1. How do we create the How?

2. Is this true?
If x=y and x=2, then y=2
Show me how you know.

3. Let’s talk math… Is this true? If x=3 and y=6, then 2x+3y=24
Show me how you know:

4. What about these? If x=7y and y=3, If x=3 and y=6x+7 then 2x+2y= 48
Show me:
If x=3 and y=6x+7
Then 3x+4y=100
Show me

5. The Key:
The key to the answer is not just knowing the final product, but also being able to show your work through the steps.

6. If rosebush=transcendentalism and
Hester = rosebush,
then Hester= Transcendentalism
Show me:

7. Rose is a universal symbol for love and passion.
Red is universal symbol for vengeance and sexuality
Threshold represents transition or change
Rosebush is on threshold of prison
Rosebush is surrounded by weeds
Rosebush is described as wild and beautiful
Hester is crossing the threshold
Hester is surrounded by Puritans
Hester committed a sin of passion and sexuality

8. Therefore:
The rosebush reflects Hester’s transition to transcendentalism.
So What: Hawthorne’s intent is to show his reader, through symbolism, that Hester Prynne is a transcendental character.

9. Put it all together
In chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne describes a beautiful, wild rosebush. He tells us that this rosebush is very colorful and precious. Its wild beauty is in direct contrast to the weeds that grow around the rosebush. Ironically, it is placed directly outside of the threshold of the prison, offering comfort to the prisoners inside.
The meaning of a rose as a universal symbol is love and passion, while red symbolizes vengeance and sexuality. The threshold symbolizes a transition or change. Therefore the rosebush symbolizes a wild, natural moment of passion and sexuality that creates a change. The weeds are surrounding the rosebush the same way that the Puritans are surrounding Hester within the prison. Therefore, we can conclude that the rosebush symbolizes Hester’s act with Dimmesdale (sexual love and passion) which leads to her transition to transcendentalism while she is imprisoned because her passion and vengeance forces her to rise above the Puritan code.
Through Hawthorne’s favorable language of the rosebush, we can tell that he favors transcendentalism over the severity of the traditionalists.

10. Try it with the Scarlet Letter!
I.D. the universal symbols:
The A
Scarlet
Gold
I.D. the symbol in the text
Show connections between the text and universal symbol
Give me the why or so what!

11. Try it with the Scarlet Letter! Beginning with the basics
Who: Hester
What: a symbol for transcendentalism
When: Chapter 2
Where: During the prison scene, when we see Hester for the first time

12. Develop the “how” I.D. the universal symbols:
The A= Symbol of adultery, punishment
Scarlet= passion, vengeance
Gold= higher spiritual authority
Identify the symbol in the novel:
We see the symbol for the first time when Hester crosses the threshold of the prison.
We know that the symbol is handmade by Hester.
It is breathtakingly beautiful, ironic for a symbol of punishment
Make the connections
The handmade symbol of punishment for Hester’s act of adultery reflects Hester’s defiance.
She intentionally makes it red to reflect her act of passion and vengeance.
She weaves in the gold to reflects her transcendence to a higher spiritual plane of faith.

13. Therefore Tell me why or so what:
We see through the scarlet letter A that Hawthorne is showing Hester’s transcendence of the Puritan code and rising to a higher spiritual plane of authority. She is rejecting the punishment of the Puritans through her defiance by hand making a beautiful A as a symbol of her punishment. The beauty of the A shows her pride. Hawthorne’s intent is to promote Hester’s transcendentalism and illuminate the hypocritical severity of the Puritan code.

14. Now the hard part, put it all together!
The Scarlet Letter In Chapter 2, we see Hester for the first time. She crosses over the threshold of the prison to face her public punishment. Upon her chest is a handmade letter “A”. The A is made of velvet scarlet cloth intricately embroidered with gold thread. The moment Hester crosses into the public eye, the scarlet letter becomes the focus of attention. Hawthorne uses the “A” as a symbol of Hester’s defiant rejection of the severe Puritan code. The “A” was meant to be a punishment representing Hester’s sin of adultery. However, the demanded that Hester hand make this badge of shame. Instead of yielding to the demands of society and making a symbol of shame, she creates a beautiful, intricate decoration. The beauty of the article mocks the punishment Hester is to endure, indicating her rejection of the punishment and her inner strength and pride that she will not submit to the Puritan leaders. Further, the A is made of scarlet cloth. Red symbolizes passion and vengeance. Within the decoration, Hester embroiders gold thread. Gold symbolizes higher spiritual authority. With these two colors woven together, Hawthorne is creating a public symbol of Hester’s defiance and her transcendence above the hypocrisy of the Puritan ideology into a higher plane of spiritual authority. Through the tone of the opening scene, Hawthorne expresses his personal apathy towards zealous Puritan ideology in favor of the growing transcendental movement developing during the 1800’s