Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. After his graduation from Bowdoin College in Maine, he quickly became a well-known author of literary tales concerning early American life. Between 1825 and 1850, he developed his talent by writing short fiction, and he gained international fame for his fictional novel The Scarlet Letter in 1850 Clendenning 118. Rufus Wilmot Griswold stated, The frivolous costume and brisk action of the story of fashionable life are easily depicted by the practised sketcher, but a work like "The Scarlet Letter" comes slowly upon the canvas, where passions are commingled and overlaid with...
advantage greatly increases the caliber of The Scarlet Letter. He uses imagery to form mental pictures within the mind of the reader that carry certain connotations of dread, egotism, mystery, or any other range of emotion. The scene-painting is "pure, severe, and truthful" Smiles 266 and adds great depth to the novel.

Hawthorne"s use of metaphor adds dimension to the novel by abutting unlike things to create new meaning and appreciation of qualities of characters, and hence, a deeper understanding of underlying motives and psyche. Intricate and methodical characterization is crucial to grasp the full meaning of a narrative.