human nature's view of reputation in the scarlet letter

The Scarlet Letter initially shows the power of reputation: it is human nature for a group to pull together and shun a person who is labelled an outcast. This is what happens to Hester at first. Whoever came up with the idea of shaming her for her adultery by forcing her always to wear a piece of clothing that sets her apart--in this case the scarlet letter--had a good understanding of human nature.
People initially judge Hester by her scarlet letter. However, rather than leaving her community in shame, she lives there, determined to be purified through doing penance. She is gradually able to regain a place in her society though her sober living as a seamstress and her good behavior.
Hester shows that a person of very strong character who persistently does good deeds and acts in a consistent manner can repair a tattered reputation. Though poor herself, Hester helps the poor. People begin to notice that she has the "power to do, and power to sympathize." By the end of the novel, her upright behavior has changed the meaning of her scarlet letter from adulterous to able. She is seen by many as an able do-gooder, and not a fallen woman.