Nathaniel Hawthorne frequently explored the theme of sin in his writing, drawing from his Puritan ancestry. He portrayed sin and its effects in works like The Scarlet Letter through characters like Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale who commit adultery. Other works like The Minister's Black Veil and Young Goodman Brown also dealt with themes of secret sin and humanity's capacity for evil. Hawthorne believed that the greatest sin was separating intellect from humanity, as shown through characters who let vengeance and sinful impulses overtake them.