I. Puritan New England was a place filled with strict laws and an unbreakable moral code.
             A. Hester and Dimmesdale's secret passion is an example of rebellion to this moral code.
             1. Hester and Dimmesdale are lovers in their own eyes, but in the eyes of the townspeople they are criminals.
             a. Adultery was not taken lightly and their passion was a violation of the Puritan civil code.
             2. Hester and Dimmesdale break the moral code once again by withholding information in the eyes of god.
             B. Modern day examples of moral law breaking occur daily in our society.
             1. Certain impulses cannot be denied by any law. This passion for something is part of the human nature. Solicitation of prostitutes is one example of something that takes place but is morally wrong.
             The scarlet letter "A", which symbolizes Hester's adultery, is meant to be a symbol of shame, but it latter becomes part of Hester's identity. The scarlet letter causes agony for Hester by forcing her into isolation and causes illness for Dimmesdale due to his hidden guilt. As time passes the letter becomes insignificant to Hester, but for Dimmesdale the letter causes his demise. The letter only functions as a reminder of Hester's affair with Dimmesdale, but when compared to Pearl the letter seems insignificant. The community's punishment of Hester is ultimately meaningless, because Pearl is a gift from God that overrules any punishment. This brings up Pearl's role as a symbol in the novel. Pearl is a living representation of the scarlet letter that plagues her mother. She represents the consequences of sin, while symbolizing defiance of the scarlet letter in her crimson dresses and bright green "scarlet letter." Pearl's mere existence gives Hester a reason to live and boost her sprits when they are low. Dimmesdale on the other hand is unable to benefit from Pearl's soothing presence...