The Message of The Scarlet LetterNathaniel Hawthorne, a critically acclaimed 19th-century American writer, was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804. The book by the novelist, The Scarlet Letter, is said to be his best work and universally regarded as a literary classic. Concerned with sin and the consequences of dealing with it, Hawthorne's work relates to his own sense of shame over his ancestor's persecutory role in the 17th-century Salem witch trials. By indirectly addressing his feelings of guilt through fictional circumstances, he shows his view as being very critical of the Puritans while teaching a strong moral lesson in the process. Graduating in the middle of his class from Bowdain College in 1825, he wrote a variety of short stories, short stories, and articles. Typically, his writings contained powerful symbolic and psychological aspects about “the effects of pride, guilt, sin, and secrecy” (Encarta, 1997). Although many moral lessons are covered in the book, the most significant thesis demonstrated by Hawthorne was that salvation can only be earned by being open and true to who you are. Using excellent characterization, description, and expression, he develops his thesis by showing the consequences of hiding sin, like Arthur Dimmesdale, and publicly acknowledging it, like Hester Prynne. Through Hester's daily struggle against her public punishment for wearing a scarlet letter A on her clothing to remind her and everyone in the Puritan community of her adultery, she learns to face and triumph over her sin against humanity. On the other hand, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's equally guilty partner in crime, refuses within himself to publicly confess his sin until the end of the novel, when he dies shortly thereafter. Thus, Hawthorne sums up the late importance of being honest about oneself in his quote: “Be true! Be real! Freely show to the world, if not your worst, at least a trait by which the worst can be deduced, (236)! » The author's overall presentation is very clear as the emphasis is on his main point of truth, the liberation of people. It draws the reader into the action and allows them to live with the characters, while teaching them a valuable lesson about overcoming life's obstacles. The style of his writing is very symbolic, descriptive and detailed. He creates very vivid images of history through elaborate adjectives.