In an introductory paragraph to the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Perkins and Perkins state that “Hawthorne elevated some of the darkest events of the colonial period and transformed them into universal and questions” (Perkins 433). One of these themes is that of the punishment of sin. In Romans 6:23, Paul says that “the wages of sin is death,” and Hawthorne seems to share this view, or at least a version of it. This view is prevalent in his novel The Scarlet Letter. In it, the punishment for the sin of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale is a disfigured and unnatural family. Dimmesdale, the "father" of this family steps away from his patriarchal duties and stands by as he lets Hester do all the work regarding Pearl. . First of all, Dimmesdale is absent for much of Pearl's life. He is present in the city but almost never sees Pearl, even though she is his daughter. He says that Pearl has only shown him kindness "twice in her short life" (Hawthorne ch.19). Out of seven full years, Dimmesdale and Pearl only shared two significant moments together. Dimmesdale has obviously avoided his duties as a father to Pearl. Even if she is illegitimate, it is his responsibility to help her grow. He also doesn't have to deal directly with Pearl when she acts like a crazed animal. She begs Hester to calm her down, telling Hester to “pacify her,” by all means to show him “if you love me!” (Hawthorne ch. 19). Hawthorne uses specific imagery through his characters' words to show how much Dimmesdale is drifting away from his responsibilities as a father. As a father, Dimmesdale is expected to raise his son to be a contributing member of Massachusetts Puritan society. Instead of doing this, Dimmesd...... middle of paper......, but this is exactly what Pearl does with both Hester and Dimmesdale. Clearly, during the forest scene, Hawthorne is giving the reader a sense of how unnatural this family born from a single adulterous act is. It sheds light on Hawthorne's romantic visions because it shows how an unnatural family is detestable. In a much broader sense, it offers the reader a glimpse into Hawthorne's personal theology. He firmly believes in the serious consequences of sin and demonstrates this in his novel. Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. 1850. New York: Bantam Dell, 2003. PrintPerkins, George and Barbara Perkins. "Nathaniel Hawthorne." The American tradition in literature. Ed. Perkins and Perkins. 12th ed. Concise ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2007. 433-36. Print.The Holy Bible: new international version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1996. Print.