“Good wives, I will tell you what I think. It would be greatly in the public interest if we women, being of mature age and members of reputable churches, could deal with evildoers like this Hester Prynne. What do you think, gossip? If this rascal had appeared before the five of us, who are now here together, to be judged, would she have gotten away with a sentence such as that pronounced by the venerable magistrates? Get married, I don't think so! » (p. 78, paragraph 2) says one of the hypocritical old women. This is the judgment that poor Hester Prynne had to face… The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most recognized books of all time. It has become standard reading material in English classes across the country, and it's not hard to see why. Most of the book is made up of different symbols or concrete objects that represent something more than themselves, which is an important element of an exemplary English literary work. One of the major symbols of The Scarlet Letter is a scaffold in the center of the city. This symbol changes throughout the book, not literally, but in how the viewer is inclined to view it. At the beginning of the book, it is presented as a place of shame, hatred, weakness and humiliation. Hester, the main character and bearer of the scarlet letter, is humiliated and scorned in front of the entire town. Dimmesdale, the reverend who impregnated Hester, occupies a high and respected position. He is not necessarily happy, but he does not yet feel shame or pain. However, as the story progresses, these characters and their relationship with the scaffold change. Because of her shame, she became an outcast and learned to live on her own, financially supporting herself and her daughter through her sewing. This independence has made her stronger, so the scaffold is not so intimidating