Themes, Symbols, and Imagery

THE SCARLET LETTER

The interplay of light and darkness is fundamental

in the novel.Hawthorne “shadows”

every scene: The mingling of light and

shadow gives the book visual imagery that

alludes to the larger, grander conflict between

good and evil.

IMAGERY: LIGHT AND DARK

Consider Pearl’s wise observation in Chapter 21, regarding

Dimmesdale:

“What a strange, sad man is he! In the dark nighttime he calls us to him, and holds thy hand and

mine, as when we stood with him on the scaffold yonder! And in the

deep forest, where only the old trees can hear and the strip of sky sees it, he talks with thee…

and he kisses my forehead, too…But here, in the sunny day, and among all the people, he knows us not; nor must we know him!”

IMAGERY: LIGHT AND DARK

Sunlight and daylight can be seen as the equivalent of

openness, honesty, and goodness.

Nighttime and shadow represent concealment,

secrets, and evil.But wildness and evil are not necessarily identical.The forest, where Indians

and the Black man dwell, is also the abode of nature.

IMAGERY: LIGHT AND DARK

As Pearl notes, in town, Dimmesdale can mount the scaffold and enact a mock penance only in darkest night.

He can freely be himself with Hester only in the forest.

And in the heart of the forest’s darkness, sunshine bursts through as if to support the lovers’ liberty.

The forest, for all of its shadows, is the symbol of the human heart and

inner self.

If the settlement stands for society, it appears to be a society that

neglects or even outlaws the human heart.

IMAGERY: LIGHT AND DARK

What emerges is a novel built on a world of

symbolic contrasts.

Every scene can become a symbol or metaphor.

IMAGERGY: LIGHT AND DARK

Literary themes are the insight an author presents to

the reader about life or human nature.

Broader themes

Good v. Evil

Psychological effects of sin

Individuals in relationship to Puritan community

Hypocrisy

Revenge

THEMES: THE SCARLET LETTER

The scarlet letter “A”Symbolizes the function of the human will as the critical element in the contest between the dark of the devil’s

domain and the sunshine of God’s virtue.Its human incarnation is

Pearl, Hester’s daughter.

SYMBOLS: THE SCARLET LETTER

A = adultery: But is the issue really adultery? Hester did not knowingly cheat on her husband,

whom she thought was dead.The bigger issue addressed is the effects of sin.

The sin, committed before the story begins, involves four central characters and leads to

further sins.The novel raises questions:

What secrets are hidden in the human heart?

Who, really, is righteous, and who is a sinner?

SYMBOLISM: THE SCARLET LETTER

THE PURITANS: KEY CONTEXT FOR THE SCARLET

LETTER

The scarlet letter that Hester wears over her bosom is as important for the community as it is for

the other central characters.

The community is measured by the letter as much as the principle characters.

First, when humankind tries to evade its sinful legacy by constructing social institutions that

“outlaw” sin, the results are usually disastrous.

Our fascination with the sins of others predisposes us to a moralistic outlook on society, as opposed to a moral outlook regarding our individual attitudes and actions: the result is arrogance and hypocrisy.

THE PURITANS; KEY CONTEXT FOR THE SCARLET

LETTER

Hawthorne infers that in their religious zeal, this community tries to legislate

morality and eliminate the need for human will.

Hester, first by her sin, and then by the depth of her character, demonstrates the

importance of the individual’s will as a key element in virtue.

Hester proves that free will and choice is the one – and perhaps, the critical element –

in living the virtuous life.

When these fundamentals are put together, the tale is

clear:Hester, through an effort of the will,

manages to love (as defined by the Christian ideal) even though that love is not returned by

society.

SYMBOLS: THE SCARLET LETTER

In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne

tries to make us see that:

Guilt can destroy a person, body, and

soul.The punishment imposed on us by others may not be

as destructive as the guilt we experience.

THEMES: THE SCARLET LETTER

True repentance must come from within.

Revenge destroys both the victim and the seeker.

Even well-intended secrets and deceptions can lead to

destruction.

We must have the courage to be true to who we are.

It is by recognizing and dealing with our

weaknesses that make us stronger.

THEMES: THE SCARLET LETTER

The choices we make determine who we

become.Within each person

exists the capacity for both good and evil.People must accept responsibility for

their actions or suffer the consequences.

THEMES: THE SCARLET LETTER