Nathaniel Hawthorne is an author that most certainly did not belong in the "Puritan Age," but rather in the "Transcendentalist" time period. Hawthorne wrote "the Scarlet Letter" as an allegory to ask the question, "What is sin?" Hawthorne's main focus of writing "The Scarlet Letter" as an allegory was to point out that the puritans were so focussed on sin and what people did wrong that they lost sight of how to atone for that sin. Because of the novels allegorical nature, Hawthorne develops three distinct "A's" each pertaining to a different character. The society places a very obvious "A" on Hester, Pearl becomes the scarlet letter, and Dimmesdale has a mysterious "A" upon his chest representing his guilt. In "The Scarlet Letter," Hawthorne carefully interweaves the letter "A" with Hester's unparalleled pride, the physical and symbolic value of Pearl, and Dimmesdale's mental and physical atrophy as a result of his guilt.
             Hester Prynne indubitably stands out in the community on many levels. The puritan community in "The Scarlet Letter" believed that making Hester wear the scarlet letter "A" on her chest would be a punishment for her sin. The letter is the physical manifestation of her adulterous sin, and upon seeing Hester, the community only sees a "sinner." Hawthorne wrote in chapter two, in regards to Hester, "The unhappy culprit sustained herself as best a woman might, under the heavy weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes, all fastened upon her, and concentrated at her bosom." He describes Hester as "sustaining herself," proving that even in a time of intense scrutiny, she retains a unique self-composure. With all the public humiliation Hester faced daily, she could've completely left the city and disowned Pearl, but instead she makes the choice...