The Letter "A"

Symbolism is defined by Merriam-Webster as the art or practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations. Hawthorne has many cases of symbolism in his book, The Scarlet Letter, whether it is from the scarlet letter "A" to Hester's daughter, Pearl, or even the red rose bush against the prison door. The scarlet letter in the beginning of the book is a symbol of shame, isolation, and Pearl's emotional connection to her mother.

The beginning of the story starts out with Hester up on the scaffold outside the prison door in Boston holding Pearl and being condemned as a committed adulteress in front of the entire town. The scarlet letter is pinned to Hester's chest to mark her for her sin and bearing an illegitimate child. This brings upon a feeling of shame for Hester because she is singled out and society condemned her for her sin, without knowing anything else about her. Emotions such as guilt and disgrace haunt Hester day and night. Though these feelings become overwhelming at some points in the story, Hester chooses to stay in Boston rather than fleeing to prevent further humiliation.

Since Hester decides to stay in Boston, her and Pearl are isolated from the rest of the social order and feared by the people. In Chapter five it states, "Children, too young to comprehend wherefore this woman should be shut out from the sphere of human charities, would creep nigh enough to behold herÐ'... and discerning the scarlet letter on her breast, would scamper off with a strange, contagious fear" (Hawthorne, 75). This creates isolation through others. Hawthorne also creates direct isolation in Chapter two, when Hester is seen wearing the scarlet letter for the first time. It is said that, "It had the effect of a spell, taking her out of the ordinary relations with humanity, and enclosing her