must take responsibility for her actions. The effect of her punishment however is not what the Puritans had hoped to achieve. Hester's sin has grown from that of passion to one of purpose. Even with Hester's sympathetic attitude, she was not filled with regret and therefore the letter had not done its task (Martin 122).
             To the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, the scarlet letter contains a whole new meaning. He views the letter as a constant reminder of his sin and cowardice. His guilt continues to grow as a result of his not being able to come forth in front of the community and take responsibility for his actions. His guilt and sin become magnified by his inability to stand beside Hester at the s
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