The Theme of Sin in the Scarlet Letter

A detailed Summary of The Theme of Sin in the Scarlet Letter


In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, there are many moral and social themes which are demonstrated throughout the novel. Each theme is very important to the overall effect of the novel. In essence, The Scarlet Letter is a story of sin, punishment and the importance of truth. One theme which plays a big role in The Scarlet Letter is that of sin and its effects. Throughout the novel there were many sins committed by various characters. The effects of these sins are different in each character and every character was punished in a unique way. Two characters were perfect examples of this theme in the novel. Hester Prynne and The Reverend Dimmesdale best demonstrated the theme of the effects of sin.

One character who demonstrated the effects of sin was Hester Prynne. Hester Prynne commits adultery with the Reverend Dimmesdale. Because this act resulted in a child, she was unable to hide her wrongdoing while Dimmesdale's analogous sin went unnoticed. Her punishment for her crime was to s


pend a few hours on the scaffold to face public humiliation, and she was forced to wear the letter "A" on her clothes for the rest of her life. Hester's punishment for her sin was distinguished in that the results of her actions were for the most part external. Hawthorne describes what Hester's punishment was like when he states, "In all her intercourse with society, however, there was nothing that made her feel as if she belonged to it. Every gesture, every word, and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished."(p.44) Although Hester was somewhat emotionally damaged through public humiliation and alienation, Hester was actually internally content at the fact that she was paying for her crime. The consequences which Hester faced for her actions were the result of her admission of guilt. This proved to be much less harsh then the internal punishment which Dimmesdale faced.

The Reverend Dimmesdale was another character that demonstrated the effects

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Approximate Word count = 689
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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