How Does Nathaniel Hawthorne Use Motifs In The Scarlet Letter

Hawthorne further employs amazing literary techniques in his novel through the use of motifs, developed by symbols within the book. One of these motifs developed through symbolism is the motif of harsh Puritan punishment. This is first seen near the jail cell in which Hester was being detained for some time prior to the start of the novel. The entryway to the prison, an “… iron-clamped oaken door…” is a symbol used to develop this motif (43). The symbol lies in the word “oaken”, which, as stated previously, the oak tree a strong symbol for the Puritans and their practices. The way this door is “…clamped” implies there is little to no escape, instilling a foreboding mood. The door being the entrance to a prison is notable as well; the Puritans,

This will and desire to punish others for being less holy than them is what defines this motif of Puritan punishment: Hawthorne wanted to point this out so that people in his time could start to realize how restrictive and punishing the Puritan society was and was becoming – it was alienating anyone who disagreed with the Puritans, and anyone who angered them was considered Satanic and punished heavily for it. In Hester’s case this punishment manifested in the form of ruthless exile and belittlement by her community at the hands of the Puritans and their rampant punitive control over Hawthorne’s society. This is further shown through another motif, namely the idea of identity. As Hester is entering the court, she holds the baby Pearl up to her chest to try and block the scarlet letter, promptly realizing that “… one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another”, and thus held them both apart “… with a burning blush” (46). The two symbols of Hester’s shame, Pearl and the scarlet letter, are unsuccessfully used to try and hide each other – Hester realizes at this time that her identity is based solely off of her actions and thus her shame in this time, shown by her baby daughter and token of adultery, the red

This is shown when Hester is talking to Governor Bellingham as Pearl runs amok; Bellingham “[looks] with surprise at the scarlet little figure” and refers to her as a “…little bird of scarlet plumage…” (91). In using the word “scarlet”, Hawthorne is once again proving the symbol of Pearl as a living extension of the scarlet letter itself, that is to say she encapsulates the guilt Hester feels at her affair. Also shown in this quote is the metaphor “little bird”. These two words carry great meaning; they characterize Pearl as similar to a bird, and this diction results in the reader drawing the conclusion that Pearl is like a bird – wild, free, and unbound by society, yet fragile nonetheless. This characterization of Pearl is why Hester protects her and shows Pearl as a symbol of rebellion as well. She craves and relishes freedom, and thoroughly enjoys running around playing while the Puritan kids are quiet and retaining considerable propriety for their age. This is the kind of person Hawthorne rarely if ever saw, and if he did they were shunned by the community. This is what Hawthorne wanted to prevent – a stuck up Puritan future with no freedom and joy. Furthermore, diction is shown again later in the novel, this