The only material similarity between Prynne's scarlet "badge" and Faith's pink ribbons is that both are made of cloth and adorn some type of clothing, i.e., Faith's ribbons are part of her cap while Prynne's "badge" is sewn into her dress as needlework.
The reader is first introduced to Prynne's "badge" in Chapter Two of the Scarlet Letter when she emerges from jail -- "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." Upon being led to her "place of punishment" for committing adultery with Arthur Dimmesdale, all eyes are immediately drawn to the scarlet "A" which "had the effect of a spell, taking (Hester) out of the ordinary relations with humanity and enclosing her in a sphere by herself" (Bell, 163-164). Obviously, this scarlet emblem upon Hester's dress seems to emit a life of its own, much like a flaming torch burning in the darkness. It is also a symbol of her "evil doings," for Hester "hath raised a great scandal... In godly Master Dimmesdale's church" (Bell, 170).
In Chapter Five, this weird property of the scarlet "A" is made even more pronounced when Hester walks out of prison -- "She came forth into the sunshine which... seemed, to her sick and morbid heart, as if meant for no other purpose than to reveal the scarlet letter on her breast" (Bell, 185). Notice that Hawthorne intentionally equates Hester's "heart" with the scarlet letter, i.e., both are emblematic/symbolic of the color red, much like Faith's pink ribbons.
Thus, Hester's scarlet "A" "flaming on her breast" represents the penultimate symbol of "the reality of sin" which she will carry to her grave. Also, the scarlet "A" symbolizes...
Hawthorne Hooper suddenly dons a mysterious black veil "which entirely concealed his features, except the mouth and chin, but probably did not intercept his sight, further than to give a darkened aspect to all living and inanimate things," (Hawthorne). This "gloomy" veil is the central symbol of Hawthorne's short story, "The Minister's Black Veil." As with other Hawthorne stories, "The Minister's Black Veil" offers a poignant critique against hyper-religiosity in ultra-Puritan
Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne's Works Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the great nineteenth century masters of American fiction. "The Scarlet Letter" and "Young Goodman Brown" are two Hawthorne works that contain heavy symbolism of sin and immorality. Hawthorne, being of Puritan heritage, sets his "Scarlet Letter" in the seventeenth-century Puritan settlement of Boston. The protagonist of his story, Hester, is forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her breast to symbolize
Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allen Poe may be counted among the leading American writers to have defined contemporary literature. These personalities significantly elevated short story standards, banking of every literary element in order for strengthening their styles. However, the two utilized these tools rather differently. On the one hand, Hawthorne delved into and discovered human nature’s realities, while, on the other, Poe examined the hearts of people by critiquing their
Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter and the Minister's Black Veil Born in Salem, Massachusetts, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 1804-1864, is considered one of the great masters of American fiction, with tales and novels that reflect deep explorations of moral and spiritual conflicts (Hawthorne pp). He descended from a prominent Puritan family, and when he was fourteen years old, he and his widowed mother moved to a remote farm in Maine (Hawthorne pp). Hawthorne attended
Nathaniel Hawthorne's Young Goodman Brown (1835) and The Scarlet Letter. It is rather fascinating that the two readings have a number of similarities even though the plots of both stories are rather different. The Young Goodman Brown is all about an inexplicable and mystifying course that is occupied by witches and immoral conduct in the suburbs of a Puritan Village (Moores). Hawthorne has been able to captivate the reader
When first offered the snakelike staff, Young Goodman Brown refuses to accept it although his does later accept a new staff instead. This symbolizes his simultaneous fear of evil and his temptation to embrace it (Miller, 1991). The staff itself likely represents a tool of evil (Miller, 1991). Similarly, the way that Young Goodman Brown takes the first steps toward the evil ceremony also symbolizes the inevitability of the fall
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now