Settings often hold enormous roles in shaping a story. Whether it was a horror, a romance, a science fiction or a drama, settings affect how the characters emotionally felt, acted and thought throughout a novel. The places where the story revolved around revealed weaknesses, strengths, flaws and venerability within each individual character. In the novel The Scarlet Letter, there were three major settings that had a tremendous effect on the plot and characters. The story …showed first 75 words of 1008 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1008 total…the story progressed. Without a setting, it would simply be harder to understand the true meaning the author was trying to imply of each character and the plot. With a setting, characters could be much more symbolic, and events could take on a larger significance. Overall, the plot of the novel was greatly affected by Hester's isolation from the community, the safe haven forest for Hester and Arthur, and most importantly, the harsh Puritan community.