Metaphors Throughout The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

Hawthorne manages to create many metaphors inwardly his novel The Scarlet Letter. The rose bush outside the prison house door, the low- centreed man, and the scaffold are third metaphors. Perhaps the most important metaphor would be the scaffold, which plays a spectacular role throughout the entire story. The three scaffold scenes which Hawthorne incorporated into The Scarlet Letter contain a great deal of significance and importance the plot. Each scene brings a contrary aspect of the main characters, the crowd or more minor characters, and what right or punishment is being brought forth.The first scaffold scene takes menage at the very beginning of the story. In this particular scene, Hester has moments before walked from the prison door carrying her baby and donning the scarlet letter, which stands for adultery. She must make this procession in front of the entire town. After the march, Hester is forced to stand alone on the scaffold until an hour past noon.It seems as if Hawthorne wrote this scene for the purposes of exhibiting the harshness of prude society, and to allow the proofreader some insight into Hesters thoughts. Hawthorne dresss the focus onto Hester at this moment. The reader celebrates her before the full effect of the scarlet letter has had a run across to take hold of her. The reader is also able to see the uncivilised and judgmental behavior of the crowd through their language, such as when they speak her a hussy. "This women has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it?" In this scene, the reader is able to see inside Hesters head. One is able to observe the utter contempt she holds for the Puritan ways. She exhibits he love and respect for the puzzle of her child, when she refuses to relinquish his name to the committee. The reader can see her defiant spirit due to these actions.The second scaffold scene is momentous, but seemingly slight important in comparison with the other two. This scene, in general, is quite incompatible from the other two scaffold scenes. The first and third take place during the day, in front of large crowds. However, the second scene takes place at night, in which only five citizens pass before the scaffold, or view out their windows at it. At the beginning of this scene, the reader finds Dimmesdale by himself on the scaffold.