In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s, The Scarlet Letter, the author uses three scaffold scenes to mark the development of Hester Prynne. The image of Hester atop the scaffolding is a metaphor for her forced solitude; for her banishment from society; and for the futility of her punishment. In the first scene, Hawthorne uses the scaffold to explain how Hester can not believe that the “A” and the baby are real. In the second scaffold scene, Hawthorne …showed first 75 words of 667 total…

…showed last 75 words of 667 total…different scaffold scenes to mark the development of Hester Prynne. The embarrassment atop the scaffold is supposed to punish Hester and make her repent yet it does not. Hester is too proud and too strong to be hurt by the taunting of others. Also, the scarlet letter has not changed Hester’s love towards Dimmesdale or her desire to be with him. The scarlet letter, like the scaffold just portrayed the futility of the punishment.