In The Scarlet Letter we uncover great sins that were committed by three of the main characters, and we see how the sins effect the life of the characters. In this essay I will identify the sins of the three characters. In the book there are major clues that help us identify the sin committed. The three characters who commit the sin are Hester Pryne, Roger Chillingworth, and Minister. Dimmesdale.

Hester Prynne’s sin was the first sin we find out about. The sin of which Prynne committed is known as adultery. “On the breast of her gown, in fine red clowth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread appeared a letter A”(Hawthorne Pg10) The red letter A also known as the scarlet letter represents the sin of adultery. The scarlet letter is suppose to make her feel shame for her sin. This is the first identification of Prynne’s sin. “mistress Hester Prynne and her evil doings. She hath raised a great scandal.”(Hawthorne pg.18) The writer identifies her sin as an evil doing. This evil doing causes the whole town to shame Prynne. The scarlet letter causes Hester to have solitary life other when she visits the market place. The sin causes Hester to become a new women and changes her view. The sin changes the life of Hester Pryne and to have a life unlike most women.

Minster Dimmesdale is are next character who committed a major sin in the book and this changes the minister’s life. “The physician advanced directly in front of his patient, laid his hand uppon his bossom, and thrust aside the vestinent, that hitherp had always covered it even from the proffesional eye.” (Hawthorne pg.89) . This the first time some one discovers the sin of the Minister, yet the reader does not find out what was uncoverd by the physiscian. Later on we find out that it was a scralet letter like Prynne’s. “ye have both been here before, but I was not with you. Come hither once agin, and we we will three stand together.” (Hawthorne pg.102). In this qoute the minister is standing on the pedastolle of shame. The same one Hester stood on in the
Beginning of the book. The minister ask for Hester and Pearl to stand with him. This is when we find out that the minister is the mysterious man who Hester cheated on her husband with. The sin caused the minister to die inside. The secracy of the sin was supposly what was causing the man to be sick and die. The sin that the minister committed is sleeping with Hester while she was married.

The third character who committed a major sin was Roger Chillingworth. “ The old man’s revenge has been blacker than my sin”(Hawthorne pg143). The sin of Chillingworth is describe by the minister was the revenge Chillinworth wanted. “ In a word, old Roger Chillingworth was a striking evidence of mansfaculty of transforming himself into a devil.” (Hawthorne pg 118). The revnge Chillingworth wanted caused him to become evil. Chillingworth’s sin was considered the worst of the sins by the minister. The evil in the mister grew as his live went on. This evil caused pain to others.

In The Scarlet Letter we uncover great sins that were committed by three of the main characters, and we see how the sins effect the life of the characters. Hester committed the sin of the adultry and she bore the scarlet letter on her breast. The sin changes her view on life and changes the way she lives it. Minister Dimmesdale is the man who slept with hester. His sins is kept a secret from the public, and eats at him inside. Lastely Roger Chillingworth who his want for revenge causes him to become evil. This book is a good illustraiton of how sin can effect some ones life for the good or the worst.



Hawthorne, Nathaniel The Scarlet Letter , first copyright 1850