Symbolic Anthropology and Literary Analysis: The Scarlet Letter as a Lens for Modern Social Issues

Abstract

This study examines Nathaniel Hawthorne’s masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter (1850), through a comprehensive analysis of its symbolic framework, addressing whether the novel's abstract elements are symbolic or merely allegorical. The novel amalgamates psychological intuition with symbolic depiction to explore themes of sin, guilt, and redemption. The research aims to analyze how Hawthorne employs symbolic elements in creating characters and situations, gauge the validity of these symbolic representations in distinguishing between allegory and symbolism, demonstrate how these symbols match real characters and happenings, and examine their contemporary relevance in addressing modern social issues. Drawing on symbolic anthropology, including Turner’s (1967) and Geertz’s (1973) interpretive approaches, the study adopts a qualitative descriptive methodology to scientifically analyze the novel’s major symbols. The findings reveal that the symbols effectively operate across literal and figurative levels, surpassing allegory in illustrating societal realities. These results offer significant input for addressing contemporary social problems through literary depiction and analysis.