Imagery and Irony in The Scarlet LetterNathaniel Hawthorne, the author of The Scarlet Letter, uses a variety of literary techniques to generate energy and generate interest of the reader. He creates the mood and climax of the novel using the techniques of imagery and irony. Yet it is his use of symbolism that truly carries the novel. An abundance of symbolism appears in many different forms, adding interest to the novel. For example, Hawthorne uses his characters, like Pearl, as symbols; “It was the scarlet letter in another form, the scarlet letter endowed with life.” (Ch. VII p. 103) Pearl is a symbol of Hester and Dimmesdale's sin. It serves as a constant punishment and a living conscience. Additionally, Hawthorne uses natural phenomena such as light and darkness as symbols by having Dimmesdale stand on the scaffold only at night. Darkness is therefore a symbol of hiding sin, and light becomes a symbol of truth and acceptance of guilt. The use of light and darkness appears several times throughout the novel to emphasize the underlying moral. Additionally, Hawthorne uses everyday objects, such as the stream in the forest, as a symbol. Pearl refused to cross the stream and join her mother on the other side, making the stream a symbol of the boundary between the two worlds of truth and deception. This natural setting is one of the most striking in the novel. By using symbolism in these three forms (characters, natural phenomena and simple objects) Ha...... middle of paper ...... it was so, rather than hiding a guilty heart throughout the life. What can your silence do for him, otherwise it tempts him, even compels him, so to speak, to add hypocrisy to sin. (Ch. III p. 73) One of the strengths of Hawthorne's novel is its use of dramatic irony. To the townspeople, this passage appears like a breathtaking speech that would make any sinner confess, when in truth, Dimmesdale is begging Hester to reveal her sin. The irony of the novel establishes the conflict and dismay of the climax. Hawthorne's use of the three literary techniques of symbolism, imagery, and irony is what makes his novel a masterpiece. Using these three techniques, it allows the reader to find inspiration and morality, visualize the plot, and become absorbed in the work itself..