Effects of Sin in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter was Nathaniel Hawthorne's greatest literary masterpiece. Because of his Puritan heritage, he is able to tell the story of the effects of an adulterous affair on a small Puritan community like no one else could. Hawthorne clearly used this story to teach several moral lessons. Throughout this book he spends much of his time concentrating on how sin affects the life of his characters. Each …showed first 75 words of 636 total…

…showed last 75 words of 636 total…the stigma of the scarlet letter allows her to reach out and help people. By doing this she gains the respect of many members of the community. All of the main characters felt the effects of sin but each responded in a different way. Hester was up-front and honest about her sin, while Chillingworth consciously plotted against Dimmesdale in secret. Hawthorne emphases how hidden sin is far worse than sin seen in the public eye.