Hester Prynne Punishment Quotes

When someone commits a crime, or does something wrong, they usually get in trouble. This usually results in a punishment, which can consist of anything from being grounded by your parents, to a prison sentence. Even if the person gets away with doing something wrong, and doesn’t get in trouble, the worst punishment is inevitable, which is guilt. In the second chapter of The Scarlet Letter, The Market-Place, this quote is said by a young wife while Hester Prynne is on the scaffold for the first time. While a group of people discuss how they feel about Hester’s punishment and whether or not it is fair, this sentence is softly spoken. This is the most important quote in The Scarlet Letter, because it describes how the literal “A” embroidered in Hester Prynne’s clothing is a meaningless punishment, while the true punishment is the guilt of being an adulterer and a sinner, which will not go away until Hester confesses her sin.
Having an “A” on her chest will not be the deciding factor in whether or not she goes to Hell. She has sinned, and the only thing that will wipe her sin away is confessing. In chapter thirteen, people start to think that the “A” on her chest has meant “able” instead of “adulterer” because of all the charity work she has done for poor people. Even with the meaning of the “A” changed, Hester’s attitude did not change. Instead of being nice to people, Hester became meaner and rasher. “Meeting them in the street, she never raised her head to receive their greeting.” (111) Hester’s attitude gets worse the more she doesn’t confess, because the guilt is eating away at her. Not the scarlet letter, but the sin itself is what is causing Hester