The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, deals with crime, punishment, and.
The main characters include Hester Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and.
Reverend Dimmesdale. All of the characters undergo a certain degree of crime, guilt, and.
punishment. Each of the characters either share the same amount of guilt, or are less guilty then.
the other. Most of the sins the characters commit could have not taken place if it was not for the.
one sin that led it all on. Hester's sin plays a major role in leading on the sins of others in The.
Scarlet Letter.
The society in which Hester Prynne lives in frowns upon her. She considers herself to be.
a sinful and wrong person stating, "She knew that her deed had been evil, she could have no.
faith."(Hawthorne 82). Prynne commits the crime of adultery which she should be hung for, but.
instead has to wear the letter "A" on her chest for the rest of her life. Now that her sin physically.
remains with her, she constantly is reminded of what she did. Also, Pearl reminds Hester of what.
she did everyday, "She looked fearfully into the child's expanding nature, ever dreading to detect.
some dark and wild peculiarity, that should correspond with the guiltiness to which she owed her.
being."(82). This forces Hester Prynne to feel guilt for her actions. Hester has got to be one of.
the most guilty of all the characters because if she did not commit the sin she did, then the other.
character's guilt would have probably not taken place. Especially the guilt she brings forth upon.
Dimmesdale.
Townspeople also look down upon Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, another main.
character in the story. Dimmesdale also commits the sin of adultery. Unlike Hester, his crime.
does not reach the public's knowledge until the very end of the story. Dimmesdale states, "If.
thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy eathly punishment will thereby be made.
more effectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and.