The Black Man Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter

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In story of the Scarlet Letter there were two main symbols that were constantly displayed, and those would be the forest and "The Black Man." this is used as a representation and not a literal reference to a black man. The Black Man is what Pearl calls Chillingworth throughout the story and later Hester begins to do the same. This is due to the fact of his deteriorating appearance and personality. As stated In the previous paragraph The Black Man is used as a representation and not a literal reference to a black man. This was due to the fact of his deteriorating appearance and personality. The Black Man is a reference or symbol of Satan. Chillingworth had become obsessed with seeking out the man that his "wife" Hester had committed the sinful act of adultery with. We all learn later that this person was none other than Reverend Dimmesdale. This was evident when we saw Dimmesdale's chest, and saw a somewhat burned letter A into his chest. Chillingworth many times cornered Dimmesdale into confessing about Hester and Pearl. Chillingworth manipulated Dimmesdale and made his guilt worse than what it was, which caused him to nearly confess in one of his sermons and on the scaffold. …show more content…

The forest represents symbols of being lost morally or spiritually. It could also be seen as the unknown and the beauty of life in a way. A good example of this would be in the first chapter with the rosebush. Throughout the story we realize Dimmesdale has lost his way spiritually and Hester in the beginning lost her way morally. Hester was also compared to that of a forest as well when Nathaniel compares Hester's outcast to a forest: "She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness; as vast, as intricate and shadowy, as the untamed forest," and Dimmesdale has lost his way spiritually thanks to the sin he committed with Hester, so he begins to demonstrate his own form of

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