It may serve, we hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossoming, which may be found along the way, or to ease the dark closure of a story of human frailty and pain. ~HawthorneNathaniel Hawthorne portrays Nature predominantly in his novel, The Scarlet Letter. He sets the scene, tone and atmosphere of the story by opening the book, referring to the prison-house "the black flower of civilized society...the cemetery", and to an unsightly patch of grass with overgrown weeds "heavily overgrown of burdock, pigweed, Peru apple, and such unsightly vegetation" and a beautiful bush of wild roses which, according to him, "might serve to symbolize some sweet moral flower, which may be found along the tract, or relieve the closing gloom of a tale of human frailty and pain” (p. 33). The wild rose bush “with its delicate buds… and fragile beauty” grows next to the unpleasant patch of grass “rooted [almost at the door of] the ugly building weather-beaten, decayed prison,” built fifteen or twenty years after the city of Boston was settled. The “black flower” symbolizes the construction of the prison representing the crime and severe Puritan punishment that was a ritual aspect of early civilized life. of Boston, and contrasted with the cemetery which symbolizes cruel punishment that could end in death. The overgrown weeds symbolize the “civilization corrupted by the elements” (p. 33), the people who make prison necessary. "THE GRASS-PLOT in front of the prison, in Prison Lane... where the gallows is" (p. 34) symbolizes the strict Puritan code of law, the open recognition of sin, shame and punishment through contempt audience of all humanity. The beautiful wild rose bush next to the hideous and unsightly weeds symbolizes Pearl, the illegitimate... in the center of the card......red a living hell, imprisoned, public humiliation, punishment and despised by the citizens and their children. The contemptuous children “the little Puritans” (p. 65) cause great pain, bitter hatred and loneliness to little Pearl. Hester felt the pain of rejection and contempt from the hypocritical Puritan people, but not like little Pearl. He tolerated it with dignity and their weaknesses become his strength. She stands proud and tall and is always met with public spectators and wagging tongues, with Pearl “the little girl, her mother's little companion” (p. 64) living alone in their little world. Hawthorne's portrayal of Nature in The Scarlet Letter is used to symbolize the opposing man-made laws and the natural laws of nature, to explain the moral, religious and philosophical values and concepts of this complex and perplexing romantic yet tragic story.
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