Scarlett Letter - Repentance

Laws and regulations in the mid 1600?s were greatly influenced by beliefs and philosophies of the Puritan religion. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne attempts to convince the reader of the superiority of repentance in dealing with sin. The humiliations and punishment endured by Hester, the protagonist, is often cited as a classic victim of overzealous, Puritanical punishment. Rather, the underlying theme actually expresses the notion that public repentance and acknowledgment of sin …

…humiliation of a young sinner. A more in-depth analysis reveals, however, that this process of public repentance, seemingly devoid of mercy, actually allows the sinner the opportunity to deal with the situation head on, suffer the consequences, and get on with rebuilding his or her life. Through his illustrations Hawthorne reinforces the idea that confession is good for the soul. Repentance must be done willingly and a confession cannot be made to one?s self.