The first chapter of the novel introduces the main character Hester Prynne. She is being publicly humiliated as a punishment for breaking a puritan belief and one of the ten commandments, adultery. She stands in front of the town for hours as the crowd tries to break her down with criticism and shaming words. After this she is given her punishment of being forever branded with her sin by wearing the letter "A" on her chest, as a constant reminder to herself and

Dimmesdale thinks that if he punishes himself for the sin, then his guilt will go away. Throughout the story he goes through many ways to punish himself, such as fasting, staring at himself in the mirror for hours, whipping himself in the closet, and practicing at the scaffold how he will confess the next day. He continues to delude himself thinking that being harsh on himself will make up for his dishonesty and deceptions. Even though he keeps all of his emotions silent, it eventually wears him down so much that it becomes noticeable in his appearance. "...His cheek was paler and thinner, and his voice more tremulous than before-when it had now become a constant habit....to press his hand over his heart.." So until his very end, he keeps all of these feelings inside like all of the others. He is hiding behind a character of purity and value, all in fear of being seen for whom he really is; an individual.

A good example of fear to break away from conformity is Arthur Dimmesdale's character. He is overwhelmed with guilt for letting Hester be punished for an act he also participated in. Dimmesdale is the embodiment of cowardice, envious of Hester's courage. He wishes he too could break away from the conformed ways that have swallowed his life. Yet he will keep all of his guilt and painful emotions inside, all because of his fear of being looked down upon by his society. He can not risk being outcast from his high position in the community. He would rather punish himself by concealing these over powering feelings of guilt and pain, because in his mind there is no punishment worse then being different, being outcast. He sees and understands the courage Hester possesses and shows by proudly exhibiting her letter, and by taking the punishment. While he can not help but hide his feelings, he envies the way Hester is set free by her confession. "Happy are you Hester,

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hester Prynne, Happy Hester, Arthur Dimmesdale's, Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne Christian, Nathaniel Hawthorne, scarlet letter, Puritan America, constant reminder town, reminder town sin, meant punishment, constant reminder, town sin, reminder town,
Approximate Word count = 1263
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)