In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne focuses on the effects of sin on one's life. He compares the effects of secret sin and sin that manifests itself in the open. It also takes note of the physical and emotional effects that accompany sin. Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth each have sins that they must face. Hester committed adultery while her husband was away. When the townspeople find out about it when they see her pregnant, she is placed on a scaffold in front of the town so that everyone can see her and her sin. She also receives a red "A" which she will have to wear for the rest of her life. Arthur Dimmsdale, the man Hester cheated with, also does not reveal his sin to the community even though he is the minister of the Church and is admired by the people. Roger Chillingworth, Hester's husband, seeks obsessive anger and revenge towards Dimmesdale and dedicates his entire life to ruining Dimmesdale's life. Hawthorne shows through Hester, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth that sin must be confessed in order for anyone to have the peace found in redemption. Hester Prynne has no choice in how to deal with her sin. The townspeople put her on the scaffold to make an example of her, but they did not make Hester confess. When she got out of prison, she was beautiful and brave, sporting the A that would become a part of her. She didn't try to hide her letter or make it small, but rather she embraced her sin and made it beautiful. Hawthorne illustrates the impact the letter had on the townspeople by saying: "The men and women who knew Hester Prynne familiarly were now in awe as if they were seeing her for the first time - was it the Scarlet Letter , so far... ... middle of paper ......lp Dimmesdale by moving in with him. Chillingworth's goal is to get inside the mind and skin of Dimmesdale. Chillingworth becomes increasingly uglier and grotesque as the novel progresses because his outward appearance reflects his inner hatred, anger, and jealousy toward Dimmesdale. Nathaniel Hawthorne believes that the only way to have inner peace is to confess your sins and do it. ability to move on from the past. Hester became beautiful because she made the decision to let go of her past. Dimmesdale, however; refuses to admit until the very end of his life when he had nothing left to lose, making his confession less authentic and sincere. This made him weak and emaciated, externally and internally. Chillingworth never forgave Dimmesdale and this caused him to seek revenge and anger instead of the peace that comes from confession..