Essay On Light In The Scarlet Letter

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Scarlet Letter The book The Scarlet Letter was a book that I did enjoy, it gives more insight into the puritan lifestyle and how they acted toward being different from them. During the time of the book, the Puritans were dark, depressing, and sad looking people. They believed a sin was a crime against humanity and the Puritan lifestyle. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne uses the symbols of light and dark to depict good and evil among the characters, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth.
Hester Prynne’s light side is represented by the sunshine and her dark side is represented by a brand of the letter “A”. Hawthorne stated, “All at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the sunshine…” (186). When she took off the letter, she was relieved of her sin and the greatness of her youth came back to her. The sunshine is representing that she has forgiven herself. “All the light and graceful foliage of her character had been withered up by this red-hot brand” (Hawthorne 149). The letter “A” acts like a leech, sucking the life and youthfulness out of her and turning her into to a dark, somber person. The “A” is representing sin and the reason it is turning her into a dark person is because Chillingworth and everyone in Boston gets to see it.
Arthur Dimmesdale is the minister of the …show more content…
Were there not the brilliant particles of a halo in the air about his head?” (228)The people cannot believe that their minister sinned, and they wonder how long it has been since he has done the sin. The light is represented by a halo. The reader reads, “”They mostly do,” said the clergyman, gripping hard at his breast as if afflicted with an importunate throb of pain.” (121) Arthur is being questioned by Roger and he is responding as best as he can with his chest hurting as bad as it does. The dark is represented by his chest pain. Dimmesdale is the character in the story, which has given Hester her
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