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TheSymbolicMeaningof“A”inTheScarletLetterandItsFunctionThesisStatement:Thescarletletter“A”asamainsymbol,whichhasdifferentsymbolicmeaningsaccordingtodifferentpeople’sviewsanddifferentperiods,showsgreatsignificanceindevelopingandelaborating(详细阐述)thethemeofthebook,TheScarletLetter.Ⅰ.AbriefintroductiontoTheScarletLetter1.NathanielHawthorne(1804--1864),theauthor,isagreatwriterinAmericanliteraryhistory.2.ThemainplotofTheScarletLetterisatragiclivestoryinthecolonialtimesinBoston.3.Thethemeofthenovelistheconflictofthehumanheartwithitselfandhowtodealwiththesinonone’sactandthesinonone’ssoul.Ⅱ.SymbolsinTheScarletletter.1.Thescarletletter“A”,themainsymbolinTheScarletLetter,wasendowedwithplentifulmeanings.2.InTheScarletLetter,therearemanyothersymbols.A.Therustyprison-doormeansthedarknessofthattimes.B.Rose-bush,fragranceandfragilebeautystandforthelightofhopeinAmerica.C．Adeformedmanhasabnormalsoul.Ⅲ.Differentinterpretationsofthesymbol“A”.1.Differentperiodshavedifferentmeanings.A.Atthebeginning,theletter“A”standsfor“adultery”or“adulteress”.B.Aftermanyyearsofhardwork,theletter“A”means“Angel”. C.ForHester’skindnessandhonesty,theletter“A”means“Angel”. 2.Differentpeoplehavetheirownideasonthesymbol“A”.A.ToHester,itisthemoralsininapublicway.B.ToDimmensdale,ittortureshissoulandhisheart.C.ToChillingworth,itindicateshisshameandhecangetunlimitedpowerforhisrevenge.3.Pearlismoreofasymbolthanacharacter.Toagreatextent,sheisaliving“A”.A.ToHester,sheisthefruitofhumanloveandphysicalpassion.B.ToDimmensdale,sheisareminderofhissin.C.ToChilingworth,sheisanunforgettableshameandthemotivation（动机）totakehisrevenge.Ⅳ.Thesymbolhasitsgreatsignificance.1.Symbolismisaliterarydevicewhichiswedfrequentlytoindicatetheauthor’sopinion.2.Theuseofsymbolscanmakethecharactersmorelivelyandunderstandable.3.Itcanletthereadersbecomeimaginativeandstimulatetheirinterest.4.Itisveryhelpfultodevelopthethemeandgivedeepimpressiononreaders’mind.Ⅴ.Conclusion. Plentifulmeaningsofthescarlet“A”expressestheintentionofwritingandgivesreadersmorespacetoimagine. TheSymbolicMeaningof“A”inTheScarletLetterandItsFunctionⅠ.Introduction NathanielHawthorne(1804--1864)isoneofthemostfamous,interesting,ambivalent（矛盾的）writersinAmericanLiteratureofRomanticismperiod.Heisalsoaproductivenovelistwithaninquiring（询问的，打听的）imagination,anintenselymeditative（冥想的，沉思的）mind.Someofhisgreatworksarefamiliartous,suchasTheHouseoftheSevenGables,YoungGoodmanBrown,TheScarletLetteretc.Inmostofhisnovels,theyarefullofthedescriptionofsinandevil.Andinhiseyes,“Everyone’shearthashissin”1“Thesinofheartandsoulismoregeneralthanthatofbody”2Therefore,whenyoureadhisnovels,youcanfeelhispessimisticlifemannerandhisintentionofpreaching,especiallyinTheScarletLetter. TheScarletLetter,alwaysregardedasthebestofhisworks,waspublishedin1850.AsthefirstsymbolicnovelinAmericanLiteraryhistory,ithasbeeninfluencingAmericanLiteraturedeeplyandsignificantly. ThestorytookplaceinnewEnglandin17thcentury.IttoldusasimplebutverymovingstoryinwhichfourpeoplelivinginaPuritancommunitywereinvolvedinandaffectedbythesin.HesterPrynne,theheroine,wasfoundouttohavecommitted adultery.Shewaspunishedbeforethepublicandcondemnedtowearthescarletletter“A”infrontofherbosomthroughoutherlifetime.Whenthemadthrongroaredtohertodemandthenameofthemanwithwhomshecommittedadultery,sherefusedsimplybecauseshelovedthemanandcherishedhislifemorethanherown.Thebaby,Pearl,towhomshegavebirth,wasbaptisedbyArthurDimmensdale,theparishionerwhowasactuallythebaby’sfather.DifferentfromHester,Dimmensdaledarednotadmitopenlythesinbutwasconstantlytorturedbyasenseofguilt.DoctorChillingworth,Hester’shusband,discoveredwhowastheadultererandmadeupacruelplanofrevengetotorture（折磨，拷问）theminister（牧师）mentallytillhisdeath.Intheend,Hesterregainedherdignityandevenrespectfromthecommunity.DimmensdalewasmentallytorturedtodeathbyhisownsenseofguiltplusChillingworth’svicious（恶毒的）planandonlyinthelastminuteofhislifeherevealedhissin. Inthisparticularnovel,Hawthorneexploresinto“theconflictofthehumanheartwithitself”3anddealswiththethemeofsinandguilt.JustthroughdescribingHester’ssorrowful（悲伤的，伤心的）fate（命运）,itseverelycriticizestheinjusticeandcrueltyofthePuritanwayoflife.Inordertogetthispoint,heusedmanywritingskills,especiallytherhetoric（修辞）device,symbolism.Ⅱ.SymbolsinThescarletletter Thescarletletter“A”asthemainsymbol,itisendowed(赋予)withplentifulmeanings.Accordingtodifferentpeople’sviewsontheletter“A”anddifferentperiods,Hawthornehavedepicted（描画，描述）avividpictureofthePuritancommunity.Inthisnovel,however,therearemanyothersymbolsexceptforthescarletletter“A”.Someexampleswillbegivenfirstinthefollowingtwoparagraphs. Therusty（生锈的，腐蚀的）prison-doorwasthesymbolofthattimewhichwasdarkandcruel.Inthisenvironment,therewasnotruelovebuthypocrisy（虚伪，伪善）ofhumanbeings.Becauseofthissymbol,thewholenovelwasbasedonthetoneofsadness.Forthesakeofgivingreaderslittlehope,theauthorhadtohavetheaidofrose-bushanditsfragance（芳香）.Justastheauthorsaid:“Letushope,tosymbolizesomesweetmoralblossom(开花，兴旺),thatmaybefoundalongthetrack,orrelievethedarkeningcloseofataleofhumanfrailty（弱点）andsorrow.”4 AnotheroneisChillingworth,anoldslightlydeformed（畸形的，丑陋的）manwiththeleftshoulderatriflehigherthantheright,whowasanunveileddevilinthenovel.Atthebeginning,hewasaninnocentvictimandliabletopityandsympathy.Asacold-naturedphysician,however,hedesignedaninhumaneschemeofcoldrevengeandfinallybecamethemosthardenedsinner,anembodimentofmercilessrevenge,viciousschemesandcold-bloodedhatred.Atlast,hisdeformedbodysymbolizedhisabnormalsoulwhichdamagedhimself.Ⅲ.TheSymbolicMeaningof“A” Frombeginningtoendinthenovel,themosttypicalsymbolisthescarletletter“A”Asakeytothewholenovel,theletter“A”takesondifferentlayersofsymbolicmeaningsastheplotdevelopsandpeoplecomeupwithdifferentinterpretations. 1.Differentperiodshavedifferentmeanings Atthebeginning,thescarletletter“A”isasymbolofsinandguilt.Itmeans“adultery”or“adulteress”.Atthattime,Hesterhadnochoicebuttowearthescarletletteronherbreast,whichgraduallybecameherspecialsign.Andforthisscarletletter,shewasseparatedfromheroriginalcommunity.“It(the scarletletter)hadtheeffectofaspell,takingheroutoftheordinaryrelationswithhumanity,andenclosingherinaspherebyherself.”5Fromthedaysheworethescarletletteron,therewasnothingtoHesterbutridiculous,hopelessandunbearableloneliness.Atfirst,shewassofrightenedthatshecouldnotknowhowtodo.Buteventually,shebegantorealize:itwasnouseofworrying,evading.Asbraveandfirmshewas,shefacedthefactanddidwhatshecoulddotochangethissituation.Inordertoamelioratetherelationwithcommunity,shechangedherselfalotandledahard,insipidlife.Astimewenton,shewonbackacceptanceandrespectfromthevillagersofvariousbackgroundthroughhard-working.“…suchhelpfulnesswasfoundinher-somuchpowertodo,andpowertosympathize-thatmanypeoplerefusedtointerpretthe scarlet‘A’byitsoriginalsignification.Theysaidthatitmeant‘Able’.”6Therefore,inpeople’sminds,thescarletletterhadchangeditsoriginalsymboltoanewmeaning-Able. Withregardtothesocietywhichhaddesertedherandthevillagerswhohadhurtherbefore,Hesterhadnohatredfeelingbutmercy,honestyandgenerosity.“…nonesoreadyasshetogiveofherlittlesubstancetoeverydemandofpoverty.”7“…nonesoself-devotedasHester,whenpestilencestalkedthroughthetown.”8Becauseofherpersistence、endeavorandconstancy,manypeoplehadbeentouchedandbegantoaccepttheNewHester.Tillthismoment,“Thescarletletterhadtheeffectofthecrossonanun’sbosom”.9Hesterwasnotasinnerbutanangel.Thescarletletterthenwasgivenanotherinterpretation-thesymbolofanAngel. 2.Differentpeoplehavetheirowninterpretationsof thesymbol“A” AsfarasHesterwasconcerned,thescarletletter“A”wasanexternalmanifestationofsinshehadcommitted.Justforthesignofhershame,Hesterhadstrongwillingtoovercomeallthedifficultiesandtriedtobekindtoeveryone.Andalso,itmadeHestermorebraveryandfaithful.Hence,wecanbesureitcreatesaNewHesterwhileittorturesher.Meanwhile,“Thescarletletterwasherpassportintoregionswhereotherwomendarenottread.”10Hesterbecameawomanwithfullofthespiritofrebellingtherealitywhichletherasapioneerofanewera. ToDimmensdale,althoughhedidn’twearthescarletletteropenly,hishearthadbeenwithstandinggreatpain.Hekepthisguiltinsecretanditmadehimsad,worriedanddisappointed.Thescarletletterinhisheartlikeabloodyscourgetorturedhimuntilhislastconfession.“…inordertopurifythebodyandrenderitthefittermediumofcelestialillumination,—butrigorously,anduntilhiskneestrembledbeneathhim,asanactofpenance.”11Butnomatterhowhardhewas,hecouldnotreceiveamomentarycalmofhisguiltysoul.“…hereinisthesinfulmotherhappierthanthesinfulfather.”12SowhenhemetwithHesterandtoldher“…happyareyou,Hester,thatwearthescarletletteropenlywornyourbosom!Mineburnsinsecret!”13 Lastbutnottheleast,thescarletletterlikeashamesignwarnedChillingworthtotakerevengeontheMinister.Hebecamemoreandmorecruelandgotboundlesspowerfromthescarletletter.Thefasterherevenged,thedeeperheblundered.Atlast,hedidbecomearealdevil.WhenDimmeasdalewasdying,heswore:“Thou,too,hastdeeplysinned!”14 Inthiswork,thereisanotherimportantandstrikingcharacter,Pearl.Itissaidmorerightlyandexactlythatsheismoreofasymbolthanacharacter. Ontheonehand,Pearl,asthedaughterofHesterandDimmensdale,wasasignofdisgrace.“…it(Pearl)wasthescarletletterinanotherform,thescarletletterendowedwithlife!”16Shehadthesameinfluenceasthescarletletter“A”whenHester stoodonthegallow.Shewantedtohidethescarletletterwiththebaby(Pearl),“…inamoment,wiselyhidingthatonetokenofhershamewouldbutpoorlyservetohideanother.”17 Butontheotherhand,Pearlwasdifferentfromthescarletletter“A”.ShewasthefruitofloveandtheonlypropertyHesterhad.“…seeyenot,sheisthescarletletteronlycapableofbeingloved”18JustbecauseoftheexistenceofPearl,Hestergainedplentifulpowerandcouragetolivebetter.Pearlwasheronlylivinghope. ToDimmensdale,shewasareminderofhissin.Helovedherbutmuchmorefrightenedbyher.“Ihaveevenbeenafraidoflittlepearl”19“Thatthisdearchild,trippingaboutalwaysatthyside,hathcausedmemanyanalarm!”20Therefore,Pearllikeaspirit,gavehimhappinessbutmoresadnessandunforgivenguilt. ToChillingworth,shewasanunforgettableshame.Everytimehesawher,hethoughtoftheadulterybetweenHesterandDimmensdale.Andinordertosavehisfaceand“dignity”,hetookhisrevengeplanandgotmoreandmorepowerfromthelivingletter“A”—Pearl.Ⅳ.Significanceof“A” Maybesomeonewillask“whyhadTheScarletLetterbeenspreadsowidelyandprofoundly?”Itisbecauseofnotonlyhisliterarygracebutofhisstyleofwriting,symbolism.Symbolismisaliterarydevicewithwhichtheauthordeliberatelymakeconcreteobjectsevolvedintosomeabstractions,usuallymoralisticorphilosophical.Itcanmakeabstractionconcrete,generalityspecific,ideologymaterial.Allofthesefeaturesdocontributetothereaders’comprehensionandcanletthemaccepttothecharacterseasier. Asregardsusingsymbolism,thereareatleastthreeadvantages.Firstly,symbolismcanletthereadersbecomeimaginativeandstimulatetheirinterest. WhenHesterwasforcedtowearthescarletletter“A”,somequestionsmayberaisedinreaders’minds.“Whatdoesitstandfor?”“WhymustHesterwearthescarletletter?”“Whoistheothersinner?”ect.Inordertofindtheanswer,readersarewillingtoreadfurtherandbecomemoreandmorecarefully.Andsomeofthemwillexpresstheirownideasonthesymbolof“A”.Fromthenon,readersareattractedbythiswonderfulandmovinglovestory. Secondly,theuseofsymbolcanmakethecharactersmorelivelyandunderstandable.Let’stakePearlforexample.Pearlwasasymboloftheliving“A”.Shewasinnocent,lovely,vigorous,butsometimes,shealsohadafewabsurdideasinherlittlemind,likeaspirit,especiallyhershowingagreatinterestinginthemeaningof“A”.Whentheministersawher,hewasverygladatfirstandthenfrightened.Inhiseyes,shewasareminderofhissin.Hetriedtoacceptherbutfailed againandagain.SowecanlearnthecharacterofDimmensdalewastimid,indecisive;allofthesecausedhimsorrowfulfate. Lastly,ithelpstodevelopthethemeandgivedeepimpressiononreaders’minds. ByusingPearlasathematicsymbol,Hawthorneemphasizestheconsequencethesinofadulteryhasbroughttothecommunityandpeoplelivinginthecommunity.Weareimpressedbyherliving,wildflowofspirits.ItislikeawishnotonlyforHesterbutalsoforNewAmericaasawhole.Whenwefinishreadingthenovel,therearemanypeoplelikeHester,Dimmensdaleetc.stillinourminds.Wecanmemorizethemclearlyallbecauseofthespecialsymbolsign“A”，oftheirunfortunatedestiny.Ⅴ.Conclusion Thepaperhasdiscussedthesymbolicmeaningof“A”inTheScarletLetterandanalysedthesignificanceofsymbolism.Regardlessofthescarletletter“A”orothersymbols,allthesesinsaretheproductsofthatdarktimes.Underthefoulandgloomycircumstancesthistragiclovestoryisinevitable.Thenovelastheminiatureofthateradisclosesthehypocrisyofhumanityandthe injusticeofthatsociety.Hawthorne,as“anangleofviewonthedarkness”,usedhisparticularwritingskillsandspecialwaystoreappearsorrowfulrealityofthatperiod.Symbolism,asthedistinctivewritingfeatureinTheScarletLetter,makesthenovelbecomepartoftheAmericanliteraryheritageandwinthenameforHawthorneinAmericanLiterature. Notes: 1ChangYaoxing,ed.TheHistoryofAmericanLiterature.（Tianjing:NankaiUP,1998）195.2Ibid.3Wangyongandothers,ALearningGuideToAmericanLiterature.（Shandong:ShandongUP,1999）34.4NathanielHawthorne,TheScarletLetter,Trans.WangHuijunandothers,（YiLi:YiLi People’s Press,2001）3.5Ibid.,116Ibid.,1867Ibid.,1858Ibid.9Ibid.,18910Ibid.,18211Ibid.,25012Ibid.,16013Ibid.,11014Ibid.,23615Ibid.,34216Ibid.,8817Ibid.,918Ibid.,10619Ibid.,25720Ibid.,261 BibliographyChangYaoxing,ed.TheHistoryofAmericanLiterature.Tianjing:NankaiUP,1998NathanielHawthorne.TheScarletLetter,Trans.WangHuijunandOthers.YiLi:YiLi People’s Press,2001Wangyongandothers.ALearningGuideToAmericanLiterature.Shandong:ShandongUP,1999 ZhangBoxiangandothers.SelectedReadingsinEnglishandAmericanLiteratures Beijing:FLTRP,1998
