Chapters 20-24

 

Chapter 20, “The Minister in a Maze”, unveils the introspective maze that Dimmesdale finds himself in after his discussion with Hester in the forest. As we learn that Hester has a connection that could provide them passage to England through a vessel, but not missing the Election. In this small but intricate passage, it is expressed that Dimmesdale still finds himself trapped between a battle of finding his true identity. Even the omniscient narrator reflects on Dimmesdale’s inner struggles when Hawthorne writes, “No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself, and another to the multitude, without finally getting bewildered as to which may be the true” (177). This recognition of Dimmesdale’s struggle from the narrator helps place an emphasis on the estrangement of Dimmesdale’s emotions. Throughout the rest of this chapter, we see Dimmesdale struggle to hold himself back from blasphemy. As a minister, this is completely dissimilar to his routine actions and shows that he is facing the two personas within his mind: the minister and the sinner. In his further encounters with Mistress Hibbins, Dimmesdale is deeply concerned that he sold himself “to the fiend whom, if men say true, this yellow-starched and velveted old hag has chosen for her prince”, or the Devil. He then returns home to Old Roger Chillingworth and immediately states that he is no longer in need of medicine from him, placing fear in Chillingworth’s mind that Arthur might know his identity.

 

Chapter 21 and 22 discuss the Election day and the procession of the town leaders through the marketplace. With an opening similar to the beginning of the novel, Chapter 21 begins with the gathering of the community to watch a public event take place. As Hester and Pearl wait for the holiday to begin, Pearl asks Hester if the minister will be attending and if he would hold both of their hands as he did in the secluded area of the forest. After Hester declines, Pearl reflects, “What a strange, sad man is he (188)” and continues to reflect on Dimmesdale’s cowardliness in the fact that he only speaks to them when no one is around; another sign of Dimmesdale living two different lives. To further the suspense of whether Dimmesdale and Hester will be able to escape to a life outside of Puritan society, it is then revealed that Chillingworth will join Hester and Dimmesdale on their journey to Europe. Chapter 22, The Procession, shows Dimmesdale in a new light. Pearl mentions how she cannot even recognize him when she asks if “that was the same minister that kissed me by the brook” (197). His new appearance being much healthier shocks Hester and places doubt in her mind about his intentions with both her and Pearl. Her concerned thoughts are then soothed when Mistress Hibbins who essentially explains how Dimmesdale’s secrets would be brought to light for everyone to see, like the scarlet letter.

 

The final two chapters take us through the sermon and how it affects the New England society. With a sermon focused on the community’s connection with God, the people were evidently moved. However, the narrator does not fail to mention the sadness of the sermon which “could not be interpreted otherwise as the natural regret of one soon to pass away” (204). While we learn that this later foreshadows to how his illness takes the best of him, Dimmesdale does not fail to make a further impact on society when he welcomed Hester and Pearl as his family, and exposed what can be considered as his own scarlet letter. The fact that Dimmesdale got to expose his scarlet letter by choice shows the strong contrast to how he was tortured internally, while Hester was tortured both externally and internally. As he lay on his death bed, he discusses the afterlife with Hester in where they could finally be together if possible, still holding onto hope. In “The Conclusion”, the narrator discusses the rumors around Dimmesdale’s death as well as the outcome of Hester, Pearl, and Chillingworth. We learn that Chillingworth dies, and in the minds of society, it was likely due to his evil mind. After we where Hester and Pearl are in life, we are able to realize how much Puritan society has changed since the beginning of the novel. The fact that the minister became the embodiment of sin helps prove that no one can be fully moral, no matter their position in the church or society. This powerful message is lastly displayed through Hester and Dimmesdale’s gravestones, which were separated, yet contained a unifying message: “On a field, sable, the letter A gules” (216).

Chapters 15-19

     Chapter 15, “Hester and Pearl,” takes a look at a specific moment from the perspective of both mother and daughter. The chapter starts with Hester and Chillingworth finally parting ways as Hester watches her former husband goes, “stooping away along the earth” (159). At this moment, she is trying to let go of him and, therefore, his past, but in doing that allows the reader to see a small glimpse into what her life was like before she came to Puritan New England. She remembers how quiet her life was and how much Chillingworth “had persuaded her to fancy herself happy by his side” (160). With that final thought, she tells herself, “He betrayed me!” (160) and seems to let go of Chillingworth’s invisible grasp that had been holding her back and scaring her into silence. The chapter then provides a callback to a moment when Pearl was younger. She collected stones and “creeping from rock to rock after these small sea-fowl” (161) began throwing the rocks at birds as she had done with the children in town earlier in her life. The rest of the chapter sees Pear making the connection between her mother’s “A” and Dimmesdale’s hand over his heart, but is still unsure how the two are connected. Hester continually avoids her questions, but as chapter 16, “A Forest Walk,” begins, Hester contemplates if it is the right time to tell Pearl the truth. 

The next few chapters all take place in the forest, where the symbol of light versus darkness was prominent as the sun seemingly hides from Hester but was absorbed by Pearl. The focus then shifts onto the realization that the two are in the forest to meet Dimmesdale, so Hester can confide in him the truth about Chillingworth. As Hester sees him approaching, it is clear how different things are from seven years ago. His appearance, like both Hester and Chillingworth, is vastly different, and he is visibly carrying his guilt and shame everywhere with him. Hester notices that he looks “haggard and feeble” (171) as well as “he kept his hand over his heart” (172). 

As chapter 17 begins and Hester and Dimmesdale are finally able to speak to each other, they seem to take a minute to open up. Ther interaction is described as being like “the first encounter in the world beyond the grave, of two spirits who had been intimately connected in their former life” (174). Because of their circumstances and Hester trying to protect the man she loved, the two had never been able to have a proper conversation, let alone tell Pearl who her birth father is. The chapter ended with the two deciding to take Pear and leave their home to be somewhere together.

The final two chapters seem to blend as the main focus comes back to Pearl. Chapter 18 has Hester telling Dimmesdale that he can now get to know “Our little Pearl” (187), who Dimmesdale confesses has always frightened him. Pearl is then described as the light again when the minister calls her “a bright-apparelled vision, in a sunbeam” (187). Maybe it is not that Pear’s “supernatural” aspects make her bad, but make her good and allow the sun to be on her. At this point in the novel, she seems to almost be the embodiment of light in the way both her mother and Dimmesdale describe her appearance. The supernatural and sometimes frightening aspect about her is not lost, though, as chapter 19 details her reaction to seeing the two adults together and how she seems to force Hester back into the darkness of the scarlet "A" that she had previously thrown by the river. While Hester had been trying to shed what she thought was covering her womanhood and who she was before Pearl, her daughter does not recognize this other version of Hester. It is not until Hester covers her hair and picks up the "A" that Pearl will walk near her and Dimmesdale.

Chapters 12-14

     Chapter 12, “The Minister's Vigil”, opens with Dimmesdale at the scaffold where Hester was publicly shamed and humiliated years ago. In previous chapters, Dimmesdale is utterly consumed by his own guilt, causing him to inflict several forms of self harm upon himself. Dimmesdale dealt with his extreme guilt internally, trying to reason through it. However, when he stands on the scaffold, he can’t help but scream in agony. The scream reveals the intense torture Dimmesdale experiences in his subconscious mind. Furthermore, the contrast between Hester’s experience at the scaffold and Dimmesdale’s experience demonstrate the major difference between the way in which each of them has been punished for their crime. Hester experienced, and still does experience, public shame, whereas Dimmesdale experiences intense internal guilt that has consumed his entire life. 

    In chapter 13, the reader is introduced to a new side of Hester that had not previously been shown. The view of Hester to the Puritan community and the significance of the letter A has changed considerably. It is described that the letter A now stands for “Able”, possibly suggesting that Hester no longer feels great shame but instead is fulfilled with dignity.  The scarlet letter also is now described as being magical rather than demon like. Hawthorne writes, “There glimmered the embroidered letter, with comfort in its unearthly ray” (146). Through the use of words such as “glimmered” and “comfort”, Hawthorne hints at the idea that the scarlet letter is no longer a bad thing in the eyes of Hester, but instead it is a symbol of power and magic. Yet, Hester lives a life lacking love and affection, “Everything was against her. The world was hostile. The child’s own nature had something wrong in it, which continually betokened that she had been born amiss” (149). Hester is continuing to live a life full of guilt, and she worries that it is because of her sins that Pearl is amiss.  

    Finally, in chapter 14, the inner thoughts of Chillingworth are revealed. It is clear that in the past seven years, Chillingworth has been consumed with his desire to seek revenge against Dimmesdale. This obsession has transformed him from a kind man to nothing but the devil. He exclaims to Hester, “I have already told thee what I am! A fiend!” (156). Not only does Chillingworth admit to being evil, he also expresses to Hester that he feels that she is not entirely sinful. He states, “I pity thee, for the good that has been wasted in thy nature!” (156). This chapter reveals a lot about Chillingworth, and almost causes the reader to pity him. These past years have affected his character significantly, and there is no way he could ever return to his past self. 

CH 9-11

Chapter 9, “The Leech'', describes the physical degeneration and enunciation of the young minister, Dimmesdale, from an unknown disease. Hawthorne implies that this disease may be the guilt that plagues Dimmesdale for his adultery by noting that the pain emanates from his heart. Hawthorne writes, “He turned into regularly determined, on any moderate alarm or other surprising coincidence, to position his hand over his heart with first a flush after which a paleness, indicative of pain”(1772). The mention of Dimmesdale's heart as the source of pain imparts to the reader that the disease is of his soul, but also that the ailment is his guilt of adultery; the heart is where the sinful scarlet letter is adorned on Pryne. Hawthorne employs Dimmensdale’s mysterious disease as a broader commentary on the parasitic nature of private guilt. 

The title of Chapter 9, “The Leech”, bestows importance to the name “leech” that Chillingworth is called during the chapter. In the beginning of the book, Chillingworth was not a blatant antagonist. He lived with the Indians, whom the Puritans regard as savages, and learned their natural medicine; he was initially a slight departure from the draconian and intransigent Puritan society. However, his characterization as a leech shows the way in which his herbal, natural Native medicinal practice is corrupted to be parasitic. The way in which his physical appearance deteriorates as he- like a leech- purports to be healing Dimmesdale but in actuality is draining him of his vitality by antagonizing his guilt is a broader commentary by Hawthorne on the destructive nature of vengeance on not just the victim but also the avenger. 

In Chapter 10, Chillingworth’s leechlike characterization and behavior continue. The most striking part of this chapter, however, was when Pearl adorned her mother’s scarlet letter with burs. This act reminded me of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore and was ridiculed in, and of the initial description of the church with iron spikes that in Chapter 1 invoked the punitive nature of Puritan society ironically juxtaposed with holy crucifixion. The burs likely represent the antagonisms Pryne faces from the townspeople as a result of her scarlet letter. Pryne does not remove the burrs; she has accepted the thorns of her sin. By Pearl next throwing burs at Dimmesdale, which he dodges, Hawthorne not only indicates that he secretly shares Pryne’s sin but also that he has not faced its consequences. 

Chapter 11 shows Dimmesdale entering a state of extreme diseased guilt; he flagellates, fasts, and deprives himself of sleep. He tries to escape his guilt by a partial sermon confession, but the almost sanctification he wins from his congregation for his self-proclaimed sinfulness when they know of no outright sin only inflames his diseased guilt further; Hawthorne thus employs dramatic irony to pin sole responsibility for the inflamed guilt on Dimmesdale himself.

The Scarlet Letter Chapters 5-8

Chapters 5-8 introduce Hester Prynne’s ambiguous attitudes towards the scarlet letter that she is forced to wear and her daughter, Pearl. Hester feels that the constant stares drawn to her scarlet letter are utterly distressing and torturous as the narrator describes that she “had always this dreadful agony in feeling a human eye upon the token” (Hawthorne 77).  In these descriptions, the reader can see how society’s harsh judgement of Hester detrimentally impacts her character and leads her to feel alienated. The scarlet letter is an emblem of her sin that attracts even more unwanted attention and shameful looks. However, Hester goes on to reveal a sort of appreciation for her scarlet letter. Although she is hesitant to say so, she feels that the scarlet letter has, “endowed her with a new sense” (77).  She describes that this new sense achieved through the letter enables her to acknowledge the sins of others and be sympathetic towards them. Therefore, Hester is pained by the judgmental looks she receives because of the letter, but is grateful that it gives her a newfound perspective and sympathy. 

Moreover, Hester’s characterization of Pearl is by far the most intriguing thing to me in these chapters. Pearl is attributed to be beautiful, brilliant, passionate, and socially defiant like her mother, however there is a side to her that is peculiar. Hester describes that Pearl often has a look that reflects perversity and maliciousness, so she cannot help but question whether Pearl is a “human child” or not. Throughout these chapters, Hester looks for signs of witchcraft in her daughter and demonic like characteristics. Something I thought was ironic was when Pearl threw stones at a group of children who were taunting her. I believe that Hawthorne is purposely alluding to the punishment of stoning that took place during the witch trials. Pearl’s act of throwing stones implies that society is the villain here and is being punished for its sinful crimes, while Pearl is innocent. Going back to Hester’s characterization of Pearl, in some ways it seems that she is literally describing the antichrist. When I read this quote about Pearl, “Whether moved only by her ordinary freakishness, or because an evil spirit prompted her, she put up her small forefinger, and touched the scarlet letter.” I got goosebumps due to its creepy tone. Hester feels that because she has committed a heinous sin, god has bestowed upon her a devil child. However, I believe that Hester’s perception of her daughter could be a manifestation of her own shame and guilt. Because the baby was born out of sin, she subconsciously believes that there is no way Pearl can be close to normal. This manifestation of guilt is also shown in the way that Hester dresses Pearl in the same crimson red that the scarlet letter beholds.  

The Scarlet Letter Chapters 1-4

     Starting this novel, I was not sure what to expect. I knew a little bit about what it was about (only because I have seen Easy A), but I was not expecting right off the bat to see hints about so many themes that would be covered in the novel. I saw hints pointing towards themes such as the innocence and forgivingness of nature, the role of women in society, the idea of outcasts and crowd mentality, and the role of religion in society. Something in these chapters I really liked was the use of juxtapositions to show the difference between Hester Prynne and other women in this Boston society. For example, the use of the word "mistress", which has deceitful and slanderous connotations, versus the use of the word "matrons" to describe the other women, which paints them in a more responsible, homely way. There are also many phrases, such as "scornful merriment" and "civilized and savage" used in this novel to show the conflict between main characters and their society. As I was reading these pages, I was amazed by how it almost felt like high school to me. There is all this drama and these secrets surrounding Hester, and everyone in her town thinks they have the right to have an opinion on her "shameful" actions. People, including Reverend Dimmesdsale and even Hester's husband, try to pry information out of Hester, asking her about her mystery lover. The whole idea of this social scene seems like such a high school atmosphere.

    At the end of the first chapter, the narrator discusses a rose-bush that is growing outside of Hester's prison door. It is described as symbolizing, "some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow" (Hawthorne 42). This idea on nature being a stark contrast to society will likely become a motif throughout the rest of the novel. I think it is ironic that the scarlet letter Hester is forced to inscribe on her clothing is technically a shade of red, like a rose, suggesting that she might be more similar to the innocence of nature than the cruel treatment of the townspeople would lead us to believe. I think that as more information is revealed to us about Hester's past, we will discover that she is actually innocent in her crimes but rather turned into a villain by her society to enable them certain standards from women of that time.