We are all sinners. Even though one can do everything not to sin, all human beings succumb to sin sooner or later. While people may not be able to avoid the fate that awaits them, the power of free will allows them to decide how to respond to sin. While some may respond with guilt and remorse, others may respond with a sense of redemption and a renewed sense of responsibility. Nathanial Hawthorne, a 19th century American author, witnessed the power of sin to devastate not just an individual but an entire community. His novel The Scarlet Letter expresses this very idea by exposing the follies of humanity and the potentially harmful effects of sin through Hester Prynne, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth, all of whom are affected by sin in different ways. Using powerful symbols and light/dark imagery, Hawthorne conveys to readers, through these characters, the power of how one's response to sin can positively change an individual or gradually destroy them by spreading like a contagious disease and ultimately consuming the victim. Through Hester and the symbol of the scarlet letter, Hawthorne reveals how sin can be used to change a person for the better, allowing for responsibility, forgiveness, and a renewed sense of pride. In a Puritan society that strongly condemns adultery one would expect Hester to leave society and never return, but this does not happen. Instead, Hester says, “Here…had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment; and so, perhaps, the torture of his daily shame would finally purify his soul and obtain another purity than the one he had lost; holier, because it is the fruit of martyrdom." He...middle of the card...to represent through Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, that without accountability for wrongdoing our world will ultimately be destroyed just like these two individuals. However, Hawthorne, through the portrayal of Hester, demonstrates that he has not given up on humanity. If we want our world to survive for future generations, it must model itself on Hester's behavior. Yes, sin is inevitable, but we must learn to respond to it with responsibility, forgiveness, and redemption rather than guilt, vengeance, and uncertainty. More importantly, we must learn to remain honest and sincere in whatever action we take because ultimately only God will have the power to grant us ultimate forgiveness by saving us or condemning us to Hell. Work cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Scarlet Letter." The Tales of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Ed. James McIntosh. New York: Norton, 1987.