The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was written in 1850. This book takes place during the Puritan’s time. The period is incompetent and corrupt. There is sin to be punish for if you are unlucky caught. The story focuses on sin and how the three main characters, Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth lives are affect by each one’s individual sin.

The first sinner is Hester Prynne, and she commits adultery. As of a result of Hester committing adultery, she has given birth to a daughter name Pearl. As Hester is publicly condemns for her sin, the crowd was whispering to each other “this woman has brought shame upon us all” (Hawthorne 36). At the beginning, Hester doesn’t seem to be afraid at all but brave and stands up for herself even though the crowds doubt her. With the type of sin like this, she still seems to have a calm and relaxing personality and moves on. Later on she and her daughter, Pearl live in isolation and abandon meant for survival as shown when “it is marvelous that this woman still call this place home….where she must needs to be the type of shame” (75). Even though Hester’s has the chance to leave, she stood her ground and stays right where she is at. Seven years later, Hester dedicates her time to help out the poor and seek out the hungry although “there was a frequent and characteristic demand for such labor as Hester Prynne could supply” (78). She seems to improve doing good deeds now although she suffers at first.

The next sinner from this novel is Dimmesdale who is the Reverend of the Puritans and his sin is hypocrisy. Reverend Dimmesdale sin is yet kept quiet; he goes around preaching to people about God. He knew it was against the laws to be a clergyman and spreading news by being a messenger of God while taking another man woman. Upon their conversation in the forest, he wants to know who the father of Pearl is and tells Hester to “speak her to speak the name of thy fellow sinner….what can thy silence so for him except tempt him to add hypocrisy to the sin” (47). Over the years it was Hester who had look up to this man and help resolve the problem by finding out who is really the dad of Pearl. Chillingworth who is “[chosen] for his spiritual guide the Reverend Dimmesdale had evidently begun to fail” (82). It seems that Mr. Dimmesdale is self-punishing himself for the sin that he committed. “God’s eye beheld it! (242). The entire secret is revealed at the hour of his death and until then there is no peace.

The third but not least is Roger Chillingworth who is the worst sinners; his sin was to seek revenge. At first, he met up with Hester in an interview and tries to force her to name the secret lover. All he wants is to know who the baby father’s is. In jail, Chillingworth told Hester “I shall seek this man… I shall see him tremble” (52). It seems like his identity exposes him for the evil man he really is. While picking herbs in the woods Chillingworth meets Hester in the woods and tells her that he will torture Dimmesdale until he confess his sin “he has increased the debt!...a mortal man, has become a fiend for his especial torment” (118). Later on, after working under Dimmesdale he sneaks up on him at night and figure out what he is putting his hands on “to which sick hearts are liable” (122). This was similar to Hester “A” marks. Chillingworth is the reason why Dimmesdale have to suffer and undergo changes. So, it seems that Chillingworth has live a wasteful life just to get revenge. In my opinions, Chillingworth is not worthy to be a husband because first of all you should not have leave your wife wondering off by herself and following her to seek revenge is totally wrong.

In conclusion, throughout the three character lives sin has an effect that can either weaken or strengthen. Although Hester Prynne commits adultery she still has the feeling to confess it. Dimmesdale is a man who terrifies and instead of speaking of the truth he is intimidated by his own sin. Unlike both character, Chillingworth died from seeking revenge by torturing and that weaken him when grew older. Sin can be avoided and repented by the individual the way they live.