symbolism in the scarlett letter

symbolism in the scarlett letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne's daring novel, The Scarlet Letter, has three important symbols: light, dark, and color.   The Scarlet Letter relies greatly on the light and dark symbols to signify the timeless struggle between good versus evil.   Hawthorne also uses color to relate the characters to nature.
An example of the light and darkness symbolism happens when Hester and Pearl are walking in the forest during the forest scene, Pearl says:   Mother, the sunshine does not love you.   It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom.   Now see!   There it is, playing, a good way off.   Stand you here, and let me run and catch it.   I am but a child.   It will not flee from me, for I wear no- thing on my bosom yet (192).  
Hester tries to extend her hands into the sunlight, but it vanishes or ‘runs from her’ (192).   The forest scene symbolisms her struggles in her entire life.   The sunlight symbolizes purity, which Hester desperately wants, and the ‘running away of the light symbolizes Hester’s isolation and banishment.   The way Hester does not become surprised and quickly moves into the forest, where it is dark, shows that she never expects to be accepted by her Puritan community.   When Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the forest to discuss their future and their escape from the Puritan community they meet in the gloomy forest.   During this meeting there is a storm brewing above and Hester and Dimmesdale are surrounded by the dark shadows of the forest.   This symbolizes the harsh reality that they will never be able to escape to happiness, and away from their sins. It always implies that their future is doomed forever.   This is confirmed when Dimmesdale dies during the final scaffold scene following Hester and Pearl to England.   Darkness is associated with Roger Chillingsworth.   Chillingsworth has dark circles under his eyes and wears dark clothing.   This symbolizes his anger towards Dimmesdale and toward Hester.   The darkness, which is his...