The Scarlet Letter has interesting details centered on irony. The personalities of the characters even contradict the obvious choice. The beginning scene shows a few very prominent views, which sets the tone of the story. .
The opening scene of The Scarlet Letter begins with the description of the Utopian's society with a prison. Just next to the prison, lies a rose bush in bloom. The rose bush is said to have sprouted after the famous Anne Hutchinson crossed the path to enter the prison. The rose symbolizes many things. Perhaps it proves that even the condemned show no evil and are forgiven by nature. The roses, " which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner- (Hawthorne 46). As the prisoners enter the prison, it is the very last thing they see and as they exit, the very first. .
Another contradiction is how the society behaves as Hester is being punished. This happens throughout the book, but most effectively in the beginning. The women plead for a more harsh punishment because they think Hester deserves far worse than what she has been given. The women of the town also thought that Hester would try and disguise the "A" as much as possible. Contrarily, Hester creates a beautiful letter of scarlet and gold, which she mounts openly on her chest. .
Pearl is also another piece of irony. Children are supposed to be a blessing, but Pearl becomes another piece of evidence of Hester's sin. "The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet" (Hawthorne 168). As if Hester is not reminded enough of her sin, even Pearl speaks negatively of the letter. The letter separates Pearl from a normal life of other children. Ever since she was young, she has always been discluded from others. This caused her to create enemies instead of friends as playmates both in reality and her mind.
