The Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis

The First Chapter of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter” is set in the mid 1600s in Puritan Boston. In this chapter he describes these times in a metaphorical manner. He refers to a cemetery and a prison and describes their origins and how they were two of the first things the founders built. He also describes a rosebush in the prison and makes a reference to Anne Hutchinson referring to her as “sainted.” Hawthorne appeals to his audience of peers through their emotions and metaphorical language to evoke change in the reader’s thoughts and actions.

The audience in this chapter is never stated, but is implied in the background information. “The Scarlet Letter” was published. Therefore, it had no specific or direct audience. The audience was widespread. But, the time that it was published, 1850, was a time of turmoil over race. His audience was most likely a northern audience, meaning they were a little less racist and more open minded. This is key because the more open minded one is, the more susceptible they are to change the way they think and act (this being the main purpose of the play).

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s character, reputation, and persona are irrelevant because this
He uses his rosebush metaphor and makes it an attribute of Anne Hutchinson: “it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Anne Hutchinson.” Anne was a very controversial and influential person of the Massachusetts’ Bay Colony. She took it upon herself to hold discussion groups following the sunday services (a bold move for a woman at the time). In these meetings Hutchinson revealed her belief in faith alone as they key to salvation, as opposed to the common belief that God only revealed himself with the aid of a Church. It takes courage and strength for a woman to take a stance like this at the time. Hawthorne includes this example of courage to encourage the reader to think and act like