Rose Bush
Hawthorne uses symbols to better his themes and create depth in his writing. The rose bush is a reoccurring symbol throughout the book and can be interpreted in many different ways. The rose bush is first seen at the end of chapter one and is seen alone in isolation surrounded by a cruel and unforgiving landscape. These roses would “offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner" its solitude and confinement from any nurturing source of fellow landscape is over run by dirt and desolation. The author also states, "This rosebush, by a strange chance, has been kept alive in history; but whether it had merely survived out of stern old wilderness, so long after the fall of the gigantic pines and oaks that originally overshadowed it-or whether, as there is fair authority for believing, it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson, as she entered the prison door-we shalled not take upon us to determine." By showing the ability of a beautiful an fragile rosebush to outlast man's activities the author is showing Hester's ability to survive while being criticized by her fellow Puritan community. Many less hardy plants would die in these terrible conditions but the rose bush does not giving hope to Hester throughout the novel and showing her strong passion to succeed and combat her wrongs.
Forest
The Forest is seen throughout the novel as a place of ominous fate and the devils playground. The Puritans institued this belief on their followers from early arrival to America due to the lurking presence of Indians in the woods. The fear grew and was added onto during the 17th and 18th centuries with the growing fear of witch craft and the devil's presence in everyday life. Mistress Hibbons states, "Wilt thou go with us tonight There will be a merry company in the forest; and I well-nigh promised the Black Man that comely Hester Prynne should make one." in an attempt to recruit Hester into the forest to meet the devil However, Hester also seeks the forest for its solitude and peacefulness. She States, "And in the deep forest, where only the old trees can hear, and the strip of sky see it, he talks with thee, sitting on a heap of moss!" The forest can be interpreted in many lights throughout the novel.
The Black Man
The Black Man is seen throughout the Scarlet Letter and can be interpreted as a direct symbol of the devil. Hester considers the scarlet letter A to be the Black Man’s mark, and Pearl wonders aloud if the Black Man left his brand on Dimmesdale’s heart. Our narrator loves to compare Chillingworth to Satan as well. By invoking Satan, our narrator raises the question of whether humans are innately good or evil. A favorite pastime of the Black Man is to hang out in the woods and lure the locals to come hang out with him and sign their names in his book (with their own blood). Mistress Hibbons who is a flamboyant which openly congregates and worship the devil. She states, "Wilt thou go with us tonight There will be a merry company in the forest; and I well-nigh promised the Black Man that comely Hester Prynne should make one." Hibbons is attempting to take Hester to meet the devil in the forest. The Black Man and all things black are brought up very often in this novel as insight to the puritan beliefs and the devils attempts to corrupt.
The Scarlet Letter
The scarlet letter A that Hester must wear on her chest takes up a couple different meanings throughout the novel and its meaning is very dynamic. At the beginning of the novel it represents sin, not just any sin though. The scarlet letter represents adultery and she is sentenced to wear it as a public symbol of shame for the rest of her life. However, Hester creates a beautiful scarlet letter with gold embroidery and takes control of her sin. The meaning of the scarlet letter at this point begins to change to an empowering symbol. It is even compared to a cross worn by a nun. The scarlet letter becomes a symbol of hope for the people of Boston because it shows them that no matter what the circumstances they will be able to succeed. The meaning of the scarlet letter is amplified when Hester returns and voluntarily wears the scarlet letter again. This shows that she is not embarrassed by the scarlet letter and it shows how she is able to work on and how the scarlet letter has changed meaning and become a symbol of hope in a strict Puritan society.