Symbolism in literature is the amount of hidden meaning in a piece of work. It is often used to represent a moral or religious belief or value. Without symbolism most literature is just a bunch of meaningless words on paper. One of the most symbolic pieces of work in American literature is Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne uses many symbols to describe objects or ideas. Each of these symbols have a variety of meanings or affect its target in different ways. One of the most important symbols, the scarlet letter A, uses both affect and meaning and is carried throughout the novel effectively.

The scarlet letter, used by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a symbol that contains a variety of meanings. Originally standing for the sin of adultery, it has a differen

The scarlet letter restrains Hester's passionate nature in her appearance, transforming her into a colorless and faceless woman, yet her passion finds another outlet in the deep recesses of her own mind. Hester is liberated by the scarlet letter since she discovers an intellectual passion as a release from a dull and monotonous existence. Hester's physical appearance may be one of "marble coldness", yet buried underneath those marble slabs her "newly emancipated" intellect burns with great passion. The pure yet hard marble represents the Hester seen by the people, solid and dependable. The vibrancy that once dominated her features now dominates her thoughts. "Hester [imbibes] the spirit" of intellectual emancipation. Her passion, which once flowed generously in her physical appearance, is now geared towards the exploration of her mind's inner depths. A dazzling face is replaced by a dazzling mind, as Hester escapes her desolation in toying with new and fascinating ideas. Driven by reason instead of emotion, Hester "[casts] away the fragments of the broken chain," challenging the archaic doctrines of the Puritans. The author mocks the outmoded and outdated beliefs of the Puritans by depicting them as these "fragments." Instead of being destroyed by the scarlet letter, Hester gains the courage to question the Puritan's view of justice. In a sense, Hester is freed from her punishment, since she casts doubt on the actual magnitude of her sin. Thus

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Governor Winthorp's, , Nathaniel Hawthorne, Letter Hawthorne, scarlet letter, Chillingworth Hester's, Hester Prynne's, hester wear, mind hester, physical appearance, symbolism literature, variety meanings,
Approximate Word count = 985
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)