Sin in The Scarlet Letter

A detailed Summary of Sin in The Scarlet Letter

Sin is the main theme in The Scarlet Letter. All of the characters in the book are somehow affected by the sin of adultery. The three main characters are the most widely affected, and their whole lives are molded by the way they deal with the sin. The sin surrounds, encloses, and strangles them. There is no escaping from its harsh consequences. For Chillingworth, the terrible wrongdoing molds his whole personality in its likeness. For Dimmesdale, it totally deteriorates him both physically and mentally. On the other hand, for Hester, it has freed her soul from the chains of confinement in the old, Puritan town where she lived.

Hester Prynne's sin, adultery, brings upon her the penalty of wearing the scarlet letter "A". Her scarlet token liberates her more than it punishes her. First, Hester's soul is freed by her admission of her crime. Secondly, by enduring her earthly punishment, Hester is assured of a place in the heavens. Finally, her identity is defined by the ignominious "A", for the letter makes Hester the woman that she is; it gives her roots, character, and a uniqueness to her being that sets her apart from the other Puritans. The scarlet letter is indeed a blessing to Hester Prynne, more than the curse she beli

The way sin affects the lives of the characters in The Scarlet Letter is enlightening yet unsettling. One can see why the characters act they way they do, but it's unsettling to see that sin envelopes them in a cloud of distrust, malice, and degradation. Hawthorne, throughout the novel, tries to show his audience that sin has always been and will always be a part of human life and literature. As long as there is sin, people will react to it differently; some will hide it, some will embrace it, some will rot from it. Nonetheless, no matter how the sin is handled or dealt with, it will always leave its mark.

Arthur Dimmesdale, a reverend in the Puritan Church, is the other half of the major sin and the father of Pearl. Be that as it may, there are differences in the effects of the sin on Dimmesdale as opposed to Hester. Dimmesdale does not confess until seven years after the crime takes place. On top of the scaffold, in front of the whole town, Dimmesdale exclaims, "I stand upon this spot where, seven years since, I should have stood" (237). Dimmesdale should have been with Hester seven years ago, but though he never receives a punishment from the government as Hester does, he punishes himself day and night. He is tortured with guilt in his heart, and carries out prolonged vigils, fasts, and other physical damage to himself. As all things do, this physical and mental stress takes its toll. Over the seven years, Dimmesdale becomes very ill. He becomes pale, nervous and sickly. After a while, it gets to the point where he uses a cane to walk, and people are afraid for his life. The reason for his ill

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Approximate Word count = 1093
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English