A Life of Shame

The novel Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a story about dealing with the consequences of one’s actions. Throughout the novel, the characters are faced with guilt, shame, and almost unendurable sadness resulting from their behavior. Hester Prynne, the main character of the novel, is forced to deal with this at the most extreme level. She is punished daily by the outwardly show of her shame. Her daughter, the product of sin and passion, torments her each day. She is forced to hide the secrets from the man she loves and the man she hates, becoming a source of guilt. It is because of this and more that Hester Prynne deserves the most sympathy from the reader.
The punishment Hester endures is one reason for the reader’s sympathy. The scarlet letter Hester is forced to wear upon her bosom is a punishment unbearable at times. It is a constant reminder of her sin and mark of shame for the entire world to see. It burns in her soul and brands her heart. When strang...