【Abstract】Many classical novels have been adapted to movies. Directors scriptwriters not only keep the authenticity intact， but also try their best to add some imagination to films， which can make protagonists attractive and impressive. This paper take The Scarlet Letter and the movie The Scarlet Letter as example， analyses the difference between them. 
　　【Key words】The Scarlet Letter； movie； difference 
　　The difference between the novel and the movie 
　　The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a tragedy. The movie was directed by Loran Yoffie in 1995. In the novel Hawthorne adapted multiple perspectives to narrate story. While the director in the movie added voiceover， pearl， to explain some plot and supplemented sensual shots to improve sensual pleasures. such as Hester’ bathing， Arthur’ swimming nakedly. 
　　In the novel， Hester is a beautiful， slender， comely and ingenious young woman her likeness has the capability to move the heart of all. When she was forced by puritan community to wear a scarlet A on the breast of gown， shel chose to bravely face all sufferings through helping the people in need. Finally， she was accepted by all people around. While in the movie， Hester is still a well-looking girl with special temperament， which make her distinct from other ordinary women， but the character of Hester in the movie is so strong-minded that audiences do not think it is accessible. Besides， the story of this movie mostly involved the love and hate among three characters， as for the Hester’ spiritual redemption through her needle works for others， the movie did not give a careful description. 
　　Arthur is a pious pastor and the secret father of Pearl. In the novel， pastor is a handsome， sentimental young man， was struggled with the agony of conscience and inflicted by Roger. In the end， he died in Hester’ bosom. while in the movie， Arthur is a charming man He is cute like a pubescent boy when he was too shy to talk to Hester. 
　　Roger Chillingworth， revenges himself on Arthur by calculating assaults on the frail mental state of the conscience-stricken pastor. In the novel. Although Roger determines to average， he still has deep emotion to Pearl， when pearl was sick， he cured her with no doubt. While in the movie， Roger is a demon who just wants to kill Arthur and Hester. Roger is portrayed over-forcedly. 
　　In the way of presenting subject， the novel mainly discusses the issue over original sin and expiation. Sinner’ soul can be sublimed by confessing their crime to the public and atoning for their crime. The novel’ subject is related to Hawthorne’ puritan background. while in the movie，， it tells a story related with love between Hester and Arthur. Comparing to the novel’ ending， the movie’ ending is that Hester and Arthur riding on a horse went to another palace for a better life.