The Scarlet Letter Rhetorical Analysis

“The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a classic American piece of literature, filled with important symbolism and metaphors which can still be applied to today’s most important and pressing issues. With the emphasis on tiny details that Hawthorne likes to focus on, the book hides nothing of importance from the audience apart from very obvious plot points to be revealed explicitly later in the book. Not only this, but Hawthorne also uses very descriptive imagery to help to decipher exactly what he wants the reader to see and precisely how to feel about it. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne’s clever use of irony and extended metaphor becomes a very effective way to reveal the novel’s conclusion which strikes immediately as unexpected but still easily foreseeable in the greater context of the story.

Irony is prevalent in the story around every corner and is especially noticeable towards the ending of the story. For one example, Chapter 11 shows the worsening condition of Dimmesdale, the town’s minister. He begins to feel guilt for his sin he had committed with Hester before the book’s events even began, believing that self-punishment would be the best way to fix his conscience. These events began his decline into unwellness and overarching guilt, a theme seen associated with him frequently towards the middle and end sections of the novel. Then, very unexpectedly and out of character, he became jubilant and lively once again when Hester convinces him that moving to Europe would be a good change in their now blooming relationship. This makes him almost unrecognizable as a character and leaves Hester