Ambiguity_In_The_Scarlet_Letter

Ambiguity In The Scarlet Letter The element of ambiguity, in which the meaning of something is unclear, allows Nathaniel Hawthorne to “mingle the marvelous” in his 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter. Hawthorne’s continual use of this element gives the book a certain air of mystery; therefore permitting the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. One is constantly weighing the natural versus the marvelous reason for an event. The Scarlet Letter illustrates ambiguity throughout the entire novel. The first occurrence of ambiguity is concerning the rosebush, outside of the prison where Hester was kept. No one truly knew the origin of the rosebush. Hawthorne leaves it up to the reader to decide whether the rosebush “had survived out of the stern wilderness” or “whether it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson”. There is also an additional instance of ambiguity with the rosebush. But, this time it also concerns Pearl. When passing the rosebush at the Governor’s home, Pearl asks her mother for a rose. Later, when she is being questioned where she came from, Pearl replies, “that she had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison door”. The natural reason for pearl, letter, ambiguity, hester, dimmsdale, scarlet, rosebush, reason, novel, marvelous, hawthorne, own, natural, herself, been, while, scaffold, reasons, reader, pearl’s, one, mother, meteor, interest, governor’s, caused, boston, because, whether, ways, wanted, unknown, two, throughout, stayed, stay