The scarlet letter (themes & symbols)

THE SCARLET LETTER

SYMBOLS & THEMES

Major Themes

1) Sin 2) Women and femininity3) Isolation4) Fate and Free will5) Memories vs The Present

Themes In SCARLET LETTER

• 1) Sin:Associated with breaking of law.

A hierarchy of sins Chillingworth’s pursuit of revenge is deemed as “worse” than the passion of Hester Prynne and Dimmesdale to commit Adultery.

2) Women and Femininity

• In Puritan era, women were expected to be subordinate to their male counterparts.E.g

Hester was willing to take on her own shame while protecting the man she loves .She keeps his secret faithfully for 7 years

3) Isolation

Major theme

• E.g Hester Prynne lives in isolation for years and years, even cast out from Puritan societyfor having a child out of wedlock.

Her isolation leads her to see her society in anew light and allows her to think out of this

box.

4) Fate and Free will

• Puritan’s believed in Divine Providence

Character in this novel constantly struggle b/w letting fate run its course and choosing a path for themselves.

5) Memories vs the present Time was passing but memories of past

were always there .Hester learn to forgive herself for adultery but society continues to scold her for it.Pearl is enough of a reminder of the wild choices in her past.As Pearl grows up, Hester continuous to live in the present rather than in the past.

1. Scarlet A

Primarily represents Adultery.It radiates other meanings as Hester

becomes a transformed person, when she becomes Ambassador of Mercy;

now it becomes Able and Angel.It represents the connection between

Hester, Dimmesdale & Pearl.

Scarlet A

Hester DIMMESDALE

Pearl

2. Pearl• Pearl represents two perspectives

Positive & Negative

Positively Innocence & Solace

negatively Sin & Punishment

3. The color ScarletThe scarlet color is associated with

1) Evil 2) Punishment

3) Immorality 4) prostitution

5) adultery 6) sin

4. Brook in the Forest

• Brook in the forest, passing through tall,

gloomy trees, is a symbol of life in puritan society.

• Trees represents puritan and brook

“divides” Hester and Pearl as life does.

Other Symbols

• Chillingworth is consistently a symbol of cold reason and intellect unencumbered by human compassion.

Dimmesdale is a symbol of hypocrisy and self-centered ; he knows what is right but has not the courage to make himself do the public act.

Presented by:Rania Habib

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