4. The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

As for the conclusion, I was surprised at the way Hawthorne tagged on the ending and the results of all of the important characters in the book. I personally would have cut the end right after Dimmesdale dies. The conclusion seems unnecessary, since the story seemed to end in the previous chapter, but I can understand why Hawthorne prolonged it- it adds a sense of romanticism. Chillingworth seems to get the ending he deserves, a life without purpose and then death. He left his entire estate to Pearl, which adds a surprising element of redemption for Chillingworth because he seems to become less of the "Black Man" and more indifferent and without purpose- he no longer has his clutches in poor Dimmesdale. This book has a happy ending for Pearl. She is now one of the richest in Boston, and she lives a life she would have if Chillingworth had been her father and her mother hadn't committed adultery. Hester works with the sick and the poor, and she maintains her label as "Able".

3. The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

There is just one thing I would like to know about the ending of the book-- WHY THE HECK DID DIMMESDALE DIE? Finally it was revealed to everyone that he is Pearl's father, and it seems as if all is well and that the family can leave and be together and love each other and he just goes and dies on them like "oh, sorry that I've pretended like I haven't had anything to do with you for seven years now I'm finally going to step it up and be a decent human being and then DIE." I do not understand this logic. I suppose you could argue that it was the psychological torture of Chillingworth, and maybe his own physical torture? I don't get it. Why would he die? He's home free and he can be with the woman he loves!

2. The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Beginning in Chapter 18, the broken family's life together starts to look up. Its title, "A Flood of Sunshine", gives a connotation of life and redemption. Not only that, it seems as though there's a feeling of freedom and wildness. The woods surrounding the town has symbolized some kind of amorality, and the meeting of Pearl, Hester, and Dimmesdale in the forest in a new light signify their desire to remove themselves from the pressuring society they live in that views the woods so negatively. Pearl and her mother are compared often throughout the novel. Pearl, like Hester, is a denizen of wildness and freedom. In the woods, even a wolf lets Pearl pet its head. Then the narrator describes Hester, "She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness ... as vast ... as the untamed forest." Her sense of wandering and being outside the moral norms has ironically been combined with the preacher to create their wildly-spirited daughter, who is even compared to a nymph. They mending family decides to leave, and a great weight has been lifted of their (specifically Dimmesdale's shoulders).

1. The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

In Chapter 17, Hester finally tells Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her former husband. His response surprised me. This confession too was shortly after Hester told Dimmesdale that she would be his friend and that she would be there for him if he needed companionship. He responds angrily at first, but then sinks down to depression. He knows then that he cannot live with Chillingworth, a known enemy, any longer. I was mostly surprised that Hester was the one begging for forgiveness. Why wouldn't Dimmesdale forgive her? He is just as much at fault as Hester. I don't understand why she would be the one begging to him. HE should be apologizing to her for impregnating her and not suffering along side of her while she has been ostracized for 7 years. Anyway, Dimmesdale asks Hester what he should do, and she says that he should change his name, escape Massachusetts, and go to Europe. He responds, "thou tellest of running a race to a man whose knees are tottering beneath him!" He acknowledges his weakness from being tortured by his own mind. It seems as if there's no hope for him (not that I'm all that concerned- I side with Hester).

The Scarlet Letter (4/4)

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Originally, I thought Chillingworth was just a nice physician genuinely trying to help Hester and her baby. Soon enough, it is revealed that he is in fact married to Hester. It seems that Hester is no longer has feelings for Chillingworth despite his desire to have her. His desire for her becomes apparent with he questions Hester about the father of her baby, "Thou wilt not reveal his name? Not the less is he mine. He bears no letter of infamy wrought into his garment, as thou dost; but I shall read it on his heart." He is very concerned with who the father is. Would he like to seek revenge? Does he want to claim the baby as his own? It seems like everything would be easier if he left town and started over elsewhere, but I think his reason for staying is to be with Hester.

The Scarlet Letter (3/4)

Nathaniel Hawthorne

So know I understand who the father of Pearl is - Dimmesdale. I was originally confused about his identity in relation to Hester because he called her out to speak of whom the father of her child. She says that her baby shall never know an earthly father. She takes the shame for the both of them and stands there, ostracized. Hawthorne displays great irony when Dimmesdale then places his hand over his heart, as if he's reaching his shame that is within. In that same scene, Hester holds her hand on her red letter "A" that is also over her heart, a sign of her recognition of her outward shame. Why was Hester protecting the preacher? What good did that do her?

The Scarlet Letter (2/4)

Nathaniel Hawthorne

I've decided that I like Hester. I like that she sewed on the red "A" on her blouse as if it were something to embroider or decorate. The women of the town of course are outraged and want to rip it off. One woman even thinks of Hester so disgustingly that she thinks the penalty for her sin should be death. The women are all furious with her, and they all agree that if they were the judges they'd be far less merciful.
I also think that it is absurd that Hester won't tell anyone who she committed adultery with. Let the disgusting man step forward! He sits behind laughing at this poor woman for committing the same crime as he. She is being threatened! Why aren't the Puritans on man-hunt for the man who impregnated Hester? Misogyny at its finest.
However, some people sympathize with Hester. One says they can feel every stitch in her chest. Hester obviously is miserable too, this scene reveals Hester's past without presenting us the details of her crime, and it ends with the revelations of the consequence of this past: "These were her realities—all else had vanished."