1) Hester Prynne's scarlet letter "A" is a symbol of her pride as she refuses to reveal the name of her partner in sin. She wears the letter with her head held high. 2) Reverend Dimmesdale is too proud to admit his role in Hester's sin and keeps his own guilt a secret, allowing his health to deteriorate from the psychological toll. 3) The Puritan community is proud of its moral purity and harshly punishes Hester to set an example, though many of them have secrets and sins of their own.