Reverend Dimmesdale In The Scarlett Letter

Hawthorne chooses to have Hester overcome her struggles. At the end of the book, Hester finds at least some degree of peace. The struggles and pain she went through were not pleasant, but they did provoke her to improve her relationship with God. Her burden seems lessened and if there is nothing else for her to be joyful about, her daughter Pearl has adapted and thrived in her new life. Hester Prynne shows mercy upon the sick and does charity work even when it goes unappreciated. She gave her time and effort to help the poor even when they rebuked her as well. Her dedication to try and fix her mistakes is admirable and the reader feels as if Hester has really changed for the better. The change in Hester makes the people respect her and come to her for advice at the end of the story. In chapter 13, Hawthorne writes about how the Puritans have mixed feelings about Hester, but the majority of the people now forgive and hold her in high regard. “They said it meant ‘Able’; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.” (pg. 158) This quote shows how the interpretation of the letter and of Hester herself has changed. The new view of Hester gained by the Puritans is based on her response to the scarlet letter, a symbol meant to ruin her but in reality it made her

This ridicule has a trickle down effect on Hester as she too is banished from her own community for committing adultery. The comparison between Hester and Hawthorne defines the external struggle for the reader to fully understand the effect of opinions from society on them Although reluctant to allow Hester to leave prison, the members of the town suggest that her punishment be to wear a scarlet red letter A on her bosom, thereby allowing all to know of her crime. The scarlet letter “ was red-hot with infernal fire, ” (Hawthorne 81) and defined the state she was currently in, that being eternal hell. Though she was forced to marry an older man at a young age, her rebellion to have an affair is not seen as an internal struggle that she overcame; rather, it is merely seen as a woman who sinned, a woman who shall therefore endure the punishment for the sin, rather than a woman who was never given a say in what she wanted with her life. Time and again, Hester Prynne is seen defying society by allowing herself to stand out from societal norm just as the roses “with its delicate gems, which might be imagined to offer their fragrance and fragile beauty to the prisoner“ (Hawthorne) did. Instead, she returns to the community and is observed aiding those in need, all with seven year old Pearl by her side.

Hester committed adultery, which was believed by the puritans to be a horrible crime. Because of this she lives everyday with the constant reminder of her sin from "Scarlet Letter" she is forced to wear on her bosom. Hester is also pushed away from everyday society, and forced to live a hidden and lonesome life. While in prison she is presented with her first child Pearl, who gives her a small amount of comfort. For Pearl was still too young to communicate and connect with Hester. Eventually Pearl matures to become Hester's one and only true confidant and friend. Finally sharing some feelings of warmth and comfort with Hester. The same applied to the rose bush. After years of torment, it reaches a point in its life where it is strong enough to present to the world the beauty it

The Scarlet letter shows hester as a humble person. She had to suffer a lot in the beginning. I tried to convey this with her distaste of the town shaming her. I also made sure to highlight her persistence to protect herself and her child. That’s the one thing Hester always did, protect Pearl. I decided

Hester Prynne is forced to wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life because of the one sin she has committed. As she stands on the scaffold in front of the whole town she is told “... And then and the after for the remained of her natural life, to wear a mark of shame upon her bosom.” (Hawthorne 59). This quote shows that hester is forever going to be guilty for the one sin she has committed with Dimmesdale. Hester will never be treated the same or looked at the same off because of the Scarlet A on her bosom. As the book goes on Hester moves into a cabin that is half in the forest and half in society and raised her daughter Pearl. She made clothes for a living and she decided to start making extra clothes for the poor. Hawthorne then explains how the poor don’t even have respect for Hester because of her scarlet letter “...she give of her little substance to every demand of poverty; even though the bitter-hearted pauper threw back a gibe in requital of the food…” ( Hawthorne 146). This proves that she is still being treated different because if her sin. She is getting treated so wrongly and this sometimes make her feel guilty for committing her sin. Although Hester can leave at anytime she plesases she decides to stay in this town because she believe she should be punished in the same town that she committed her sin. She also stays because of

Pearl, Hester’s child out of wedlock, then emphasizes on the idea of darkness following Hester when she declares to Hester, “the sunshine does not love you. It turns away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom” (Hawthorne 167). The letter on Hester’s bosom not only repel the townspeople, it drives off the sunshine and light that used to follow her wherever she went. She is considered as a social outcast among her peers and even the children of the community. However, still in the forest, when Hester rips the Scarlet Letter from her chest and throws it into the nearby brook, “all at once, as with a sudden smile of heaven, forth burst the sunshine, pouring a very flood into the obscure forest, gladdening each green leaf, transmuting the yellow fallen ones to gold, and gleaming adown the gray trunks of the solemn trees” (Hawthorne 186). Once the letter is no longer attached to Hester, she is set free from her guilt and grief that she has endured for so many years. She is no longer controlled by the “iron-framework” (Hawthorne 111) of the puritan society and is able to be with Dimmesdale, her true lover, without the guilt that was brought upon her by the Scarlet Letter.

The third most important scene, which has a great impact in The Scarlet Letter is when Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the forest and talk about making plans to run away from Boston and live together. Dimmesdale is getting very weak from his own guilt and Hester thinks it is best for them to just go away from everything. Also Dimmesdale is noticing that Pearl is starting to resemble him and people will soon start finding out. Hester shows a change in character when she decides to take off her scarlet letter, throw it across the forest, and take off her head cap to let down her beautiful hair once more. It has not been since the beginning of the novel since Hester has had her hair down and showing her beauty on the scaffold. Meanwhile, Pearl is getting upset and throwing a fit towards Hester because she does not recognize her mother without her hair up and the Scarlet Letter, since it has been there her whole life. She refuses to do anything her mother says until she puts the scarlet letter back onto her bosom. “Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into

In the book, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester is very strong-willed and loyal. For example, when Dimmesdale tells Hester to identify the father and she replies, “I will not speak!” (51). When Hester is in front of many people; she stays strong and does not give Dimmesdale up. This is important because by not revealing the identity of the father, Hester stays loyal to Dimmesdale. Another example is when the governor tries to take Pearl away from Hester and she says, “Ye shall not take her! I will die first!” (85). Hester continues to be tough and not give up Pearl but also does not give the name of Pearl’s father. Hester continues to argue why she should keep Pearl and is willing to die before she would let someone else raise

What is most remarkeable about Hester Prynne is her strength of character. Her inner strength and honesty and her compassion to others, even ones that have condemned her is what is brought to the reader’s attention throughout the novel. At the beginning of the novel Hester is described as a radiant beauty, however seven years later her beauty is gone and the beautiful hair that she once had is hidden underneath a cap that she wears. In Chapter 13, she removes the cap and the letter “A” and she becomes the beautiful person that she was before her punishment. I think that this is symbolic in that when she removes her cap and letter she taking off the harsh structure of Puritan society. When Pearl demands that she put back on her cap and letter “ her beauty, the warnth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a gray shadow seemed to fall across her.” While her punishment does change her physical appearance, it has a deeper impact on her character.

Who created the greatest sin of all? I believe it would be Dimmesdale to be the one. Why, because he came in and ruined somebody else relationship by committing adultery with a married woman and he’s a preacher. For Dimmesdale to be a preacher i'm sure he knew better than to have sex without another woman who he wasn't married to. Dimmesdale should have known even if Hester did come up to approach him then he should have rejected of the top, by him being in one of those leader roles.

In The Scarlet Letter, Hester has finally been released from prison. After she was released, she was able to leave Boston, but she decided against it. Because of her wrongdoings, the community has shunned her. Even though she is shunned, she still has the means to provide for herself and her daughter, Pearl, by her magnificent sewing skills. Pearl helps her get through all that she is going through. Because Pearl is the result of Hester's sin, everyone treats her differently.

Thomas Watson once said, “A sinner’s heart is a common inn where all who will, may lodge; it is not a temple—but a pest house” (“Difference” 1). Watson’s quote explains that one who does immorally wrong damages their heart and soul. The public image of a sinner is tainted, but they can redeem their soul through the punishment they serve. The characters Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter, novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, exemplify this. Hester, as the main character of The Scarlet Letter, is immediately recognized for her sin of adultery as the book opens with the acknowledgement of her crime.

The old clergyman wailed of excruciating pain. The searing of his flesh made everyday tasks unbearable. As he removed his cloak in the darkness of the woods, he notices the scar that will forever be imprinted on his skin, and his soul, is bleeding. The shining of the red is mesmerizing. His own personal Scarlet Letter. This explains the turmoil of Reverend Dimmesdale in the Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorne describes the sinful Reverend through his themes of guilt and sin, within his novel, The Scarlet Letter. More than 100 years into the future, John C. Gerber released his interpretation of the Scarlet Letter. In the book, he touches upon the guilt that Dimmesdale faces, due to the covering up of his sinful

Moreover, when Hester throws her scarlet letter off, trying to start a new life, Pearl changes from being calm to “ burst[ing] into a fit of passion, gesticulating violently, and throwing her small figure into the most extravagant contortions” because “she misses something that she has always seen [Hester] wear!”. Pearl shows that the scarlet letter truly symbolizes Hester’s sin, and Hester is not the same person without it, something Hester does not realize. Hester cannot hide her truth and identity; rather, she should accept it and realize that she can interpret her identity herself and not have to punish herself for this sin. Hawthorne uses Pearl’s variable personality and ambiguous role in the novel to depict that the truth is not black and white and often differs from accepted reality, but it can be subjective and change upon the circumstances; it simply requires a different

Hester could have left and given Pearl and herself a chance to be themselves and to learn, grow, and be happy. They wouldn’t be judged or discriminated by others, but would have an opportunity to live a normal life. “Her beauty, the warmth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a gray shadow seemed to fall across her”(Hawthorne 192). Hester let her sin take over her. When she left the Scarlet Letter on her bosom, it took the beautiful woman she once was and covered it with the symbol of the sin she committed. Pearl only knew her mother by the symbol that in a way described her and made her unhappy. Pearl didn’t get to experience happiness, because of the suffering behind the scarlet letter. THe townspeople judged and criticized her and her mother because of the sin. She never got a normal childhood, and was forced to grow up in a cruel world. If Hester would have left somewhere