"A woman's chastity consists, like an onion, of a series of coats"

This quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a metaphor comparing a lady's chastity to an onion. The onion is utilized to represent the layers of security that a woman's chastity has. Simply as an onion has multiple layers that should be peeled away to get to the center, a woman's chastity is comprised of several layers of defense that need to be broken through in order for her chastity to be compromised. Hawthorne is suggesting that a lady's chastity is something that needs to be appreciated and secured, which it is not something that can be ignored. He is likewise implying that a lady's chastity is something that needs to be valued and secured, which it must not be considered approved. This quote serves as a reminder that a female's chastity is something that should be respected and secured, which it must not be ignored.