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Unending Effects of Sin Threads are rather insignificant by themselves. It is when a weaver connects them together that they form a beautiful tapestry. Each thread then contributes to the quality of the tapestry and is bound together by the common picture that is formed. In a work of literature, each thread is an idea and the common picture is a theme. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, each thread is an ironic element of setting, and together, they demonstrate people's tendency to seek shelter from, instead of in, society. Vivid yet ironic descriptions are used by Hawthorne, just as a weaver uses bright threads to draw more attention to the finer points of the work. The past always comes back to haunt us in our lives. A Puritan society is highly based upon a person’s reputation. Without an honorable reputation a person is not worthy of respect from others in that society. Characters in this novel go through their lives struggling with themselves trying to cope with the guilt and shame associated with their past actions. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, The Scarlet Letter, he shows the lasting effect that sin has on Hester and Dimmesdale. Hester Prynne’s guilt is the result of her committing adultery, which in