What Does The Ambush Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

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In the book The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many examples of symbolism. Symbolism is the idea of how the author connects one abstract idea to an object. Some examples of symbolism in the book are the little brook that runs through the forest, the scarlet letter that Hester wears, the forest, Pearl, the rosebush outside the prison door, and the meteor in the sky. This paper will only be talking about four of the previously mentioned examples: Pearl, the letter that Hester wears, the meteor and the rosebush.
Symbolism is the way an author uses another object to represent the greater thought in their head. “We are frequently asked to consider things as symbolic; objects, persons and events are called signs rather than being …show more content…

Some examples of symbolism are Pearl and how she was of great price to Hester yet she is also an example of sin, the scarlet letter that Hester had to wear. The letter could mean able, it stood for the grace that Hester had while wearing it and the main meaning behind it was adultery, the sin that Hester committed. The rosebush is a symbol of defiance and the moral blossoms in one’s heart. They give those who have no hope, hope and the realization that not everything in the world is terrible. The last item that was explained was the meteor that was shaped like a large red “A”. The townspeople believed that the meteor was a sign of the governor that they had just lost becoming an angel. Dimmesdale thought that the “A” stood for his unnamed sin. The book stated no specific meaning of the elusive letter and it was left up to the reader to interpretation. The meaning behind anything symbolic is different to everyone because people have different opinions. Using the definition of symbolism and having examples in a literary work helps the reader better comprehend what they read and give the topic a deeper meaning. The comprehension process and makes it easier to

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