How Hester has changed

Hester was an outcast. She committed adultery and was forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her clothes for the rest of her life. She was not a particularly "bad" person, but the one bad decision that she made in her life has branded her forever. Hester lives in a cottage on the outskirts of town because she feels that she doesn't deserve to be a part of the town and the ridicule from the townspeople is too much for her to bare. As the story continues, we see that the townspeople are changing their minds about Hester and she is beginning to became a part of society again. She soon is not seen as an outcast but as a member of the community. Hester proves to be helpful and very gracious as she helps people throughout the community, offering her services whenever possible.