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Home > The Scarlet Letter Summary & Study Guide > Essays and Criticism > What is Sin? The Art of Forgiveness in The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter | What is Sin? The Art of Forgiveness in The Scarlet Letter

An in-depth examination by J. Kersh of the concept of sin in The Scarlet Letter, with numerous concrete examples of both sin and forgiveness in the characters of Hester, Dimmesdale, and others.

The Puritans whose world was disrupted by Hester Prinn’s presence and actions have an extremely orthodox, structured view of sin. To them, a sin is a simple refusal to follow their laws, which they claim are supported by Biblical truth. Apparently, sin is also permanent; the red letter A Hester is forced to wear as a result of her adulterous affair and the child that results from it guaranteed that her sin would never be forgotten, or forgiven. But forgiveness, in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s view, can be found elsewhere. By standing up to her situation, facing her sin, and...

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