Nathaniel Hawthone begins The Scarlet Letter at the prison, in the midst of the town. As the setting is laid down before us, many literary devices are as well. In the first chapter of The Scarlett Letter, Hawthorne uses three important literary devices: descriptive imagery, symbolism and change of voice. Using these, he weaves the foundation for the rest of the novel.

One imortant thing that makes Hawthorne's writing distincitve is the amount of descriptive words he uses. Most sentences are full of at least two adjectives, if not more. This helps to creat a vivid picture in the mind of the reader and communicate the exact atmosphere that Hawthorne is aiming for. In the first sentence alone, "bearded", "sad-colored", "grey", "steeple-crowned", "bareheaded", "wooden", "heavily timbered" and "iron" are adjectives he puts to use. By looking at the precise words that Hawthorne uses, we can also see a difference between modern diction and that of his time.

In addition to his diction, the symbolism of the rosebush can also be noted. He uses the bush as an allegorical device. The bush thrives against all expectations in the prison square. It has been neglected and yet it continues to grow and offer the prisoners hope. The rosebush seems to be a very important idea, showing that something can survive against adversity and become a beacon for those who face the same problems. This parallels the story of Hester, who faces her strife and changes the perspectives of others. Hawthorne also makes it clear that nothing certain can be taken from the rosebush; what it means to the reader or even the prisoners remains subjective. This is important in showing that Hawthorne accepts the idea of gray areas, something that most Puritans did not believe in.

One of the last and most noticeable literary things to be noted is the change from third-person to first-person. In the last paragraph, Hawthorne seems to be extending his hand in invitation, asking the reader to accompany him for the journey. In comparison, the mood of the last paragraph is much more personal that the first paragraph. This is skillfully done, because it makes what Hawthorne is saying much more striking in tone.

Overall, Hawthorne is able to incorporate several literary devices into his first chapter. Though short, it helps to pave the way for the rest of the novel by being so literarily sound. The angle he took allows him to master the moral perspective and atmosphere of what he's written.