminate him. Because Hester never identified
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The effect of the symbol--or‚ rather‚ of the position in respect of society that was indicated by it-- on the mind of Hester Prynne herself‚ was powerful and peculiar. All the light and graceful foliage of her character had been withered up by this red-hot brand‚ and had long ago fallen away‚ leaving a bare and harsh outline‚ which might have been repulsive‚ had she possessed friends or companions to be repelled
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Unfortunately sin can often lead to isolation. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ Hester Prynne‚ a beautiful young woman who is chastised for adultery‚ and Arthur Dimmesdale‚ Boston’s beloved minister who is the father of Hester’s baby‚ both begin doleful lives of isolation after Hester’s sin is revealed. After Hester is sent to Boston by her husband‚ who says he will shortly join her‚ she has an affair with the town’s preacher‚ Arthur Dimmesdale‚ which results in a daughter‚ Pearl.
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novel The Scarlet Letter that some dogmatic attempts by society to label a person by his or her actions in the past will fail. Subjectivity across the community and throughout time changes the meaning of a symbol society implements to control an idea. The scarlet letter “A” Hester Prynne wears exemplifies this. The town wants the object to arouse feelings of ignominy towards Hester; however‚ not everyone who meets Hester interprets it the same way. The town originally regards the letters as a signification
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In The Scarlet Letter‚ the author‚ Nathaniel Hawthorne‚ uses many symbols throughout the novel. The most obvious and well known symbol‚ is the scarlet letter Hester is forced to wear. The infamous scarlet letter can be considered the most important and influential symbol. The symbolism behind the scarlet letter changes throughout this novel. Initially‚ the letter A was intended to mark Hester as an adulterer. During the first years of her punishment‚ the letter was a daily reminder of shame and her
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Assignment #2 October 29‚ 2012 Sin‚ Guilt‚ and The Scarlet Letter Sin and guilt are themes that are not only central to The Scarlet Letter‚ but to the entirety of Puritan Culture. They come hand in hand‚ and are seen as almost necessary for moral perfection. Throughout The Scarlet Letter‚ nearly every character is changed or at least affected by sin and guilt‚ and for many of them it is in a life changing way. It is an unavoidable side effect of the times they found themselves in that is even there
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