Sin Vs. Redemption In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

Sin vs. Redemption Sin is all around and people perceive sin and the punishment it requires differently, many desire to redeem themselves after committing a sin especially those of devout religions. Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale commit sins and devote their lives to redeeming themselves of their sins. Each of these characters deal with their sins differently, but they both feel a need for absolution from their guilt, sin, and their harm of others around them. While Hester goes about her path of redemption by helping others and never giving up Pearl’s father's identity, Dimmesdale thinks he can forge his path and heal his soul by being the best minister possible; he thinks that this will be enough to obtain forgiveness for what he has done and enough to improve his own vision of himself.

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne commits a sin against herself and Chillingworth by marrying Chillingworth and making him believe they can be happy together, her sin against herself was marrying Chillingworth even though he is much older than her and she doesn't even know him. This marriage to him only happens because she is expected to by everyone and when he is presumed

Then the sin against the townspeople and God is redeemed by her actions of always helping others whenever she could and not expecting anything in return. They see her kind hearted actions and she is healed in their eyes ‘’Such helpfulness was found in her, so much power to do, and power to sympathise, that many people refused to interpret the scarlet letter A by its original signification. They said that it meant Abel; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength.’’(Hawthorne, 126). Then she treats them with respect even though she may have the right to be mean and vile to them due to the appalling treatment she and Pearl are presented