Nathaniel Hawthorne used several common literary devices in writing The Scarlet Letter, as writers generally do. The three most important ones he used are symbolism, allegory, and realism. Symbolism in the book is what helps emphasize conflicts, characters, links between people and events, and other that aren't told to you outright. Allegory in the story is what contains the themes central to the book. Realism is what sets the stage for every scene, and adds believability to the novel. To understand The Scarlet Letter fully, you must first understand these three devices central to Hawthorne's masterpiece.

Throughout the story, symbolism is the most common method of Hawthorne bringing forth conflicts and ideas, or linking people, objects, and events. The most obvious symbol in the story is the Scarlet Letter. It is intended by the clergy to be a symbol of the crime that Hester committed, and it does just that, and much more. The scarlet letter also represents her inescapable agony and her ever-growing strength. In the beginning of the story, the letter serves its purpose as a punishment, and it alienates Hester from society. As the story progresses, we can see tha

Realism is another aspect of Hawthorne's novel that is hard to see. It is basically the parts of the book that describe the background or the basic overview of a scene. For example, in the first scaffold scene, Hawthorne gives a description of what the scaffold was used for, who the woman on it was, and why she was there. All of this together is an example of realistic information. Its importance lies in that it allows you to put everything into context, it prepares you for the plot and dialogue that follow, and it makes the story more believable. The numbers of examples of realism are enormous, but it is most important that you simply understand its importance in the overall reading of a novel; it lets you know what is going on and it makes everything seem more real.

Allegory is used to represent more encompassing ideas. The character of Dimmesdale represents the qualities of hypocrisy and weakness, as well as the effect of hidden guilt. He is a respected priest, constantly making fiery speeches about sin and repentance, yet he hides the secret of his adultery with Hester, showing his hypocrisy. His weakness is in his inability to face his sin and confess to the world. He is also physically weak; he always quivers and has his hand gripping his heart. The effect of hidden guilt is shown through his constant deterioration of health due to his unwillingness to come forward. The reverend's guilt tears away at his soul, causing him to suffer for seven long years until his eventual death. This is the main theme of the novel-be true to the world and to yourself by not being afraid to show your worst to everyone else. The character of Roger Chillingworth is an allegory for evil and the effe

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Approximate Word count = 1153
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)