Describes the use of imagry in the first 8 chapters of "The Scarlet Letter" by Hawthorne.

Throughout these first eight chapters of "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne fills his pages with an abundance of imagery. He uses this effective imagery to show rather then tell the story of Hester. This repetitive imagery helps the author to describe symbols and ideas without blatantly telling them to the reader.

The color red and the letter 'A' are the most prominent images throughout this section of the book. Hawthorne goes as far as describing Pearl while wearing her crimson velvet tunic as "...the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!" (93). Even other townspeople note the likeness of Pearl and the scarlet letter when saying "there is the woman of the scarlet letter" and "there is the likeness of the scarlet letter running along by her side" (93) Again as they stand looking in to the armor, Pearl points out to her mother the way that the refection in the armor greatly distorts Hester causing the letter to become very large and overpowering as if it was hiding Hester behind it.

The Scarlet Letter (1860) by T. H. Matteson. Oil o...

English: Hester Prynne & Pearl before the stocks

This is the title page for the first edition of Th...

These pages are also filled frequently with references to "red roses," "red ignominy," "the scarlet plumage," and many other "crimson images" (101-102). Hawthorne uses this imagery so frequently as to remind the reader of the scarlet letter and the way in which Hester will forever live with the scarlet letter forever fallowing and hiding her.

Another form of imagery that is evident in this section of the book is that of lightness and darkness. Hawthorne uses light and shadows to depict the portrayal of several characters. Lightness and sunshine always surround the character Pearl, and other characters that are shown as good and pure, whereas shadows and darkness always surround sinful Hester. Shadows surround Hester to the point that lives at...