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10. The Symbols in The Scarlet Letter Signify Sin
& Redemption
Mahfuza Zannat, Ph.D. Scholar
Xiamen University, Fujian, China
Introduction
Nathaniel Hawthrone (1804-1864) is an author of Romantic era. In an epoch of
Romanticism writers, poet and critics depict their ideas through various literary
“symbols” evanescing imaginative power. Majority of Hawthrone’s works are
based upon past to scrutinize the truth behind a dark and gloomy historical event
or background. Hawthrone’s artistic attempt to endow a particular society with
symbolism in The Scarlet Letter represents the Novel as ‘Historical Romance’
where the sinful love tragedy of different characters brings out the contemporary
societal manner and behaviors and ultimately ends up with ‘redemption’ making
the readers believe that regretting for own ‘sin’ or guilt might bring purity.
Without “Sin” there will be no point of “Redemption”. In a nutshell,
“Redemption” redefines or reshapes a person what is worth noticeable throughout
the whole novel. The present study attempts to figure out
to what extent the symbols of The Scarlet Letter signify “Sin” and “Redemption”
by implementing Ferdinand De Saussure’s theory. Ferdinand De Saussure is
Swiss linguist who develops the study area of symbol, sign and meaning
particularly as known as “semiotics” in the 19th
century. 1
1
The area of “semiotics” is led by its features and focal points which support to
study and build up understandable symbols which are “signified”, “signifier” and
“object”.

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An illustration of Symbol
In literature use of “Symbol” emphasizes an author’s profundity and prudency as
it is contingent upon imagery writing. Generally, Authors, Poets abide by the
conviction of symbolic technique strategically to highlight the inner truth locking
the images with some other aspects. Focusing on particular societal and political
norms they carry through symbolism in their works. According to Whitehead
theory, Symbolism directs human’s thought and imagination. In that case, “the
word” is a “symbol” and its meaning is functioned by the ideas, emotion and
images raising the mind of the observer. In brief, through symbols a writer can
shadow own freedom of thought, beliefs and ideas. Cambell says “A symbol is an
object that represents, stands for or suggests an idea, visual image, belief, action
or material entity. Symbols take the form of words, sounds, gestures or visual
images and are used to convey ideas and beliefs” (143).
In brief, through symbols a writer can shadow own freedom of thought, beliefs
and ideas. Cambell says “A symbol is an object that represents, stands for or
suggests an idea, visual image, belief, and action or material entity. Symbols take
the form of words, sounds, gestures or visual images and are used to convey ideas
and beliefs” (143).
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The
Blithe Dale Romance and The Marble Faun all his four novels impregnate with
symbolic ideas. Symbols are meant to imply for various purposes. Womack posits
that “Symbols are a means of complex communication that often can have
multiple levels of meaning” (125). His masterpiece The Scarlet Letter fulfills all
the criterion of a symbolic novel. Every symbol bears multiple meanings here.
An Analysis of Symbols as Sin & Redemption
In The Scarlet Letter Sin has been classified generally from two perspectives. One
is from New England Puritans‟ belief another from Hawthrone’s own view.
According to Lehtie Chalise Thomson Puritan finds sin as entirely unacceptable

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and wrong from all the perspective. Usually they are convicted to crush the evils
into a person and community to ascertain ‘righteousness’. Somehow if an
individual commits ‘sin’ then there were some certain rules toabide by. The sinner
must have to repent after confessing the guilt. If penance does not bring sufficient
result, then the church takes the power to banish the sinner.The above discussion
focuses on the symbols of the main characters and the objects in The Scarlet Letter
to show how these ‘semiotics’ imply sin and redemption.
In literature symbolism is the expression of a writer’s imaginative power.
With some covered objects writer renders some coherent ideas to the reader so
that they can contemplate the beyond or the inner things. Hawthrone’sThe Scarlet
Letter is considered as the first American symbolic novel of 19th
century which
has depicted contemporary religious and civil society. According to Nan Lei,
Hawthrone has surprisingly outlined his own open style uncovering Puritanism,
Transcendentalism and Feminism as well. Moreover, he has indicated that his
writing was being affected by aforesaid societal behavior. Hawthrone’s skillful
presentation of symbolism brings the readers close to visualize the profound
meaning of the conflicts faced by the main characters. He has introduced
“Symbolism Romanticism” in American literature with this novel. From the
crimson colour letter “A” to the imaginative settings, names, characters, situation
and words all synchronically infused with coherent ideas.
The protagonist, namely, Hester Prynne, gets Hawthrone’s adoration with
this special name comparing it with “Hestia” or the beautiful virgin goddess of
the hearth or fireplace. Hearth warms the others according to Greek myth. In
similar vein, Hester has raised up Pearl despite having poverty and being isolated
from society. Hawthrone also points her as ‘a figure of perfect Elegance’.2
For
this reason at the end of the novel people regard her as a wonder woman and also
show reverence to her finding the letter as a “cross on a bosom” for overcoming
2
Like a soldier she has fought against the austere puritan society with a positive
manner.

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the flaw. Arthur Dimmesdale is one of the vital characters in the novel. Lei states
that ‘Arthur’ sounds like ‘Author’ as he is a man of great thoughts being in a
strong social position as a priest. The author also compares ‘Arthur’ with ‘Adam’
who first committed original sin. Furthermore, ‘A’ & ‘D’ stand for ‘Adultery’. He
could not refrain from sin by involving in an illicit relationship with Hester.
Albeit, both sins are utterly different from each other, ultimately both males being
religious figures commit sins. In Bible it has been described as after having
forbidden fruits Adam and Eve become unconscious for few moments, when they
get conscious they start sensing about material desires such as good, evil, sex and
so on. “Dimmesdale” the surname also indicates deep meaning. Separately, ‘Dim’
means unhopeful or not bright on the contrary, ‘dale’ suggests for ‘valley’. People
have a tendency to draw an analogical relationship between mind and valley. So
much so that, ‘Dimmesdale’ also brings out gloomy, dark and pessimistic hidden
views. His psychological conflict and unclear perspective toward puritan society
reveal his dilemmatic inner condition. He has been suffering from critical disease;
later on take the courage to confess his guilt publicly and also opens up about the
secret scarlet letter on his chest. Initially readers may find his character as a
hypocrite and coward, but his confession let him won over dark pessimistic world.
The antagonist, namely, Roger Chillingworth, is a dishonest and amoral
figure in this novel. He used his lifetime in learning and researching being unloved
and irresponsible toward his beautiful young wife. To “light a household fire in
his lonely and chilly heart” (60) he married Hester. Lei opines that to some extent
it can be believed that his ill intentions to conceal own physical malformation
bring Hester down to face a tragic life. Additionally, his name ‘Roger’ is similar
to ‘rogue’ which means dishonest.
He “made the very principle of his life to consist in the pursuit and systematic
exercise of revenge” (224). In a nutshell, Roger Chilling worth is a man of wrath,
vengeance and satanic norms. Above all, in The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel
Hawthrone has swimmingly applied Greek Myth, Bibilical reference, “words

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initials”, synonymous or same sounded words to mention the three main
characters.
Hawthorne gains popularity for his openwork associated to own life. According
to Ali Baram Mohammed and Salam Hussein Yahya, Nathaniel Hawthorne being
an American writer has focused on individualistic viewpoint. Disagreeing with
his antecessor regarding ‘witch-make trails’, he altered his name from “Hathrone”
by adding “w” as “Hawthorne” to make own self free from it. Most of his works
are based upon common societal features and its advancement related to religious,
transcendental and feminist belief. The Scarlet Letter, the House of the Seven
Gables, The Blithdale Romance and his fundamental short stories have been
revealed in understated module. Hawthorne has expressed the solid historical
events and captivates the public by transforming their minds with his
masterpieces. The Scarlet Letter swarms with ‘symbolism’, which Hawthorne has
bound altogether to bring out the deep-rooted events of the behind the story.
Symbolism manifests to resolve double or multiple meanings of one pointed
thing. Moreover, symbolism can be considered as modus operandi when the writer
feels the necessity to bring a disposition or situation into play. Hawthorne has
initiated the first chapter “The Custome House” as an initial symbol of this novel
and says:
The life of the Custom house lies like a dream behind me…Soon, likewise, my
old native town will loom upon me through the fog of memory, a mist brooding
over and round it; equally if it were no component of the real world… (65).
The Scarlet Letter has the strictness and economic association with the smaller
“fiction form” having only one “plot”. It does not have any subplot and no
secondary love stories took place here. Except the four main characters, such as,
Hester, Dimmesdale, Chilling worth, and Pearl, the minor characters are meant to
be past arras. It is not a love story, but a story of retribution. The center of the
relationship exists amid Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. One is a guilty lover
whereas the other is baleful husband who are stable to prolong the “guilt” existing.

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The long preliminary explanation related to “The Custom House” where
Hawthrone has mixed up “life account” and “fiction” reflects the isolation and a
close association of himself with his activity. His tendency toward migration,
human behavior over decorum and vocational desires are the core of The Scarlet
Letter. In 1642 the novel initiates when Hester Prynne climbs the stage of Boston,
carrying the sewed “A” convicting her adultery. The most essential resemblance
which is portrayed throughout the novel is unquestionably the scarlet letter “A”.
Primarily it resemblances as an amoral act but at the ending this “A” reveals
multiple meanings.3
Puritan society is an exemplary society of God’s laws being free from sins.
According to Rahal Hadjira, their religion is based upon purity and crime free for
this reason they punish Hester and imposed her to wear “A”. Hawthorne says “On
the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery,
and fantastic flourishes of gold thread, appeared the letter A” (50). The most
focused symbol in The Scarlet Letter is “A” serves various meanings such as
alienation, adultery again it refers to admirable and angel. Then “The Scaffold”
where Hester stands three hours is carrying her child. It is a place represents the
sin of the person publicly who oppose the puritan laws. Hadjira also mentions
about “The Forest” and “The Meteor”. She opines the forest symbolizes freedom,
gloomy environment where people can secretly be involved in sins. It is a place
where Dimmesdale directly confesses his love to Hester and she also feels the
same for him. In the forest Hester independently takes off the letter “A” for a short
time and takes it back before leaving for the city. With Dimmesdale’s
participation with Hester and Pearl, “a scarlet meteor” passes off the dark sky.
Puritan community finds such common meteors as a message from God to alert
them from any destruction. Meanwhile this meteor is a sign to detect Dimmesdale
as a secret sinner.
3
Some say Hester and Arthur actually did not commit adultery because Hester,
according to them, was not really wedded.

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Discussion
The above review of literature reveals how Hawthorne has depicted the “symbols”
focusing on basic character-traits and particular objects. The novel starts with the
analysis of “The Custom House” to make the readers know with the predecessor
of Hawthorne. Starting with this chapter may also reflect his willingness to
indicate the society to scrutinize the broken system for what the rule breaker is
not even asked for.
3
Some say Hester and Arthur actually did not commit adultery because Hester,
according to them, was not really wedded.
In the mentioned chapter Hawthorne says “…go lazily about what they termed
duty, and, at their own leisure and convenience, betake themselves to bed again”
(19). The aforementioned statement reflects Hawthorne’s clear observation about
a society. In a society several crimes or sins can be noticed if the things are being
exposed. Performing duties for what an individual is vowed for should be
performed by any means. Otherwise, it would be considered as a negligence of
own responsibility which is a devastating sin in a society. Hawthorne’s
representation of the introductory chapter reflects the readers some thoughtful
symbols of sin apart from Hester’s one. Disobeying moral law does not only mean
committing adultery, rather it is breaking the rules and regulations regarding
justice and injustice. Hawthorne also says “…that had so early borne the black
flower of civilized society. But, on one side of the portal, and rooted almost at the
threshold, was a wild rose-bush” he adds “fragrance and fragile beauty to the
prisoner as he went in…” (68). through these words Hawthorne’s view of prison
life can be estimated. One side of the road is showing prisoners’ life comparing
them with ‘black flower’ other part of the road is indicating the ‘fragrance’ of
‘rose-bush’ which can render nice aroma eradicating the bad one. To further the
statement, we can say ‘black flower’ may indicate puritan code of life, their
pessimistic beliefs as well. So if ‘rose-bush’ is indicating floral fragrance and
bright colour, we get the idea of optimistic view of Hawthorne. Hawthorne has

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paradoxically figured out black colour and bright colour, darkness and daylight,
hope and despair then sin and redemption. All equally exist in human society. The
primary chapter discloses the upcoming phenomenon regarding the protagonist’s
alienated imprisoned life for societal cruel behaviour. On the contrary, her
freedom of choice proves her optimistic attitude to live a life with her daughter.
Furthermore, Hester’s fixed mind by going astray away from puritan code of
austere life is pointed in The Forest scene. In the chapter ‘The Market-Place’
Hawthorne says,
““Goodwives,” said a hard-featured dame of fifty… if we women, being of mature
age and church-members in good repute, should have the handling of such
malefactresses as this Hester Prynne” (75). In the utterances we find the instinct
of typical judgmental society which has been infused with ‘gossip’ but
unconscious of the hidden ‘Sin’. These words also indicate misogynistic views of
human life where human beings forget to be empathetic rather they condemn
others to be fit in a so called holy society by disgracing the female character only
for her confessed ‘sin’ but never take any initiative to capture other one who is
not confessing publicly like ‘Dimmesdale’. The chapter namely ‘The Market-
Place’ shows contemporary gossip manic societal behaviour.
Hester committed a Sin during her husband, Roger Chilling worth’s absence, and
the whole society points finger on her, but no one questions Chilling worth why
did he become disappeared for a long time being irresponsible as a husband,
wasn’t she his responsibility. No one questions him if it is necessary to abandon
familial responsibility to continue prolonged scientific study. Furthermore, his
intention to avenge from Dimmesdale also breaks the puritan view of life. The
character of Chilling worth is full of corruption and sin which help the readers to
differentiate between the characters who redeem and who doesn’t feel any guilt
of it.

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Conclusion
Nathaniel Hawthorne has portrayed the contemporary puritan society with the
gesture of political condition at his time. He mixed religious practice and political
activities in his novel to convey the clear picture of the society. His prior interest
behind writing this symbolic novel is to make the people concern that “Sin” can
be transmuted to “Redemtion”. Confessing sin being alienated Hester’s
philanthropic activities prove her redemption. In the Novel, from the title to the
inner discussion, contains enormous emblems for the Scarlet Letter “A”.
Vehement study may prove that “A” epitomizes, “Angelic power” for confessing
sin, “Arrow” because an arrow indicates right direction, as Hester’s guilt brings
her to lead a righteous life with her daughter. More importantly, after Arthur
Dimmesdale’s confession consequently this “A” gets disappeared. It was
probably the “A” was pointing the puritan society toward “Arthur Dimmesdale”
so that they do not raise their finger on Hester only. Thus we can say Hawthorne
has chosen the symbolic technique to enlighten the society and to be
compassionate toward its lives.
*****
Reference
 Campbell, Joseph. “Fight of the Wild Gander: The Symbol without
Meaning California: New World Library, 143 (2002).
 Hadjira, Rahal. “Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthrone’sThe Scarlet Letter
(1850).” Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (2013)
 Hawthrone, N.The Scarlet Letter. England: Penguin (1994)
 Hawthrone, N.The Scarlet Letter. New York: Magnum Easy Eye Books
(1967)
 Lei, Nan. “A Brief Study on the Symbolic Meaning of the Main
Character‟ Name in The Scarlet Letter.”Theory and Practice in
Language Studies 5 (2015): 2164-2168.

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 Mohammed, Ali Baram; Yahya, Salam Hussein. “Symboism in The
Scarlet Letter.”IOSR-JHSS.www. Iosrjournals. Org 22 (2017) 26-34.
 Saussure, F. D. Course in General Linguistics. New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Company (1999).
 Thomson, Lehtie C. “A Moral Wilderness: Nathaniel Hawthrone‟sThe
Scarlet Letter.” Boise State University Graduate College (2011)
 Whitehead, A.N. Symbolism: Its Meaning and Effect. London:
Cambridge University Press (1927).
 Womack, Mari. “Symbols and Meaning: A Concise Introduction”.
California: AltaMira Press, 125 (2005).