The ability to tell right from wrong is instinctive rather than taught by society. This can be verified from the novel the Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
The ability to tell right from wrong is a quality valued and praised in every society of every time. This is also true in the Scarlet Letter. This ability to tell right from wrong, or making a decision that does not harm or offend anyone or their values is seen throughout the novel in the manifestation of the society's feelings for the character. From the beginning of the novel and through a large portion of the novel, Arthur Dimmesdale is send as a person with high morals, and as a respectable person. He is seen as a person who has not made "wrong" decisions. This assumption by the people is false, but regardless he is praised as a person. On the inside however, Dimmesdale knows of his sin, and he knows he made a wrong decision. He tears himself apart, torturing himself, and wasting away. Hester Prynne starts off as person who has made a "wrong" decision. The whole town gathers to bear witness to the sinner. She is seen as the epitome of wrong decisions. The other women of the town despise her lack of morals. Then a strange course of events occurs throughout the book, Hester begins to be seen as an esteemed citizen of the community. She has left the shackles of her immoral decision in light of helping the community. This attention to others needs, besides herself is seen as a "right" decision and she slowly loses her position as a malefactress. Pearl is seen as a demon to many of the town's people. The child is seen as the embodiment of sin. This is not true. She has never made a wrong decision according to herself, so how could she be wrong? Chillingsworth is somewhat of a mystery to the townspeople and is not really seen as either wholly good or wholly bad. The town's feelings for people who are able to tell right from wrong reflect the opinion of many societies.
