The scarlet letter is a symbol which demonstrates that even when sins are committed, they can be confessed and forgiven. However, even after forgiveness, they can never be destroyed. The importance of the letter is shown by Hester's sin which was committed only by love for Dimsdale. This love results by the creation of Pearl. Pearl emphasizes the beauty of sin and how it can not only be a bad outcome, but a lesson to learn. The reactions of the sin affects the lives of many, but over time it will be forgotten. To those who committed the sin, it will never fade away.
The sin committed by Hester and Dimsdale was very wrong due to the fact that Hester was married to Roger Chillingworth and Dimsdale was a priest. The secret affair between the two resulted in a passionate love which was shown by the birth of Pearl. Hester did feel sorrow for herself, so she wore the letter around her neck to symbolize this sin she had committed. This letter was very large and was filled with ruby jewels. Hester was not trying to hide her sin. She wore this letter to show that she understood her mistake. Hawthorne is using the letter to demonstrate that everyone commits sins and they should be confessed and let out so there is no guilt left. Hester showed this and did not care what the Puritans thought of her. In Hester's heart she loves Dimsdale and has a beautiful child whom she hopes will grow up to marry for love and not follow the path she did. .
Pearl is the living scarlet letter that was created by sin and to her, the letter worn around Hester's neck, is Pearl's way of saying that what Hester did was wrong. .
Before the sin was committed, Hester's appearance was stunning. She had long, rich brown hair and brown eyes. She was a beautiful woman who was strong and the other women crowded around her because of jealousy. In that remarkable forest scene in The Scarlet Letter, the long repressed/suppressed sexuality of Hester is suddenly exposed when she releases her hair.