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What Does The Sin Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter

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What Does The Sin Symbolize In The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne"s, The Scarlet Letter is a book about a woman, Hester, who moves to Boston from England during the Puritan times. She has a husband, and tells the colonists of Boston he will be arriving to be with her soon. After years go by and he doesn"t arrive, Hester finds another man whom she becomes close to. She becomes pregnant and the town finds out she has committed adultery. She is forced to wear a letter "A," meaning "adulteress," on her bosom for the rest of her life. The book focuses mainly on the sin that was committed because it effected the whole community. The scarlet letter had one basic meaning, "adultery," but to the characters of Hester and Dimmesdale it was a constant reminder of the sin; and to Pearl it was a symbol …show more content…
Dimmesdale even begins beating himself as a way to get rid of some guilt. He also begins all night vigils trying to ask for forgiveness. Years go by and Dimmesdale is soon going to die after all the things he put himself through, So on Election Day he tells the people of Boston that he is the father of Pearl and to prove it he, "tore away the ministerial band form before his breast. It was revealed!" (250). Dimmesdale knew he was going to die soon so he finally admitted to his crime. He didn"t want to die with his sins not admitted. After years of keeping his guilt locked up inside him, he finally releases it. It must have relieved him until the time he died. Seven years is a long time to keep a huge secret. He put himself through so much pain trying to make himself feel better, but in the end it killed him.
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<br>Pearl has an idea of what the "A" means, but she is very curious and anxious to find out exactly what it means. Pearl is described as an unusually smart child. She doesn't get along with any of the other kids and is always imagining things that are improper for such a little girl. Hester believes that Pearl is too young to find out the meaning of the scarlet letter

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