The Scarlet Letter Creative Portfolio

Daniel Arcega

Mrs. Emerick

IB English HL II

Scarlet Letter Creative Portfolio

    Seen above is a physical recreation of the titular scarlet letter worn by Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne. The letter is made distinct by the gold threading which Hester herself sewed into it. However, Hester isn't the only character who bears a mark of shame. I decided to recreate what I believe these symbols would be, if they manifested physically, for the other important characters in the novel.

    The letter above represents the brand upon Minister Dimmesdale's chest. As implied in the story, he wears the same symbol as Hester since they share the same crime. However, the detailing of the two letters is what differentiates them. Hester's letter is adorned in golden thread by her own hand, representing how she willing shows it off to the world. In comparison, Dimmesdale's letter is marred by splotches which symbolize the corruption of his spirit. Hester surmises that, due to him hiding his guilt, "the sufferer's conscience had

been kept in an irritated state, the tendency of which was, not to cure by wholesome pain, but to disorganize and corrupt his spiritual being"(Hawthorne 194). Hiding his symbol from the public caused it to fester, leading to the degradation of it and Dimmesdale himself.

    The next "letter" represents Roger Chillingworth. It is in the shape of a pentagram, which is an icon connected to Satan. The pentagram with Roger's initials on it represents his fall from humanity. In chapter 14, Hester notes how Roger seemed vastly different from the man she once knew. Her impression of the change is that it was "striking evidence of man's faculty of transforming himself into a devil"(Hawthorne 169). Bearing the devil's mark would represent Roger's drastic change. Furthermore, at the end of the novel Roger is described as a servant of Satan. His initials on the symbol allude to signing one's name on a contract, entering a deal that can not be undone. Roger signed his life away to get revenge, transforming into Satan's servant to do so.

    Of course, that just leaves one important character missing: Pearl. However, I did not make her a letter because it is made clear she is a symbol herself. In chapter 7, Pearl's outfit is reminiscent of the letter Hester wears, so much that Pearl is called "the scarlet letter in

another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!"(Hawthorne 100). Pearl is living proof of Hester and Dimmesdale's sin, the symbol itself. As such, she needs not to wear a symbol on her chest.

Works Cited

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. James R Osgood and Co., 1878.