What Does Sin Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

The Seed, Sin, and Scarlet By definition, a symbol is “something concrete that represents or suggests another thing that cannot in itself be pictured”. Symbolism in literature is important to fully understanding just how meaningful the novel really is. Without symbolism it is just a bunch of meaningless words on a page. Hawthorne uses symbols in The Scarlet Letter such as Pearl, the personification of sin, and the actual “A” to illustrate the characters. Pearl is a sort of living version of her mother’s scarlet letter. She is the physical consequence of sexual sin and the indicator of a transgression. She was named Pearl to mean pure, white, and not sinful. Although to Hester it means "’Pearl,’ as being of great price,-purchased with all she had, her mother’s only treasure!” a pearl from Jesus’ parable that was bought at a great price. For Hester this price was everything she had, including her place in the Puritan society. While Pearl brings joy to Hester’s life, she is also the bane of her existence. Pearl is the reason she gets up each day but she is a constant reminder of the sin she committed and the shame that she felt. Dimmesdale sees Pearl as the "freedom of a broken law"; Hester sees her as "the living hieroglyphic" of their sin; and the community sees her as the
It is a sign of adultery, penance, and penitence. It brings about Hester 's suffering and loneliness and also provides her rejuvenation. “Although at first it has a shameful meaning, Hester does not let it dictate the conditions of her punishment.” Hester is a strong woman, too strong for the Puritans from the start, and did not allow the original meaning of the letter to affect her in any way. She fought through the adversity and became a better person because of it. Later, the scarlet “A” became a symbol that meant able or angel, the complete opposite of its intended