The Scarlett Letter Sin and Atonement
Sin and Atonement
Sin: to violate a divine law by transgression or neglect. Atone: to make up for
deficiencies. Hawthorne uses these two themes to compare and contrast two different
characters, Hester Prynne and Mr. Dimmesdale. Although both Hester and Mr.
Dimmesdale drank from the same cup of sin, only one sinner has properly atoned for
themselves. Hesters atonement is carried out daily in public, before God and the people,
while Dimmesdales “ Atonement” is carried out occasionally in the privacy of his own
home. Hester’s original sin is being seduced by Mr. Dimmesdale, and succumbing to
the desire of the flesh. While still in prison, Hester is being scolded by a Physician, “ I
ask not wherefore, nor how, thou hast fallen into the pit, or say, ascended to the pedestal
of infamy, on which I found thee. The reason is not far to seek. (77). Here the Physician
( Hesters Husband) is addressing the sin that Hester has committed ,he is making her
aware that it is obvious to see which sin she has fallen victim to, and that he is disgusted
by it. Adultery being Hester’s obvious sin not the only transgression Hester is morally
charged of. When Hester is questioned about the father of her child, she says, “I will not
speak!”(90). Deceit is also one of Hesters dirty habits. By not giving up the name of her
fellow-sinner, Hester is being a liar. Hester might see it as being merciful, but if it is not
the truth it is a lie.
Dimmesdale is guilty of coveting his neighbors wife, and adultery. Speaking to
Hester in the scaffold he says, “… Be not silent from and mistaken pity and tenderness
for him; for believe me…though he were to step down from beside thee from a high
place…” (70). The man Dimmesdale is speaking of is himself, he is telling Hester that
she should not feel sorry for him because he is just a guilty as she is, and by not
confessing to the people she
Sin: to violate a divine law by transgression or neglect. Atone: to make up for
deficiencies. Hawthorne uses these two themes to compare and contrast two different
characters, Hester Prynne and Mr. Dimmesdale. Although both Hester and Mr.
Dimmesdale drank from the same cup of sin, only one sinner has properly atoned for
themselves. Hesters atonement is carried out daily in public, before God and the people,
while Dimmesdales “ Atonement” is carried out occasionally in the privacy of his own
home. Hester’s original sin is being seduced by Mr. Dimmesdale, and succumbing to
the desire of the flesh. While still in prison, Hester is being scolded by a Physician, “ I
ask not wherefore, nor how, thou hast fallen into the pit, or say, ascended to the pedestal
of infamy, on which I found thee. The reason is not far to seek. (77). Here the Physician
( Hesters Husband) is addressing the sin that Hester has committed ,he is making her
aware that it is obvious to see which sin she has fallen victim to, and that he is disgusted
by it. Adultery being Hester’s obvious sin not the only transgression Hester is morally
charged of. When Hester is questioned about the father of her child, she says, “I will not
speak!”(90). Deceit is also one of Hesters dirty habits. By not giving up the name of her
fellow-sinner, Hester is being a liar. Hester might see it as being merciful, but if it is not
the truth it is a lie.
Dimmesdale is guilty of coveting his neighbors wife, and adultery. Speaking to
Hester in the scaffold he says, “… Be not silent from and mistaken pity and tenderness
for him; for believe me…though he were to step down from beside thee from a high
place…” (70). The man Dimmesdale is speaking of is himself, he is telling Hester that
she should not feel sorry for him because he is just a guilty as she is, and by not
confessing to the people she