FREE ESSAY ON SYMBOLISM IN THE SCARLET LETTER

SYMBOLISM IN THE SCARLET LETTER

Michelle
5th Hour American Lit
12-18-00
Symbols of Sin
By definition, a symbol is "something concrete that represents or suggests another thing
that cannot in itself be pictured." Nathaniel Hawthorne uses many people as symbols
throughout The Scarlet Letter. The characters of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, Pearl,
and Roger Chillingworth all represent sin. However, these four symbolize different
aspects of sin. 
Through the character of Hester Prynne, Hawthorne shows how sin can make a person
stronger. When Hester commits adultery, the Puritan punishment forces her to wear a
scarlet letter so the whole community knows of her wrongdoing. Hester has enough courage
to wear the letter in public, even though she has to live with harassing comments and
peculiar glances from the townspeople. By dealing with these unnecessary actions, Hester
becomes a stronger person who is better able to handle pain and defend herself. Besides
the fact that she wears her "A" proudly, Hester is able to get over her sorrow and get on
with her life. She decides not to stay home everyday and suffer grief; instead, she
chooses to help others. Many people begin to respect her again because of her kindness
and assistance. As Hawthorne states, "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." Hester truly is a symbol of strength, and because of her strength
she is able to get on with her life and not suffer with her grief. 
Unlike Hester, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale does not become stronger from his sin, but
instead becomes weaker. He is a symbol of God, and because of this it is hard for him to
be open about his sins. Until his death, he can never plainly admit to his congregation
that he committed adultery. The fact that Dimmesdale conceals his sin torments him, and
it is evident all the way through the novel that his secret sin is constantly dragging
him down. He often attempts to punish himself by fasting and holding all night vigils.
However, his sin continues to bother him until his death, when the people who consider
him holy finally acknowledge his transgression. Once he reveals his sin to the community,
he stands on the scaffold "with a flush of triumph on his face, as the one who, in the
crisis of acutest pain, had won a victory." He truly had won a victory; he no longer has
to make himself suffer. Through the character of Arthur Dimmesdale, the author reveals
that keeping sin hidden can be harmful.
Pearl is the daughter of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, and she serves as a
constant mental and physical reminder to Hester of her sin. Pearl is the reason for the
scarlet letter her mother wears. If Pearl had not been born, Hester would never have been
found guilty of adultery, and therefore Hester would not have to wear the "A." Because
Pearl is the living sin, she is constantly being judged and watched by others. Children
ridicule Pearl, and others keep a careful watch on her. Governor Bellingham keeps watch
on Pearl, and at one point in the book he wants to take her away from Hester. He says
that Pearl, because of Hester, is "in the dark as to her soul, its present depravity, and
future destiny." Therefore, even though he is not successful, Governor Bellingham tries
to remove Pearl from the guidance of her mother. Pearl also acts in ways that cause her
mother stress, and she often nags Hester about her "A." For example, one time Pearl
throws rocks at her mother's scarlet letter, and another time Pearl makes her own "A" out
of seaweed. By acting like this and doing these things, she reminds Hester of her scarlet
letter. Pearl is the living scarlet letter, and she will not let her mother forget about
her sin.
Although Roger Chillingworth does not commit one great sin like other characters,
Hawthorne uses him to teach the reader that several lesser sins can be greater than a
single great wrongdoing. Throughout the novel, Chillingworth commits several acts of
misconduct. His lack of sensitivity is shown in choosing such a young woman as his bride,
his lack of chivalry is shown when he sends his wife alone to Boston, his lack of
kindness is shown when he does not contact his wife for two years, and his lack of
sympathy is shown when he chooses to hide his identity and change his name. Despite all
these smaller sins, Chillingworth's greatest sin is the torture and manipulation of
Arthur Dimmesdale. Chillingworth is a "leech," one who sucks all the life out of his
victim, Dimmesdale. Chillingworth's whole reason to live is to make Dimmesdale suffer,
and soon after the death of the minister, Chillingworth also dies. He dies because, as
Hawthorne states, "there was no more Devil's work on earth for him to do." Many smaller
sins can be worse than a single sin, and Hawthorne uses Roger Chillingworth is an example
of this.
The Scarlet Letter, a novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, contains many characters that
all act as symbols of sin. Hester Prynne represents how sin can make one stronger, and
Arthur Dimmesdale symbolizes how hidden sins can cause harm. Pearl serves as a reminder
of the scarlet letter to her mother, and Roger Chillingworth as an example of how many
smaller transgressions can add up to be greater than a single sin. 
Bibliography
merriam webster's online dictionary