When a secret is hidden inside it can engulf and even destroy a person. Arthur Dimmesdale, a revered young minister in the town, demonstrates what happens to the soul. Dimmesdale, as it is later made known, commits the serious crime of adultery with a young married woman named Hester Prynne living in the Plymouth Colony. Because of Hester's unwillingness to reveal her partner in sin, and Dimmesdale's fear of persecution and most of all humiliation, the minister is forced to keep his sin a secret. So he watches as Hester is placed before her peers on a platform in front of the whole town and is then called to speak to her and urge that she reveal her fellow adulterer. In essence, he is called upon to commit yet another sin, that of hypocrisy.

Dimmesdale's accumulated sins build inside of him, constantly afflicting his soul until it begins to affect him negatively. Thinking himself a hypocrite, he tries to ease his conscience and requite his sin by scourging himself on the chest during the night, fasting for days on end and even climbing the same platform on which Hester began her humiliation.

This vividly shows how much his obsession has taken over his life. As the obsession slowly grew, his physical and mental condition and his life overall began to diminish. The only one who could see this drastic change was Hester who knew well what he was once like.

His secret hatred towards Dimmesdale and his obsession with vengeance takes over his life and changes his physical and mental condition for the worse because he keeps it inside and never lets any anger out leaving it to build up beyond the point of manageability.

Hester Prynne looked at the man of skill, and even then, with her fate hanging in the balance, was startled to perceive what a change had come over his features,--how much uglier they were,--how his dark complexion seemed to have grown duskier, and his figure more misshapen,--since the days when she had familiarly known him.

While she experiences immense humiliation from wearing the scarlet letter, she does not lash back, she accepts the abuse of Puritans, child and adult alike, all the while keeping an almost prideful manner about herself, desperately trying to keep some dignity. She remains silent and finds strength from inside; since she is secluded from the outside world she turns to the inside world, full of her memories and her imagination. She also finds comfort in her daughter, Pearl, because the girl is Hester's only friend at times and they both live a life of seclusion away from the realm of the rest of the world. She lives this life in hopes that one day her sin will be forgiven, by God and her peers, and the "A" that is branded on her heart can be removed along with the "A" on her bosom.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hester Prynne, Colony Hester's, Roger Chillingsworth, Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale, Nathaniel Hawthorne, hester prynne, Hester Prynne's, Letter-Secret Theme, Dimmesdale Chillingsworth, roger chillingsworth, physical mental, kept secret, scarlet letter, physical mental condition, human soul, physical condition, secret sin, arthur dimmesdale, mental condition,
Approximate Word count = 1393
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)