Sin Theme In Scarlet Letter

In the story of The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are plenty of themes surrounding the deep story. One theme in particular stood out, and that was price of untold sin. It plays a major role throughout the story and Pearl, one of the main characters, is a product of sin. In this story, set in 17th century Boston, Hester Prynne suffers the ignominy of having to wear the Scarlet Letter on her bosom for the rest of her natural life. After committing adultery, Hester must endure the pain alone since Arthur Dimmesdale refuses to confess that he is Pearl’s father. Unbeknownst to Hester, her husband Roger Prynne comes to Boston during her public shaming and makes a vow to find whoever wronged him. All three of the main characters at one point or another, have committed a sinful act that leads to severe consequence.
Two of the most important characters in the story are the ones we meet in the very beginning: Hester and Pearl. Of all the people who have been affected by sin
Dimmesdale, the father of Pearl, is one of the most respected person in all of Boston, and a very skilled Puritan minister. However, he resents the fact that the people look up to him because he knows that he didn’t confess his sin. Since he has a guilty conscience, Dimmesdale constantly tortures himself and often fasts for a long period of time. This untold sin results in his figure deteriorating and his health declining. Dimmesdale does believe that there is one sinner worse than himself, were he states, “We are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world. There is one worse than even the polluted priest! That old man's revenge has been blacker than my sin. He has violated, in cold blood, the sanctity of a human heart...” (Hawthorne 176). Dimmesdale is referring to Roger Chillingworth, who has lived at his side for 7 years mentally torturing him and trying to get him to confess his