The Forests Symbolisim in The Scarlet Letter - 998 Words

A Refuge from Prosecution: The Forest in The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter is a tale of constant trial and punishment. For Hester Prynne, there is no escape from the shame and belittlement she has been forced to endure within puritan society. However, like the puritans who had escaped prosecution by migrating from England to the New World, characters in The Scarlet Letter can escape the prosecution of puritan society by visiting the forest. It is a symbolic realm that embodies freedom and privacy, and the only sanctuary for those who seek liberty to express their true nature, whether it be through acts of love, or heresy. The forest as a symbol of escape from puritan society is persistent throughout the novel through its use by the†¦show more content†¦The forest is described as having ?became the playmate of the lonely infant (213) and ?put on the kindest of its moods to welcome her.? Pearl had never had any friends throughout the course of the novel and was always alienated and bullied by other children. In contrast, the fores t animals all seem to regard Pearl with indifference, if not a quiet admiration, as if she was a sprite that had been borne from nature itself. The narration goes so far as to say that a wolf ?offered his savage head to be patted by her hand.? (214) Pearl?s temperament seems to change as well, becoming more docile and showing a less hostile nature. She adorns herself with flowers, and is in ?closest sympathy with the antique wood.? (214) Through this description of Pearl, the forest takes on a sympathetic nature, and is portrayed as an environment where one can find peace with one?s surroundings and be in an environment where they feel amicability instead of antagonism. Of all the symbols in The Scarlet Letter, the forest is one of the most important. By providing an escape from the overbearing nature of puritan life, the forest allows characters to be presented in a different backdrop, it can serve as a place of both light and darkness, but above all, liberty. For every character that visits it, the forest is freedom, protection, and peace. Without it,