The Scarlet Letter: Moral and Social Themes In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many moral and social themes developed in the novel. Each theme is very important to the overall effect of the novel. At its core, The Scarlet Letter is a story of sin, punishment, and the importance of truth. A theme that plays an important role in The Scarlet Letter is that of sin and its effects. Throughout the novel there are many sins committed by various characters. The effects of these sins are different in each character, and each character was punished in a unique way. Two characters were perfect examples of this theme in the novel. Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale demonstrated the theme of the effects of sin best. One character who demonstrated the effects of sin was Hester Prynne. Hester Prynne commits adultery with Reverend Dimmesdale. Since this act resulted in a child, she was unable to hide her guilt while Dimmesdale's similar sin went unnoticed. Her punishment for her crime was to spend a few hours on the gallows facing public humiliation, and she was forced to wear the letter "A" on her clothes for the rest of her life. Hester's punishment for her sin was notable for the fact that the results of her actions were mostly external. Hawthorne describes what Hester's punishment was like when he states, “In all her dealings with society, however, there was nothing to make her feel as if she belonged to it. Every gesture, every word and even the silence of those with whom she came in contact implied, and often expressed, that she had been banished. "(p.44) Although Hester was somewhat emotionally damaged by the public humiliation and alienation, Hester was actually internally content with the fact that she was paying for her crime. The consequences Hester faced for her actions were the result of his admission of guilt. This proved to be much less harsh than the internal punishment that Dimmesdale faced. The difference between Dimmesdale and Hester was that Dimmesdale was not publicly punished for his crime while Hester was because of this, Dimmesdale felt extremely guilty and withered away. his soul.