Scarlet Letter Theme

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In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the symbolism of the letter “A” and the Jail in the Puritan town to portray the theme of sin, and show how the puritans, despite their biggest beliefs and deepest desires for a utopian society, looked to seek out sin and punish it publically because they knew that ultimately sin was inevitable as it was human nature. The theme of sin is a reoccurring phenomenon throughout the book, and ultimately an integral part of the story’s plot and moral. The symbolism that the author conveys through the mentioning and description of the Jail in the center of the Puritan town clearly shows how immense the desire to punish sin, which the puritans realize is inevitable, really is. The letter “A” serves as a symbol that portrays the importance of seeking and labeling out sinners to the puritans in their society. The theme of sin, and its inevitability and punishment in the puritan society, is clearly conveyed by Hawthorne through the symbolism of the town Jail in The Scarlet Letter. Through the description of the town jail, the author reveals how, due to its centralization and size it is clear that the building of a town jail was one of the major projects and accomplishments of the puritan town, showing that the Puritans were scared of sin and knew that ultimately, due to its inevitability, it would need to be sought out and punished publically in order to preserve their essential beliefs. The effect that the use of this symbolism has on the theme of sin is clearly depicted this quote: “The Grass Plot Before The Jail, in Prison Lane, on a certain summer morning not less than two centuries ago, was occupied by a pretty large number of the inhabitants of Boston, all with their eyes intently fastened on the iron-clamped oaken door.” (page 57) This quote clearly shows how integral the seeking out and the witnessing of punishment for sin
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