The Scarlet Letter

4. What two possible symbols does the rose have for the reader?

Chapter 1: “The Prison Door”

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The rose bush represents the beauty and compassion of the natural world that exists despite the harshness of Puritan society and the man-made prison. It comforts Hester as she is led from the prison to the scaffold. The rose bush can also represent hope for Hester that the Puritan laws will not take away her dignity.

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