This woman was belittled for a sin she had committed; adultery. This act, instead of tearing her down, sparked a flame in her. This was the beginning of Protofeminism in The Scarlet Letter. Hester Prynne faced sexist acts from many influential people in her town which lit a fire inside of her, and inspired her to become a strong, feminist woman. The Scarlet Letterwas a sign of strength and resilience to Hester, no longer a humiliating symbol of sin.