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Love is not 
assumed in 
a parent-child
relationship
Model Puritan Way of Life
Governor's house is 
everything Puritans reject
Materialism
Awkward, Uncomfortable, Stuffy
Represents Government
Pressure in Community
All important figures meet inside the house; 
this changes how they act.
Public vs. Private Life
Happiness
Hester can't catch it, 
but Pearl can
Hester can't feel happiness because of guilt
Pearl has no guilt
Hidden sins
Closed off
Secrecy
Covering up
Guilt
Open Acknowledgement of Sin
Puritan Code
Social Norms
Morality
Punishment
Purity
Brooks represents purity 
in the forest
Pearl represents purity
in the town 
(an extension of brook)
There is only one true purity amidst all of the evil
Hester's Work
Passion
Rebellion
Hester's Redemption
True Goodness
Town's Acceptance 
of Hester
 Hypocracy

Reject Hester but Accept 
Her Work

Morality 
How is it defined? 
Hester's Fiery Passion 
Deviance and Corruption
in Puritan Village
Lack of Acceptance
Public flaw, 
sins in town

Public flaw, 
sins in town

Hiding sins that
are already known

Prison Door
Rusty with Spikes
Looks old but is new
Heavily used
Crime never stops
Hester's adultery
The Scarlet Letter
Darkness
Place of sin
Devil's Playground
Place where Pearl 
was conceived
Hester's Sin
Isolation
Unwilling/unable
to share emotions
Dimmesdale and Chillingworth Hide Their Identity
Sunlight
Pearl
Different from society
Hester is different
from Puritan society
Pearl is Hester's Joy
Beards of the men
in first chapter
Chillingworth's Name
His name is a 
symbol of his character
Cold Personality
Not warm with Hester,
although she was his wife
Allows cruelty to consume him
Becomes Frozen in Revenge
Pearl -
Hester's shield from society
Never goes in 
public without Pearl
Hester's Only
Help

Aid

Joy

Enables Hester to face
scornful society
Chillingworth's 
Deformity
It is evil manifested in his
Ruthless
Angry

Pain from Hester's Act
Obsessed

 
Sin
"Society's Sins"
Secret
Sin
"Internal"
Hester's Sin
Choices
Morality
Definition of Morality
There's always good
in bad situations
Good vs. Evil in 
All Aspecs of life
Morality in an
 immoral world
Hope is
always present
Defintion
of evil
Defintion 
of Hope
Even the Most beautiful things
Everything Has Faults
Everything Has Faults
Hester's Beauty
Makes Mistakes
Pearl (a beautiful evil
Tolerance of evil
in a society
Hypocracy based
on social status
Isolation
Pearl is separated 
from society
Devil Child
Pearl's innocence
New Identity
Hester talks of throwing A in ocean and removing it 
Hester and Dimmesdale speak of new identity across the ocean
Ocean also changes
Chillingworth's life
Goodness
Purity
Tranquility
Temptation
Sinning
Punishment
Acceptance of
 Punishment
Chillingworth Living in Dimmesdale's Home
Drains strength from his host
just like a leech

Symbol of Dimmesdale's Sin

Guilt from sin 
constantly drains him

Scaffold at night
Dimmesdale stands on
 scaffold at night
Hester was humiliated on same scaffold for same sin
Fearful of someone
seeing him here
Darkness hides him,
 and his sin
Pearl represents
joy/happiness
Associated with shame
and with sin
Of great beauty and worth, but outlandish and rare
Authority
in their community

Minister's sermon
Dimmesdale is 
important to citizens
Religion is very
important
Isolation

Secrets
Cloak of secrecy
What secrets are being held?
Everyone is hiding secrets from everyone else
Hiding true identity
Cruelty of old
Puritan women
Married, older women despise Hester because of:
Her beauty
Her sin
Her passion
Her freedom
Ugliness of the witch represents their inner "ugliness" 
Concealment
Hide disaster
Conceal Secrets
Hide Hester's 
True Feelings/Heart
Self-reflection
Reflection of 
their true souls
Clear division between 
Hester and Pearl
Burrs
Guilt
Pearl gives it to 
her mother
Guilt
Pearl gives it to 
Dimmesdale
Scorn
Blame
Flame of Passion
Hester and Dimmesdale 
Adultery
Punishment
Higher Power
God
Red Flames
of Hell
Growth of Passion Cut Off
Ending of Hester and
Dimmesdale'sRelationship
Hester's Life and Happiness
 is now restricted
Stuck with the consequences
of her decision
Ugly WeedS
Chillingworth's
Revenge
Hatred
Lies
Deceit
Regret
Blame
Self Hatred
Covered Hair
Self Punishment
Loss of Womanhood
Loss of Beauty
Loss of Freedom
Defiance 
Flames of Hell 
Happiness 
Pearl chases 
sunshine
Truth 
As Hester steps into 
sunlight, people see her
adultery/soul
Innocence 
Sunshine disappears
when Hester approaches
Suit of Armor
Represents structure of Puritan
society 
People molded themselves to fit into Puritan ideals
Revenge 
Red eyes reflect the revenge
festering inside of Dimmesdale
The flames of hell are 
represented
in his eyes
Mistrust
Acceptance of death/fate
Innocence
Truth
Flaws in
beauty
Darkness within
the soul
Secret sin
Mortality
Legacy of 
our lives
Final result
for all people
Fallibility of Man
Human/Societal Perfection
is not Possible
Pearl's Name
Something so beautiful comes from something so ugly
Oyster
Dimmesdale Kisses Pearl
Importance of
Involved/present
Parents
Pearl Kisses Dimmesdale
Power of
Forgiveness
Pearl
Impact of
a Fatherless Home
Evil of Child Born 
Out of Sinful Act
Guilt
Result of Breaking
from social norms
Innocence of Nature
Child Born of Love
Connection with Natural World
Goodness of being
an individual/self
Hester's Cottage
Loneliness
Natural place for those
that live on fringe of society
Natural boundary between
good and evil, right and wrong
Lack of acceptance
of those different from ourselves
Outcast
Stripped of identity
Ocean
Man's Imperfection
Fall from 
Positions of Power
Corruption of Leadership
Dimmesdale's Fall
from Highest Social
Position in Society
Symbolism in
The Scarlet Letter
Possible meanings for
symbols are explored
Created by 11-Honors Students
Fort Atkinson High School
 -2010