The Scarlet Letter Tolerance of SinThe Scarlet Letter There are changes constantly occurring in our society, in many different ways. We see these changes through religion, politics and family. In the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, a Puritan woman named Hester Prynne is condemned and ridiculed for committing the sin of adultery. The situation with Hester in this novel is not relevant to today's society due to the acceptance and tolerance of sin in contrast to Puritan times. The common people of the Puritan society in which Hester resides consider her an outcast and a disappointment to their community. Hester is ostracized by the district and decides to move to a cottage by the sea. Today's society is much more open and capable of overlooking the sins of the past. In much the same situation as Hester, one would receive support from her family. The government takes this information into account and today does not provide any formal punishment for such a sin. Considering the decision whether to sentence Hester Prynne, one woman from the self-appointed judges was outraged. “This woman has brought shame to all of us and should die. Isn't there a law for this? In truth it is there, both in the Scriptures and in the statutes. Then the magistrates, who have done nothing, thank themselves if their wives and daughters go astray! [sl02.html#g07].This occurred in the novel, and Hester was later tried and convicted of adultery, for which she served a three-year sentence. This would not happen in today's society, but the woman would instead have some big decisions to make. There are many possibilities that come into play such as abortion and adoption that all young mothers need to consider. This decision may be influenced by the authority in terms of the best interests of the mother and child. However, in most cases, the government does not forcefully determine the child's fate. Hester Prynne was a Puritan woman, but was forced away from the group when news of her sin reached the common people. He was a member of “as became a people among whom religion and law were almost identical…that the mildest and most severe acts of public discipline should be equally rendered venerable and terrible” [sl02.