Nathaniel Hawthorn's novel "The Scarlet Letter" is the tale of Hester Prynne, an adulteress who is part of a Puritan community in Boston, Massachusetts. When the community hears that Hester is an adulteress, they shun her from society and do not give her a chance to explain herself. As a result of the way that Hester is treated, the other people involved with Hester's sin are apprehensive to admit their wrong doings, which causes Hester to take full responsibility for the birth of Pearl. In addition to these issues, Hester is forced to raise a daughter who grows up dealing with the consequences of her own sin. Despite all of this, Hester remains a protagonist. Due to the beliefs and actions of the Puritan Society, life is made difficult for Hester, which clearly makes the Puritan society the antagonist.
             Very few people support Hester through this difficult period in her life, therefore she is never given a chance to explain herself to most of society. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet letter on her chest at all times, which is not to be covered up by anything else. The Puritans have a way of antagonizing Hester without speaking to her. They are able to fill their surroundings with tension by simply displaying a look on their face. For example, in the first scaffold scene, the crowd immediately begins to talk about her because she is wearing the scarlet letter. Children make taunting remarks, but the adults seem to stare in disgrace. The women in the crowd appear to be disgusted because of the decorations on the embroidered letter. These comments and expressions of disgust are made before Hester speaks a word. The Puritans make Hester feel extremely uncomfortable while she is standing on the scaffold.
             The Puritan community shuns Hester from society. When Hester walks down the street, people turn the other way or walk as far away from her as possible. To the community, it is wrong to be seen with Hester because accord...