The Effects and Implications of Sin in The Scarlet Letter
Published in 1850, The Scarlet Letter was
the first American tragedy. It was written by one of America's greatest writers, Nathaniel Hawthor
ne. This story deals with problems of secret sin and the guilt of a tortured conscience. Hawthorne
uses a fictional symbol and a fictional woman to weave a tale with ageless significance. The Scarl
et Letter is a psychological novel, dealing not only with the sin but also the effects of the sin on
three main characters: Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth. Hester is affected by her sin of adul
tery in many ways. Because of her sin Hester becomes pregnant with a demon child, named Pearl. Hes
ter changes because of her sin. Hester loses her beauty and becomes of marble coldness. Hester is
made to wear the scarletletter A all the time. Her clothes become dull in color and her hair is put
in a cap. Hester is an outcast in the town so she lives in a cottage by the sea off to itself. Wh
en Hester walks in the streets preachers break out into a sermon. Not only does Hester change but t
he meaning of the letter also changes. At the beginning of the novel the letter represents the sin
that is committed, adultery. As time goes on and the story progresses, the letter begins to mean ab
le because Hester is able to withstand the treatment that everyone gives her. In the word of Nathan
iel Hawthorne "Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength." At the end of the novel
the letter A fades in color along with meaning. It now is looked at as meaning angel because Heste
r is like Dimmesdale's angel that saves him from hell on earth. Because Hester has sinned and knows
what it is like to be treated badly, she is looked upon as a counselor who can help people. Hester'
s sin has changed her life very much. Another character affected by sin is Aurther Dimmesdale. Dimm
esdale is Hester's partner in the sin of a adultery. Because Dimmesdale is the minister, he is seen
as a role model and a perfect man. Dimmesdale feels like a hypocrite because the people of the chu
rch think that he is pure and that he does not sin. However, Dimmesdale was far from perfect. He kep
t his sin burning in secret from all of mankind. Because everyone saw him as a role model, he felt
it necessary to inflict self-punishment upon himself. He fasted, kept all night vigils, and whipped
himself with a bloody scourge. Dimmesdale's harsh punishments drove him to become sick and weak.
Dimmesdale's physical appearance also changes. His face is pale and he walks with a limp. His tor
tured conscience drives Dimmesdale to publicly reveal his sin. Several times Dimmesdale wanted to re
vel his sin yet the words would not come out of his mouth. However, after the Election Day Sermon,
Dimmesdale finally makes his way to the scaffold to make the confession he should of made seven year
s ago. Because Dimmesdale confesses his sin, he at that time finds peace and dies a triumphant deat
h. The last person affected by his sin is Roger Chillingworth. Roger Chillingworth's obsession with
vengeance results in his eventual degeneration. His physical appearance changes greatly over the y
ears he spends in Boston because of his fixation with exacting revenge. Chillingwotrh's face is now
ashy and he walks with a hunch. Chillingwoth's beard is so long that is it almost drags the ground
. "A large number... affirmed that Roger Chillingworth's aspect had undergone a remarkable change..
. At first his expression had been calm, meditate, scholar-like. Now there was something ugly and e
vil in his face." His unattractive appearance is the physical manifestation of his animosity toward
s Dimmesdale. Chillingworth's morals also undergo a determination, in that he devotes himself to to
rmenting Dimmesdale. Because Chillingworth devotes himself to tormenting Dimmesdale, he sacrifices h
is fellow man for self-gratification. Chillingworth destroys the soul of a man and loses his own. B
ecause of his obsession with revenge, Chillingworth abandons his morality. Roger Chillingworth is i
n many was affected by his sin. Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth suffer the consequences of sin
in Hawthorne's psychological novel, The Scarlet Letter. All men sin and there are consequences for
all sins, yet when sins are exposed the consequences may be less. In The Scarlet Letter, Dimmsdale
hides his sin and he suffers more than Hester, who reveals her sin. People who confess their sins
find peace and those who conceal their sins will suffer. To prove his point Hawthorne uses "Be true
! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst ma
y be inferred!"
effects implications scarlet letter published scarlet letter first american tragedy
written america greatest writers nathaniel hawthorne this story deals with problems secret guilt to
rtured conscience hawthorne uses fictional symbol fictional woman weave tale with ageless significan
ce scarlet letter psychological novel dealing only with also effects three main characters hester di
mmesdale chillingworth hester affected adultery many ways because hester becomes pregnant demon chil
d named pearl changes because loses beauty becomes marble coldness made wear scarletletter time clot
hes become dull color hair outcast town lives cottage itself when walks streets preachers break into
sermon only does change meaning also changes beginning novel represents that committed adultery tim
e goes story progresses begins mean able because able withstand treatment that everyone gives word n
athaniel hawthorne able strong prynne woman strength novel fades color along meaning looked meaning
angel like dimmesdale angel that saves from hell earth sinned knows what like treated badly looked u
pon counselor help people changed life very much another character affected aurther dimmesdale partn
er adultery minister seen role model perfect feels like hypocrite people church think pure does howe
ver from perfect kept burning secret from mankind everyone role model felt necessary inflict self pu
nishment upon himself fasted kept night vigils whipped himself bloody scourge harsh punishments drov
e become sick weak physical appearance also changes face pale walks limp tortured conscience drives
publicly reveal several times wanted revel words would come mouth however after election sermon fina
lly makes scaffold make confession should made seven years confesses time finds peace dies triumphan
t death last person affected roger chillingworth roger chillingworth obsession vengeance results eve
ntual degeneration physical appearance greatly over years spends boston fixation exacting revenge ch
illingwotrh face ashy walks hunch chillingwoth beard long almost drags ground large number affirmed
roger aspect undergone remarkable change first expression been calm meditate scholar there something
ugly evil face unattractive appearance physical manifestation animosity towards morals undergo dete
rmination devotes himself tormenting devotes tormenting sacrifices fellow self gratification destroy
s soul loses obsession revenge abandons morality many suffer consequences psychological there conseq
uences sins when sins exposed consequences less dimmsdale hides suffers more than reveals people con
fess their sins find peace those conceal their will suffer prove point uses true true true show free
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