The Scarlet Letter

     In  the book The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the protagonist, Hester Prynne commits adultery. Because of this, she is sentenced to wear a scarlet letter A on her chest. The scarlet letter represents adultery, but as the story unfolds, various people believe that it represents able. I believe that one of the major symbols of The Scarlet Letter is the actual scarlet letter.

            For instance, in the beginning of the book, the scarlet letter is meant to symbolize shame and for everyone to look down upon Hester Prynne. But as time passes many people start to believe that the “A” that she is wearing symbolizes able. For example in the beginning of the book, Hawthorne describes the letter in detail. The book states that the scarlet letter “ she bore on her breast, in the curiously embroidered letter, a specimen of her delicate and imaginative skill, of which the dames of a court might have availed themselves, to add the richer and more spiritual adornment of human ingenuity to their fabrics of silk and gold.” I think Nathaniel Hawthorne chose to describe the scarlet letter and the placement of the letter in such detail, so that we can get a better visual of Hester Prynne and her punishment. At first many people thought that since Hester bore a letter “A” on her chest, that she was committed to Satan. I believe that the most interesting thing about Hester Prynne is that even though many people gossiped about her and were scared of her, she still walked out in public with her daughter Pearl. She even still took care of the needy. Hester Prynne is a true protagonist, because she doesn’t let what others say about her affect her well-being.

            Nathaniel Hawthorne writes a very compelling story about a women named Hester Prynne, who commits adultery and is sentenced to wear a scarlet letter. Hester Prynne inspires readers to not care about what people say about them. She also inspires people to only do what they feel is right. In the beginning of the story the scarlet letter symbolized adultery, but by the end its meaning changed to able.