"The Scarlet Letter"

     The novel, The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, was written at the time of the American Romantic Era. Many aspects of this era was incorporated into the book. There are many examples throughout the book that correspond with this eras feelings. One of those examples was the way the prison door was described in the book. "Like all that pertains to crime, it seemed never to have known a youthful era" (Hawthorne 41). This quote describes the oldness and spookiness of the door. It tells us that even from the beginning, even when it was built new, it had that scariness and oldness to it. It helps us foreshadow that something as old and scary as the prison door will be entering from there. It turns out, it was a very beautiful and pretty girl.

     Another example that goes with the American Romantic Era theme is found in one of the early chapters. It once more tries to instill that fear upon us and helps us to foreshadow the future. "The penalty therefore is death. But in their great mercy and tenderness of heart, they have doomed Mistress Prynne to stand only at a space of three hours on the platform of pillory, and then and therefore, for the remainder of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom" (Hawthorne 54) They had decided to give Mistress Prynne a death sentence for the sin she had committed, but they came off of her easy. They branded her with the letter "A" that stood for adultery. It was going to be with her for the rest of her life, and every time she looked down upon herself, she will remember the sin she had committed. She will have that guilt inside of her forever.