The Scarlet Letter Symbolism Essay Example

Symbolism is a major part of the book The Scarlet Letter, and it is crucial to the plot and storyline of the book. Almost everything in this book is a symbol so the reader can dig deeper into the story and truly understand the more complex plot. There are many different objects, colors, and even people who have more profound meanings hidden behind their supposed simple surface. The scarlet letter is one of the more pronounced symbols, it is used as the focal point in the story, and it drives the plot. But one of the more subtle symbols is the color red. Colors are generally huge symbols in stories, and are usually used to show emotion and personality, this is no different in The Scarlet Letter. The color red is one of the most used colors in the story, and is used for the scarlet letter itself, the rosebush outside of the prison, and Pearl wears the color red for most of the story. The whole book includes multiple different symbols that all bring new meanings into the story, all with meticulous intent.

The scarlet letter itself is probably the biggest symbol in the whole book. In the beginning of the book, the giant A all across Hester’s chest stood for “adultery” and it was something to be feared.  MLA FORMAT “Children, too young to comprehend wherefore this woman should be shut out from the sphere of human charities, would creep nigh … discerning the scarlet letter on her breast, would scamper off with a strange, contagious fear.” The scarlet letter was there to shame Hester for the sin she commited, and it worked for the majority of the story. All of those years of wearing the scarlet letter made townspeople wary of Hester and her daughter. People would talk about the pair while they were walking past or would completely avoid and ignore them. However, over time, near the end of the book the letter morphs into a badge of honesty and honor, rather than a badge of fear and shame. Townspeople, women mostly, came to her for advice for their sorrows, and Hester did her best to console and comfort the women.  MLA FORMAT “But, in the lapse of the toilsome, thoughtful, and self-devoted years that made up Hester’s life, the scarlet letter ceased to be a stigma which attracted the world’s scorn and bitterness, and became a type of something to be sorrowed over, and looked upon with awe, yet with reverence too. And, as Hester Prynne had no selfish ends, nor lived in any measure for her own profit and enjoyment, people brought all their sorrows and perplexities, and besought her counsel, as one who had herself gone through a mighty trouble.” Hester's scarlet letter showed the world her story and what she went through. It gave people a look into her life and see the hardships she encountered.