Scaffold vs. Foliage

Nathaniel Hawthorne, an author who is known for his ‘wordy’ novels, such as The Scarlet Letter, chooses to include symbolism as a great aspect of his writing. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses the symbols of the scaffold and the forest to depict the battles, which have challenged many of the characters internally. The scaffold in the center of the market place represents the harsh reality of the Puritan society. The forest, which is dark …

…is harsh and belittling to one’s own self. Hawthorne created the forest to provide escape for characters to express themselves, beliefs and emotions. In the forest, thoughts and ideas flowed about. The freedom and simplicity of the forest helped keep the sanity of those troubled by the complexity of society. This is where they went to get away from the order and discipline of the Puritan ways, to go to an untamed natural world.