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Some stories contain one main theme and / or symbol, whereas others may contain many themes and / or symbols. There were many themes and symbols found throughout The Scarlet Letter. The main symbol in the story was the letter "A" which identified Hester as an adulterer. This symbol directly correlates with one of the themes in the story. The theme was: Be true to yourself and deny not the chance to bear the burden and Hester Prynne was a Puritan woman who committed adultery. Because she admitted her guilt, she was made to stand upon a scaffold daily and be ridiculed by the townspeople.
Also, she was made to wear a scarlet A which she had sewn for herself. Wearing the A, there was no escaping or denying her sin. Be true to yourself and deny not the chance to bear the burden and recognition of your sins was a theme in the story. Her actions directly correlate to this theme. She did not deny the fact that she had a child outside of her marriage. She admitted it to herself and to the people of her village.
Also, she wore her letter proudly. She was not ashamed that she had loved another because her love was real. She was not ashamed that she had this child out of wedlock because the child was created in love and her love for the child was also real. She allowed others to see her for who she was, an adulterer. She recognized her sins and dealt with the consequences. Her recognition, not the fact that she stood on the scaffold and dealt with others opinions, was really her redemption.
If she had not been able to recognize her sin and carry the burden for it, she may have punished herself far more than the people would ever be able to. If you are not able to look at yourself and be content, the positive words of others are meaningless. Because she was able to evaluate the situation and deal with it within herself, she was able to accept and move on. It is clear to see how Hester wearing her A directly relates to the theme of the story. Wearing her A, Hester was able to be true to herself and bear her burden which allowed her to began to come to peace with herself.
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Research essay sample on True To Yourself And Deny Chance To Bear Theme