Abstract

The Scarlet Letter is a novel that often lingers on the library shelf like a collection of sermons: forbidding, leather-bound, perhaps embossed with gold. The book provides its readers more challenge and duty than pleasure for the letter “A” has too rich meanings which are often open to too many interpretations. The proper understanding of the letter is crucial to the understanding of the whole novel, that age and even personality traits of human beings. This paper aims to analyze the letter “A” reflected by four main characters in the novel. Firstly, this paper provides some information about this work, such as the author, the work itself, some meanings of the letter “A” and so on. Secondly, this paper mainly analyzes the symbolic meaning of “A” as reflected by main characters: Pearl, Hester, Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. Finally, a conclusion is drawn from the analysis. It is argued that we all wear a scarlet letter.

Keywords: The Scarlet Letter; the letter “A”; Pearl; Hester; Dimmesdale; Chillingworth

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 About the author--Nathaniel Hawthorne-1

1.2 About the work--The Scarlet Letter-2

1.3 The significance of The Scarlet Letter-2

1.4 Researches at home and abroad-3

2. “A” reflected by main characters-4

2.1 Pearl-4

2.2 Hester-6

2.3 Dimmesdale-7

2.4 Chillingworth-9

2.5 Summary-11

3. Conclusion-11

References-12