The Carrier of Shame and Glory-An Interpretation of the Letter A in The Scarlet Letter from the Perspective of Symbolism

Abstract

Hawthorne, an American romantic writer in the 19th century, has a talent for using symbolism as a literary expression. This kind of artistic feature can be specifically seen in his masterpiece The Scarlet Letter. From the initial derogatory meaning of “adultery” and “awful” to the later “able” and “adorable”, the letter A in The Scarlet Letter has different meanings in various periods. This article starts with the letter A and provides a comprehensive and concise analysis of the use of symbolism, including the symbolic implications and the artistic effects produced by these symbolic means, aiming to help understand the ideological content of the work.