The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible are two great works of literature that share a common theme with one another. The Scarlet Letter, a novel, was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and The Crucible, a play, was written by Arthur Miller. The Scarlet Letter is about a woman named Hester Prynne who commits adultery with the minister, Rev. Arthur Dimmsdale, and how they both are forced to live with their mistake. Because of this act committed between the two characters, Hester conceived an illegitimate child. The Crucible gives detailed recounts of the Salem Witch Trials and the effects it had on the people of that time. The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible have many similarities and differences. Both of these works, however, are tied together with one theme, the effect of sin on man.
             In The Scarlet Letter and The Crucible, the effect of sins on man is very evident. In both pieces of literature, two characters are strengthened by the confession of their sins. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery with Rev. Dimmsdale and together they have a child named Pearl. Since Hester commits this sin, she is forced to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her bosom for the rest of her life and is placed upon the scaffold for public humiliation. The letter "A" stands for "adultery" and it constantly reminds everyone of her sin. Over time, however, Hester's "A" starts to be looked at as meaning "ability", rather than "adultery." The townspeople change their thoughts about Hester because she learns to cope with her sin and is able to benefit and grow from it. In The Crucible, John Proctor commits adultery on his wife, Elizabeth Proctor, with Abigail Williams. John and Abigail's relationship is only a "fling" because once the act is done, John realizes what he has done is wrong. John does not want the relationship between him and Abigail to go any furth...