Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter began with a whole big scene where the town magistrates displayed Hester and Pearl on the scaffold for hours. Then they ordered Hester to wear the scarlet "A" for the rest of her life. At the beginning, I thought the whole book would be about adultry and Hester raising Pearl singly and the troubles she goes through. As we read deeper into the book though, everything became more about how a single sin can affect so many. There is Pearl, who doesn't have a father. She believes she came from a rose bush. And she has a harder time growing up, because all the other people in Boston, specifically kids, tease her. Then, there is Hester's husband, Chillingworth. He seems to be hurt, but he is also realizing how it is his fault. He comes to terms with the fact that Hester is much younger than him, and very beautiful. He is the one who sent her to be alone. He realizes this at the beginning, but still goes through the whole book trying to learn who the other man is. When he finds out, he does nothing. He pretends like he doesn't know. He has all the control over the lover's life pretty much. As for the lover, Dimmesdale, he is suffering but also surviving well. His reputation as a good, pure minister strengthens throughout the book. The town's people believe he is giving his strongest sermons yet, and he is the best minister in Boston. That is on the exterior. Then, on the inside he is basically dying. His sin, because he won't confess, is taking over him. He is becoming more and more weak, and is leaving Hester to get all the shame put on her. He is too much of a coward to reveal he was the lover. So basically, the whole story talks about how the affects of Hester and Dimmesdale's affair on not only them and their love, but also on their child and Hester's husband.