Corruption Of Sin

Actions committed within the world always have an impact upon life, no matter how seemingly extraordinary or insignificant. The decision to perform these actions is determined by the conscience, the overseer of what is right and wrong, within the mind. Everyday actions are performed by mankind and are interpreted as either righteous or heinous, more often than not falling towards the latter. Mankind is born with an inherent inclination towards this wrongdoing and sin. Sinful actions made every day in society constitute human nature and despite a lack of dependency for primal impulse, it inevitably holds control. Sin continually follows man and once committed must be acknowledged. This unavoidable nature of sin is suggested by Nathaniel Hawthorne in The Scarlet Letter; although its corruptive effects may be circumvented. Sin is unavoidable due to how it is human nature. As Hester is talking to Roger Chillingworth, Pearl goes off by the shore, showing "dexterity" at pelting small sea fowl, later making her own letter ‘A’ out of eel grass, but "freshly green instead of scarlet" (Hawthorne 173-74). The fact that Pearl makes her own letter A represents how she is corrupt with sin. The letter is held in society as a mark to illustrate sin, revealing how Pearl is evil in her very nature due to how she makes it instinctively. Not only this, but the fact that Pearl naturally ventures forth to cause sin by pelting small birds reveals how sin is instinctual by being performed with ease by someone as young as Pearl. This is also demonstrated by how Pearl creates this new letter out of grass, indicating that the scarlet letter, which is symbolic of sin, occurs naturally in the world as well as human beings. Sin is the product of nature, similarly expressed as human action in its most fundamental form. After Reverend Dimmesdale returns from the "primeval" forest, he gains "wild, wicked impulses", wishing to plant a "germ of evil" in his kind and righteous young follower, something of a "total change in dynasty" (Hawthorne 213). The fact that the forest is primeval causes it to be representative of basic human nature, or man at the most fundamental level. Dimmesdale returning from the forest represents his returns from the basic nature of man. The contemplation of sin in his return gives one reason to believe that this basic level of man corrupts due to how it contains nothing more than impulsive and sinful intuition. Additionally, his role as a minister, which is to be against these new feelings and sin, demonstrates that not even a community may completely suppress sin at its most fundamental level. Sin is also expressed as human nature through the symbolism of roses. In the …show more content…
After the death of Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth, the one who continually violates Dimmesdale and thus "the sanctity of the human heart", "[shrivels] away" when there is "no more Devil 's work for him to do" (Hawthorne 191, 254-55). The fact that Chillingworth shrivels after the death of Dimmesdale causes him to represent sin and the devil itself because he does not die as a human does. Roger effectively feeds off of the pain and torture of the heart, becoming corrupt with evil due to his resistance to show repentance for his sin. His continual feeding off of others is a sin in itself due to how it narrows the heart and thus the potential of others to seek their own path through sin. Although corruption may result from a lack of repentance, it is possible to be avoided. After Hester returns to New England, the place of her future "penitence", she holds "reverence" and resumes the scarlet letter, believing that the truth will be revealed at "some brighter period" (Hawthorne 257-58). Hester holds a higher knowledge as a result of her ignominy and sin. She has experienced the corruption of sin within society regardless of its attempted oppression, and this reverence is her knowledge of its inevitability. The fact that Hester is to repent causes one to believe that she is to feel sorrow for the inevitable condition of humanity to sin, an action that may destroy one. She holds hope for a brighter period, revealing how society may only evolve to learn and realize this inevitability, also evident by her resuming her letter, something that no one may be freed