Sin In The Scarlett Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Nathaniel Hawthorne develops more than one theme in his book, The Scarlett Letter, however, one theme seems to prevail: Holding on to sin can destroy one’s life. This theme is demonstrated very well in the lives of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Both of them have committed a sin, but they each decide to deal with it differently. Hester Prynne decides to deal with her sin by taking responsibility. She realizes that what she has done is wrong, and now she has Pearl, who is “the figure, the body, the reality of sin,” (Chap 5). After receiving punishment for her sin, Hester manages to live a fairly normal life. She owns a cottage, makes a living by being a seamstress, and is able to raise her child. In contrast, Arthur Dimmesdale