the Puritan society's strict social norms and harsh punishment for those who deviate from them. Hester is punished for committing adultery, Arthur (also known as Dimmesdale) is punished for being complicit in the act, and Pearl is punished for being the product of the sin. All three characters are ostracized and forced to bear visible marks of shame: Hester with the scarlet letter "A" on her dress, Dimmesdale with his guilt and eventual physical deterioration, and Pearl with her status as a social outcast. Despite their suffering, the characters all find ways to transcend their societal burdens and experience moments of autonomy and self-discovery.