The point Hawthorne is making is that our past actions inevitably shape our lives and by the signs of those actions- be they medals or badges of infamy- which we wear. Symbols like the scarlet letter shape our perceptions and our temperaments. They determine the type of individuals we grow to be. Hawthorne describes the purpose of the novel when he says “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” The theme is beneficial because it can be put into terms in today’s world. The Scarlet Letter is one of the few books that will be timeless, because it deals with alienation, sin, punishment, and guilt, or the emotions that will continue to be felt by every generation hereafter.