Nathaniel HawthorneÃÂÃÂs classic, The Scarlet Letter is well loved as containing AmericaÃÂÃÂs first real heroine. Through out The Scarlet Letter HawthorneÃÂÃÂs characters experience a lot of powerful emotions and undergo many important changes. Hawthorne uses many literary tools to help demonstrate these developments. HawthorneÃÂÃÂs usage of visual imagery in particular has a powerful effect on character development. Several of the most important charactersÃÂÃÂ roles in The Scarlet Letter, like those of Hester, Pearl, and DimmesdaleÃÂÃÂs, were made more effective in developing their characters and ultimately more useful to the themes presented by the novel.
HesterÃÂÃÂs development through out the plot is very evident in HawthorneÃÂÃÂs vivid descriptions. Being the protagonist of the story, her characterÃÂÃÂs development is vital to the entire story. The description of HesterÃÂÃÂs appearance and countenance in the first scaffold scene is the readerÃÂÃÂs first impression of her character.
ÃÂÃÂShe took the baby on her arm, and with aÃÂÃÂ haughty smile, and a glance that would not be abashedÃÂÃÂ besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexionÃÂÃÂ characterized by a certain state and dignityÃÂÃÂ those who had before known her and expected to behold her dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud, were astonished and even startled to perceive how her beauty shone outÃÂÃÂ ÃÂÃÂ (Hawthorne 51)This demonstrates a very vivid usage of imagery to describe HesterÃÂÃÂs appearance, and though it describes how she appears it gives insight into the personality of her character.
We can infer from this that Hester though standing the scaffold as punishment, she appears steadfast, composed and even dignified in the face of her shame. When Arthur Dimmesdale is approached in the woods by Hester, this imagery describes what he first notices. ÃÂÃÂHe indistinctly beheld a formÃÂÃÂ clad in garments so somber, and so little relieved from the gray twilightÃÂÃÂ that he knew not whether it...