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Nathaniel Hawthorne had Puritan ancestors in Salem, which had a lot of influence on his writing through the years. He was the great-great-grandson of the Salem Witch Trials judge John Hathorne, and many accused witches from this time.

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Puritan 17th century Massachusetts Bay Colony

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Puritan 17th century Massachusetts Bay Colony

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After 1620, when the original pilgrims had come to New England, a larger group of English Puritans emigrated here. These Puritans had the intention of bringing Protestantism in the English Empire (serving as a "city upon a hill"). They were very heavy on religion and tried to convert Americans to their form of Christianity (even creating "praying towns").

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There is a theme of compassion and forgiveness as well, mostly shown in the second half of the story, because of the difference in treatment of Hester throughout the book. She is initially judged and frowned upon because of her scarlet letter and crime, but over time, the attitude she shows of kindness and good will helps the townspeople to accept and treat her with respect, such as when she helps the homeless in hard times and has such a great work ethic when she hardly receives any profit.

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The first very apparent and straightforward theme in the poem is one of sin, and the effect this has. Every main character in the story is attached/related to the sin of adultery, and this one act goes on to affect everyone in the town's lives forever. The consequences of sin on Dimmesdale, Hester, Pearl and Chillingworth show the effect it has had on their lives and relationships with one another, all coming full circle back to the original sin that spurred this entire situation.

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The beginning of Nathaniel's writing career began, surprisingly, when he injured his leg and was unable to move for several months, which helped him discover his passion for reading and writing. Escalating from that point, he began focusing on fiction and went to college, spending almost twelve years perfecting his style. His first novel, "Fanshawe", was a flop in his eyes, though he soon found the style and subjects he was looking for and went on to write "The Hollow of the Three Hills," "Roger Malvin's Burial," and countless other stories that were extremely successful and are considered classics.

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The scarlet letter, the most talked about subject in this novel, is a symbol that represents shame and the identity of Hester. This embroidery is carried with Hester for her entire life after she commits adultery, defining how she lives in her society, the interactions she is allowed to have, and overall, her place in the world. Between the scarlet letter and always having Pearl by her side, she is forced to be mindful of her past sin every single day of her life. Although this is something Hester is forced to do, she makes the "A" for adultery her own by embroidering it beautifully and skillfully. Eventually, because of her kind nature and attitude, the letter begins to take on a positive meaning ("A" for "able") and she is accepted as an able, hard working, and respected woman in the town over time.

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Throughout the novel, and since the time she is born, Pearl has represented adultery and sin. Hawthorne portrays her this way because of the situation that Dimmesdale and Hester have found themselves in, and she is a living, breathing reminder of the crime they are so embarrassed and confined by. Pearl is very closely linked to the scarlet letter on Hester's chest, and is constantly reminding, pointing to, and emphasizing this embroidery on her mother's chest.

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Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts, on July 4th, 1804. He came from a Puritan family, having ancestors who participated in the jurying of the Salem Witch Trials. He lost his father, Nathaniel Hathorne, of yellow fever while he was a sea captain, and was an only child being raised by this mother, Elizabeth Hathorne. With the financial trouble they found themselves in after his passing, him and his mother moved in with their wealthy relatives who sent him to Bowdoin College in 1821 to 1825, meeting influential figures in his life such as Franklin Pierce. In 1842, he married Sophia Peabody and rented the Old Manse, a house in Concord, Massachusetts. After three years, they began to grow debt and moved back to Salem, moving from here to Lenox, and later West Newton, near Boston. He went sightseeing in Italy for a year and a half, and eventually died in his sleep in 1864.

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“An Analysis of Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter.” Bright Hub Education, 19 Feb. 2016, www.brighthubeducation.com/homework-help-literature/42055-symbolism-in-the-scarlet-letter/.

“Nathaniel Hawthorne.” Biblio - Uncommonly Good Books Found Here., CRC Press, www.biblio.com/nathaniel-hawthorne/author/19.

“Puritan New England: Massachusetts Bay.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/colonial-america/colonial-north-america/a/puritan-new-england-massachusetts-bay.

“The Scarlet Letter: Analysis, Summary, Themes.” SchoolWorkHelper, schoolworkhelper.net/the-scarlet-letter-analysis-summary-themes/.