scarlet letter- guilty heart

A great deal of blood has been shed and many wars have been fought during the history of civilization; however, man's greatest battle and most formidable enemy is only himself. Humans like to think of themselves as faultless, but sin is inevitable. Mankind is a sinful race; therefore, everyone has sinned. This has been made only more evident with the passing of time and the development of the human character. Not every person has the …

…proved to be an effective character in illustrating the theme of conscience and redemption through truth. Through Arthur's change from merely feeling the pains of his human weakness while being interviewed, to his attempts at relieving his pain through scourging, fasting, and vigils, to his ultimate acceptance of the truth at the final scaffold scene, Nathaniel Hawthorne succeeds in showing that redemption can be achieved through truth alone. Complete atonement comes only with complete truth.