The novel The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is an example of an allegory. He uses
multiple characters and symbols to develop his moral lesson throughout the course of the story. However,
the most commonly and heavily used character is Hester Prynne. She is the prime example of
Hawthorne’s focal message, staying true to oneself. Throughout the novel, Hester Prynne is portrayed as a
sinner, yet the development of her character’s life emphasizes Hawthorne’s message: staying true and
accepting oneself.
The moral lesson of the book is, everything isn’t always as it seems. The deeper you dig the more
of the truth you find out and the more you see who people really are. The 3 main things that seem to be
symbolic of this are the Scarlet letter itself, Dimmesdale, and Hester.
The Scarlet Letter is an allegorical novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne provided with a vast
amount of symbolism which leads to a moral lesson overall. The scarlet letter, the meteor, and Pearl are
three symbols that sum up as things resembling guilt, but leading to the actual meaning of something of a
positive nature.
Paths, some call destiny; for others it is a route, which only that person decides to follow. Many
people say it is just destiny, but overall anyone can change their own destiny by making decision, whether
good ones or bad ones. “Everywhere man blames nature and fate, yet his fate is mostly but the echo of his
character and passions, his mistakes and weaknesses.” –Democritus.
Many moral lessons are found within The Scarlet Letter. Using characterization, description, and
expression Hawthorn develops his thesis by showing the consequences of hiding sin and what happens
when it become publicly know. Which leads to Hawthorn thesis that salvation can only be obtained by
being open and true to what you are.
In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne creates a narrative in which the Minister Dimmesdale,
Hester Prynne (his lover) and the ignominious sign of the scarlet letter are used to provide the reader with
the moral lesson of integrity and courage as fundamental values by which to live. It is a delicate web the
narrator weaves in which Dimmesdale is used as the weakest link –he become the result of internal
corruption and most guilty of liars. Hester is the victim of a strict moral code, and a perfect example of
courage and stability in spite of the most terrible circumstances. The scarlet leter is used largely as a
means by which to carry along the plot but also as a sort of base to contrast what it comes to represent on
Dimmesdale vs. Hester: internal decay vs. the eventual development of the sign into one of virtue. Its
placement on both sinners is also a symbolism of conformity versus integrity, seeing as Hester wears it on
her outer garments, the same way she keeps criticism and lies from her bosom whereas the minister
bequeaths a saintly appearance but struggles with self-harm and internal decay (of both the spiritual and
physical nature).
Some people seem to learn from their mistake and find a way to take them as new experiences. People
should also understand that one cannot keep secrets forever. Sooner or later, the truth will reveal itself.
These are moral lessons that reader can attain from The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, a moral is apparent as we study the tribulations and motives
of the characters. A theme can be specifically identified among Hester Prynne, her daughter Pearl, and the
Minister Dimmesdale. Hester, from the beginning of the story, stands on the pillory as an individual amd
the reader can watch her grow from her ignominy by creating her own morals, separate from puritanical
belief. Hester’s daughter, the happy Pearl is so adamant in her independent thought that she scares away
other children and denies puritanical belief as whole. But, the minister, who is so engulfed in his own
faith, cannot establish his own morals outside of the church and therefore lives a life of anguish in trying
to appease an “angry God” instead of working to word personhood that he could be proud of. Hawthorne
teaches that one should think beyond the guidelines of society and be firm in their own morals and beliefs.
Sin is present in everyone’s lives, even the purest of people. It is part of human nature to sin due to
our wickedness; however it affects people differently. Some people conquer their sins and live past it
while others dwell on it and eventually allow it to ruin them. This can be seen in Hester Prynne, Reverend
Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth.
Humans strive for things that they cannot have as greed is the great driving force of mankind, and
the ultimate goal is perfection. Humans have made great efforts towards perfection but their toil was futile
as, in the end, they were imperfect by nature. Human efforts towards perfection, such as government,
judgment, society or anything man-made is imperfect because of its imperfect roots, humans.
Hawthorne uses the symbols, characters, and metaphorical resonances in The Scarlet Letter to
convey that people choose how situations affect them and they are capable of shrinking or growing from
their experiences. Three main characters he frequently uses to communicate this message are Hester
Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Pearl. Hester Prynne is the best example of a person who grows from an
unfortunate situation. After she makes an ‘unforgivable’ mistake she spends the rest of her life learning
from it and maturing as a person without completely letting it define who she is or who she becomes. For
the majority of the novel, the narrator presents the Minister in a cowardly light; Dimmesdale lets his
mistakes triumph over him instead of letting them go and continuing to live life. His fears and feeling of
inadequacy fester inside fo him until they kill him. The reader witnesses this character simply wither
away because he tortures himself both physically and emotionally without ever rising above the way he
has been taught he should feel about his actions. Finally, Pearl represents the perfect balance between her
mother and her father. While she does not see her parets’ faults and the happenings in her own life as the
be all and end all, she sahhpes her own ideas about life. She never quite succumbs to the Puritan way of
thinking and she does not seem to have limits; she considers what the consequences of events might be
but she does not let them weigh her down. Despite the fact that she is though of as a “product of sin,” she
establishes early on that she has also been blessed with the most unique traits from her parents…
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