It's something that has been said forever by well-meaning parents and high school counselors and in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the Author reiterates this advice to both characters and readers: “Be real!” From the surface level, almost none of the characters followed the simple suggestion offered by Hawthorne, otherwise the entire conflict of the novel could have been avoided. Chillingworth, the avenger, was unwilling to reveal even his true name and intentions, and Dimmesdale, the sentimental and trusted pastor, was unable to reveal his dark secret. There remains Hester. At first, she was forced to not only be true to herself and the entire city, but also to evolve emotionally and mentally. She had found her identity in the novel the day she stood on that scaffold. If given the choice, Hester would have preferred to bear the mark of shame rather than not, because the letter had transformed her into who she is. The blood-red letter may not be pretty, but it's immensely better than living a lie. Digging a little deeper into the novel, it is clear that Hester is the only true one in the entire book, both to herself and to society. Hester and Hester alone had the courage to do what was right by showing who she really was. She let the events of the novel shape her like a ball of clay into the person she would become, instead of controlling the events or resisting change. Although many might say that she didn't learn her lesson by wanting to run away with Dimmesdale, she had in fact learned her lesson thoroughly and by admitting her love, she didn't make the same mistake a second time . The main difference between Hester and all the other main characters in The Scarlet Letter is that she had nothing to hide. These circumstances allowed her to find the courage to show who she really was. When Hester was forced to mount the scaffold in plain sight, she made no effort to hide the mark of sin on her chest with the very object produced by it. She's true to herself and the city for not trying to hide who she is, and for lack of a better metaphor, she literally wore her heart on her sleeve. After Hester's brief imprisonment, she considers leaving town but decides against it..