In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, there are many moral and social themes which are demonstrated throughout the novel. Each theme is very important to the overall effect of the novel. In essence, The Scarlet Letter is a story of sin, punishment and the importance of truth. One theme which plays a big role in The Scarlet Letter is that of sin and its effects. Throughout the novel there were many sins committed by …showed first 75 words of 653 total…

…showed last 75 words of 653 total…consequences is demonstrated. Hester and Dimmesdale are the two characters that best display this theme. They both commit the same sin, but the way in which they each are punished is different. They both illustrate the theme of the effects of sin in completely different ways. Hester was publicly punished for her crime while Dimmesdale punished himself emotionally and physically. Both these characters, though in different ways, demonstrated the theme of the effects of sin.