In chapter one, Hawthorne tells the reader that there is a wild rose bush growing outside of the prison that Hester stays at, prior to standing on the town scaffolds. This rose-bush is the only sign of life and goodness near the barren and desolate prison. Later in the book when Pearl is asked where she came from and she responds that her mother picked her from the rose bush outside the prison. Pearl is her mother's only possession of goodness.

The color red represents blood, pain, sin, evil and love.