Symbol Of The Scarlet Letter example essay topic

What price should a person have to pay for a mistake, or sin? In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, the cost paid by Hester Prynne is very high and very public. The consequences of her actions and choices were widely felt, because they affected many people. Hester's relationships with society, with her daughter Pearl, and with her lover Arthur Dimmesdale were forever changed by the scarlet letter embroidered "A" she wore upon her chest. In that way, the letter served its ultimate purpose: it took Hester Prynne out of ordinary relationships with humanity and enclosed her in a sphere by herself, changing forever the dynamic of relationship with those around her. Hester Prynne is publically shamed and forced by the people of Boston to permanently wear a badge of humiliation.

One might think that when Hester has the option to flee town and start her life over with a clean slate that she would jump at the opportunity. On the contrary, her unwillingness to leave town proves her desire to determine her own identity rather than allowing others to determine it for her. She is fully aware that her past sin is a part of herself. However, the letter "A" starts causing extreme pain and anxiety for Hester: "The symbol was not merely scarlet cloth, but was red-hot with internal fire, and could be seen even when Hester walked around in the night time" (Hawthorne 61-2). A young mother remarks about Hester saying, "Let her cover her mark as she will, the pang of it will always be in her heart" (Hawthorne 38). As time progresses Hester turns her eyes down at the symbol on her shirt, then to her infant child to assure herself that the shame she so clearly saw and felt was real.

Society has classified her as being shameful, and has permanently marked her with the pain of guilt. The very first object which Pearl had noticed in her mother's life was not her big smile or her beautiful eyes. Rather, she became quite familiar and aware of the embroidered scarlet letter on Hester's face. At times, this gaze felt like the stroke of sudden death to Hester and Pearl's peculiar smile pained her (Hawthorne 67). Pearl only knew and recognized her mother with the symbol of the scarlet letter on her chest. As plans are made to flee to Europe as a family, Hester slowly removes her scarlet letter and lets her hair down in relief.

Pearl did not even recognized her mother without the symbol of the letter upon her. "Mother", said little Pearl, "The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom... It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!" (Hawthorne 125). Pearl is frequently aware of things that others do not see, and here she identifies the scarlet letter on her mother's chest with the lack of sunshine in her mother's life. The community views Pearl as "The scarlet letter endowed with life", and Pearl is a constant reminder of Hester's fatal sin.

The letter "A" not only represents shame for Hester, but also complete guilt for Dimmesdale. The well-respected preacher has been living with guilt and shame which eventually leads him to death. The fact that Hester takes all the blame tears away at his conscious. We come to find that Hester was not the only character who wore the symbol of the letter "A", as at the end of the story Dimmesdale reveals to the world how he has the letter "A" carved into his chest. The letter was a representation and a reminder to both him and Hester that they could never be together. Keeping the truth hidden from his congregation only lead to ultimate suffering and anguish.

At one point Pearl asks Dimmesdale to stand next to her and her mother and take responsibility for his actions. He responds by saying that he cannot take the blame and that he will serve his punishment on judgement day. Consequently, he becomes an emotionally powerful speaker and a compassionate leader, and his congregation is able to receive meaningful spiritual guidance from him. Obviously, Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale are each greatly affected by the symbol and meaning of the scarlet letter. A reoccurring theme each of the characters seem to share throughout the story would be both pain and guilt. Hester paid a very high price for the sin she committed and although she becomes a stronger woman because of it, she was left with scars that last her a lifetime.

Pearl and Dimmesdale's lives were also drastically changed because of the scarlet letter. The symbol of the scarlet letter proved to change lives forever, ultimately leading to destruction.