The Scarlet Letter During the novel, ‘The Scarlet Letter’, three characters, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Mistress Hester Prynne, and Roger Chillingworth, of 17th century Puritan Massachusetts were tortured by moral conflicts dwelling within each one. The story begins as Hester Prynne is standing on the scaffold in the town. In her arms is her child, Pearl, and on her chest is an embroidered letter, “A”. While Hester’s husband was supposedly out at sea, Hester had …showed first 75 words of 952 total…

…showed last 75 words of 952 total…all meaning in life. He then dies a few years later and leaves all of his wealth to Pearl. The three characters all lived their lives in guilt and shame. I think that if this story would have taken place in modern times, the characters may have felt some guilt towards the subject, but it is more common now and there is more of a chance that it wouldn’t be a very big dilemma.