Ambiguous Hawthorne, Symbolic Pearl—An Analysis on Pearl's Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter

DOI

10.2991/icsshe-17.2017.94How to use a DOI?

Keywords

ambiguity, Hawthorne, symbol, Pearl

Abstract

The writing device ambiguity is used frequently throughout Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter. Critics and readers have given many different interpretations of the novel which eventually leads to the study of Hawthorne's perplexed ambiguity and character symbolism. Ambiguity is one of the features of this literary and artistic creation, symbol is images or objects that suggest or refer to something else. Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent things, especially in art and literature. Ambiguity can be achieved by symbolism. Hawthorne is extremely ambiguous regarding the child, Pearl, who is never plainly angelic or devilish. Pearl's artistic effect of ambiguity is achieved by her symbolism of truth, symbolism of grace, symbolism of the New World, and individuality. Hawthorne's ambiguous writing device is enhanced by the symbols of Pearl.

Copyright

© 2017, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/).

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Yueming Wang
PY  - 2017/09
DA  - 2017/09
TI  - Ambiguous Hawthorne, Symbolic Pearl—An Analysis on Pearl's Symbolism in The Scarlet Letter
BT  - Proceedings of the 2017 3rd International Conference on Social Science and Higher Education
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 376
EP  - 379
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/icsshe-17.2017.94
DO  - 10.2991/icsshe-17.2017.94
ID  - Wang2017/09
ER  -