Essay | Themes of the Scarlett Letter

Throughout the novel "The Scarlet Letter" there are several themes that are essential to the development of the book. Sin, Knowledge, Human Condition, Nature of Evil, and Identity & Society are the themes that will be explored and reflected upon throughout this paper.

The universal theme of this book is Sin. Sin ties into every other theme in which this book has. Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingsworth are three main characters who sin and must live with the consequences.

Initially, there is Hester Prynne, the main character of this novel. The reader learns in the beginning Hester's main sin, Adultery. Hester is forced to wear the scarlet letter A on her chest for the rest of her life in this Puritan society. While committing the sin of Adultery, Hester gets pregnant. Hester has her daughter Pearl, but refuses to reveal the identity of Pearl's father. As...
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