Alone in the New World without her husband, Hester falls into the trap of adultery with Reverend Dimmesdale. Committing such an awful sin leaves severe consequences for her life. Labeled as a sinner by the community, she is forced to wear the Scarlet Letter A on her chest for the rest of her life to take her "out of the ordinary relations with humanity and [encloses] her in a sphere by herself" (pg 61). She lives alone with her daughter "on the outskirts of town" in "a small thatched cottage" (pg 84). Hester tries to bring up her child as normally as possible but guilt continues to shadow her. Although she tries to raise Pearl as best she can, she finds her guilt too bearing as she is unable to tell her what it truly stands for, even when the sunlight runs away from her. However, while most would fall to the forces of evil, Hester remains poised and is able to live her life and wear her Scarlet A with pride. She never succumbs to the pressures of society and lives out her life for the good of the community. Hester is full of helpfulness with "so much power to do and power to sympathize- that many people" interpret the Scarlet A as "Able" (pg 156). The townspeople bring "all their sorrows and perplexities and besought her counsel, as one who had herself gone through a mighty trouble" up until her death (pg 244). .
The character who suffers most from his guilt but uses it for good in the community is Reverend Dimmesdale. Although the source of guilt is similar to Hester's, the effects are far more severe. Unlike Hester's sin being revealed to all, Dimmesdale's identity, as her partner in sin was not made public. He could not find the strength to reveal his sin to his congregation because as a minister, he did not know how to. He calls himself "the worst of sinners, and abomination, a thing of unimaginable iniquity", yet the congregations only "reverence him the more" (pg 140). This guilt was ever lasting for the Reverend as he carved an A on his chest, fasted, lashed himself, and held all night vigils.
