The Nature Of Sin In Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

In Hawthorne’s novel , The Scarlet letter, the perception of the letter “A” changes as the Puritan society gradually accepts Hester within their community. Hawthorne is able to portray the nature of sin within the Puritian society by using Hester and Pearl to convey the meaning behind the letter A, a symbol that defies the root of evil. The scarlet letter therefore transitions throughout the course of Hawthorne’s novel as it first acts as a symbol of sin, however by the end of the novel, it signifies “able” and “angel” as the Puritian society finally accepts Hester.

When Hester enters the marketplace, she is initially only referred as her unnamed sin by the narrator which therefore indicates that sin displaces one's character within the

The narrator illustrates such thought when admiring Pearl for the symbol she serves, “ But it was a remarkable attribute of this garb, and indeed of the child’s who appearance, that it irresistibly and inevitably reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom. It was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!”( Hawthorne 96). Pearl is known to the community for her antics and alienous behaviour. Pearl ironically dresses up in red, symbolizing the archetypical fiery nature within her as she further embodies the scarlet letter. The Puritian community feels the importance of separating Pearl from Hester, as they believe that her sin would tempt Hester to do more scandalous things. Pearl is constantly compared to the letter throughout the novel as she illustrates both Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s passion. Later in the novel, readers are able to be aware that both Hester and her lover dimmesdale are unable to forget the sin that they both committed as Pearl drives them towards confession and acceptance. Pearl acts as a disruptor within the story as she embodies both of her parents’ sins. Her unique behaviour forms an idea that she realizes more what’s happening to Hester’s situation than people let out to