Another one of Hawthorne�s themes is that Society and Individuality are often conflicting. In many of his writings there is a clear struggle in the characters of whether to conform to society and their demands or be an individual. Hester Prynne is one of the best examples of this struggle. The scarlet letter that she wears separates her from the rest of society; it is her mark of shame. However, in deciding to wear it she shows a sense of conformity to society. This is her punishment which she chooses to accept. Instead of migrating to another land Hester decides to remain where she is. Even when the town officials decide to allow her to remove the letter Hester still refuses. However, although she originally wears the letter to appease society, it reaches a point were the scarlet letter identifies her as an individual. It is not exactly that she is proud of the letter but rather that she has grown to accept it. Whether it is her fate to live alienated from society or not Hester decides to wear the scarlet letter out of her own free will. The letter separates her from every other women and it gives her a sense of superiority because only she had the courage to wear her mark openly. Others, such as Dimmesdale, admire her courage and determination but prefer to hide their sin while being consumed by guilt.
Hawthorne often sets many of his stories in a Puritan society and at the same time portrays the theme that Puritan society is often hypocritical. For instance in �Young Goodman Brown� the speaker is surprised to find that the elders of town and many leaders of the church actually have hidden personalities that have been dedicated to the devil. Also in The Scarlet Letter respectable members of the community judge Hester for her crime when they have also committed sins of equal measure. They publicly expose and punish her sin when they drag her �out into the sunshine� and force her to show her �scarlet letter in the marketplace.� The difference between Hester and them is that her crime is illustrated in her daughter Pearl. Others like Reverend Dimmesdale prefer to hide their sin as long as they do not stain their reputation.
Last, Hawthorne plays with the idea that one is not truly free until he goes outside the realms of society. The theme that outside of society is where true freedom is found is portrayed in The Scarlet Letter. Hester is able to be herself in the woods, far from the town. Among society Hester is judged by the rules of man, but in the wilderness those rules do not apply. Her true character is able to run freely. It is in the forest that Hester and Dimmesdale meet and once again talk about love as if all those years had not passed. Hester�s cottage is between these two forces, she lives close enough to town to feels its pressures and prejudice, but because she lives on the edge of the forest she is also able to escape civilization.