Hawthorne consistently uses light and dark imagery and symbolism throughout his American romantic novel, The Scarlet Letter. Light, associated with good and holy characteristics or attributes, outlines the Pearl, repentance, and the admission of sin. In contrast, darkness refers to evil and immoral elements. Romance beliefs distrust society and rigid standards, while Puritan opinion, the setting in which the novel is set, and rigid religious rules form the foundation of society. This contrast between Romanticism and Puritanism could very well mirror the theme of good and evil created by Hawthorne. Romantics believe that God exists in nature; God controls the sun. Through the use of light and dark symbols in The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne portrays the characters as either good or evil. In one of the book's first scenes, Hester emerges from the dark prison into the light. While all who knew her in the city “expected to see her dimmed and obscured by a disastrous cloud,” instead, admitting her sin, Hawthorne states that “her beauty shone and formed a halo” (62). By using the word “halo,” the author makes Hester appear holy, which contrasts with Puritan ideals, considering Hester committed adultery. On her chest, the letter "A" serves as a constant reminder to her and all the citizens who gawk at her. Because of her admission and the scarlet letter she carries, Hester becomes pure in the eyes of Hawthorne and God, through the symbol of light. Chaves 2 The forest, seen as a dark symbol throughout the novel, highlights Dimmesdale's immorality. The climate in the forest, often described as gloomy and dark, contributes to the mood. Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the forest to devise a plan to escape from the immorality of... middle of paper... of Rth. However, Hester also redeems herself from this second sin. He decides to tell Dimmesdale his second secret. The darkness of Chillingworth's nature reveals this second sin on Hester's part (Haugh 270). In conclusion, Hawthorne explores the morality of the characters in the use of light and dark symbols. Pearl, the more moral character, has the sunlight shining on her, while Chillingworth reveals himself to be the vilest of characters, lurking in the shadows of his vengeance. Dimmesdale and Hester are somewhere in the middle. The moral desert in which humans wander (I can't find a single good clincher) Works Cited Haugh, Robert. University English, vol. 17, no. 5. National Council of Teachers of English, 1956.Journal.Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 2004. Print.