Thresholds- Doors, Steps, and Scaffolding.
Throughout the novel "The Scarlet Letter" I was to examine and discuss some of the various symbols. The symbols I focused on pertained to thresholds, they were doors, steps, and scaffolding. Each played a very significant role throughout the novel. They helped to describe setting, character development and moods throughout the novel.
The first symbol that I focused on was door. It appeared 23 times throughout the novel. These are the chapters, pages and context in which I found the word door:.
Chapter 1, page 33: " in front of a wooded edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak and studded with iron spikes.".
Chapter 1, page 33: "The rust on the ponderous iron work of its oaken door looked more antique than anything else in the world.".
Chapter 1, page 34: "She entered the prison-door, - we shall not take upon us to determine finding it so directly on the threshold of our narrative, which is now about to issue from that inauspicious portal-.
Chapter 2, page 34: " all with their eyes intently fastened on the iron-clamped oaken door.".
Chapter 2, page 35: "The women, who were now standing about the prison-door-.
Chapter 2, page 36: " for the lock is turning in the prison-door-.
Chapter 2, page 36: "The door of the jail being flung open from within, there appeared the grim and grisly presence of the town-beadle, with a sword by his side and his staff of office in his hand. ".
Chapter 2, page 36: "On the threshold of the prison-door, she repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character-.
Chapter 2, page 38: "It was no great distance in those days, from the prison-door to the market-place.".
Chapter 5, page 53: "Her prison-door was thrown open and she came forth into the sunshine-.
Chapter 5, page 54: "But now with this unattended walk from the prison-door, began the daily custom.".
Chapter 5, page 56: " [would] behold her standing in the door-way, or laboring in her little garden, or coming forth along the pathway that led townward.