In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne used many profound and important motifs. Some examples of this device that is portrayed in the novel are the letter 'A', which is the best example because it changes its meaning throughout the story. In the beginning, it is viewed as a symbol of sin, and throughout the novel changes its meaning.
The letter is a label of punishment and sin in the commencement of the novel. It is a literal symbol of the sin of adultery. Wearing the label on her chest, she is an outcast from society. It allows the entire town to know her sin of bearing a child o…