Chapter 19: The Child at the Brook-Side

Summary:

            At the end of the previous chapter, Hester arranges for Pearl to meet Dimmesdale as her father. They meet in the woods and Hester calls Pearl over. When Pearl sees Dimmesdale, she moves very slowly towards them. While she is walking, Dimmesdale says that he was afraid that Pearl would look like him and reveal him, which brings about a conversation about how she looks like both of her parents. Hawthorne then points out that they both are suddenly overcome by the idea that Pearl is a physical connection between the two of them, on multiple levels. Hester gives Dimmesdale advice on how to conduct himself, such as to show little emotion because Pearl doesn’t like that. The minister replies that he is very nervous about this meeting. Despite this, he says that Pearl is the only child that has been nice to him (other children seem not to like him).

            Pearl suddenly stops at a small brook and just stands there for a while. Hawthorn describes the symbolic scene in great detail, and even Dimmesdale sees the stream as a boundary having deeper meaning. Hester urges Pearl to come, as Dimmesdale is still very uneasy. Pearl sees Dimmesdale put his hand over his heart, and then Pearl notices Hester is not wearing the scarlet letter and indicates for Hester to put it on.  She does so, and then Pearl comes and kisses the letter, which Hester takes as an insult. Pearl refuses to show any positive emotions towards Dimmesdale. It seems that she wants him to accept them in public, which Hester and Dimmesdale say they cannot do yet.

First Point: Effect of Scarlet Letter on Hester

            When Hester removes the scarlet letter in the previous chapter, she has a brief period where she is free of its effects. It is an immense load being taken off of her shoulders. Its effect was so great that according to Hawthorn, it even changed the weather. Pearl insists that Hester put the scarlet letter back on, so to pacify her, Hester asks Pearl to bring her the letter by the brook. Pearl declares that her mother shout get it, which she does. This action re-affirms the concept of the letter as a burden to Hester by portraying it as a sort of chore to her. As it was in the beginning of the novel, the scarlet letter remains a source of punishment to Hester. When Hester put on the letter and put her hat back on,

“As if there was a withering spell in the sad letter, her beauty, the warmth and richness of her womanhood, departed, like fading sunshine; and a gray shadow seemed to fall across her.” (Hawthorn 163)

Another example of the letter’s supernatural qualities, Hawthorn describes the letter as literally taking away from Hester’s well being. With the letter on her shirt and hair pulled up, Hester appears confined and withdrawn, as if she were in prison. The moment is also described as inclement weather towards the end of the quote, a contrast with Hester’s earlier experience of removing the letter, which brought sunlight.

Second Point: The Role Pearl Plays

            Throughout the story and especially in this chapter, Pearl exhibits a special quality that defines her role. Pearl demonstrates an insistence that people are truthful. She shows this in two ways in this chapter, starting how she forced Hester to wear the scarlet letter. She had refused to cross the brook until Hester continued to wear the letter. This act demonstrates that she wants Hester to remain in her true identity, even though Pearl doesn’t really even know what that is.

            Pearl also shows her insistence that people be truthful when Hester tells her to go to see Dimmesdale. She asks her mother “Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?” (Hawthorn 163), to which Hester replies that he will not yet. Pearl then refuses to show any affection for Dimmesdale, even scouring her face with water when his kisses it. She will not accept him as her father while he continues to lie publically about their relation. Finally, Pearl’s very being represents an exposure of truth. Not only did her birth bring about the revelation that her mother had an affair, but her whole life may be a reminder to the puritans about what her mother did. This along with her instinctive rejection of both Hester removing her letter and Dimmesdale’s hypocrisy reveal a major role of Pearl’s as an agent of truth. With this role Pearl promotes truth in many forms throughout the story.

Gossamer Thread: Clear and Present Danger

            In this movie, Jack Ryan, played by Harrison Ford, accuses U.S. President Bennett of orchestrating a cover-up that cost American lives. Despite the damage it could do to his career, Ryan, like Pearl, acts as an “agent of truth” by blowing the whistle on a huge scandal caused by the President. 

Chapter 16 - A Forest Walk

Summary:

During this chapter, Hester has decided to make it known to Dimmesdale the true identity of Roger Chillingworth. She has heard that he takes a walk in the woods around a certain time and has decided to try and meet him on his walk. Hester and Pearl venture into the woods and Pearl asks her mother about the letter A and plays in the sun. Pearl also asks her mother if she has ever met the Black Man and if the letter A is his mark he left on her. Hester ignores answering Pearl's question until eventually Pearl brings it up again and Hester decides to tell her that she has met the Black Man. When the reverend approaches Pearl asks if he is the Black Man and she tells the Pearl that it is the reverend and to go play. Pearl runs off to play but before leaving she wonders out loud if the reverend has met the Black Man too because he holds his hand over his heart where the letter A should be on him.

The Sunlight:

In this chapter, while walking in the woods bits of sunlight show through the trees. As Pearl runs around, she is able to catch up to the sunlight and touch it. But, as soon as Hester tries, the sunlight runs away. Pearl notices this and says, "'Mother,' said little Pearl, 'the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom... I am but a child. It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!'"(Hawthorne 141). If sunlight is interpreted as truth and happiness, it makes sense that it would run from Hester. Pearl is the embodiment of truth and happiness because she is a child. Unlike Pearl, Hester is neither being truthful about everything nor truly happy with her life at the moment. Hester is also not at peace, so she can not catch the sunlight.

The Black Man

Also during this chapter, the Black Man is brought up by Pearl. Pearl overhears Mistress Hibbins talking about the Black Man and how thousands of people meet him in the woods at night and get the same mark that Hester has. After pestering Hester about it she asks that if she tells her she will leave her alone and Pearl agrees. Hester says "'Once in my life I met the Black Man!' said her mother. 'This is scarlet letter is his mark!" (Hawthorne 142). Hester confirms that she has met the Black Man, but it is not exactly clear to the read who she calls the Black Man, whether it be Dimmesdale or Roger Chillingworth. Pearl sees Dimmesdale in the distance and she asks if it is the Black Man, Hester says no that it is the minister. In both men, one could say that they both are the Black Man. They both are sinful and have lured Hester into making decisions with them that are not of Puritan value. By keeping a secret and lying to society, she has a sinful deal with Roger Chillingworth. By committing adultery, she also has a sinful deal with Dimmesdale. Both men could be considered the Black Man. It is also important to note that sin breeds more sin. 

Gossamer Thread

"Clint Eastwood" by the Gorillaz can be related to chapter sixteen. The chorus talks about having sunshine and the future coming on, which can be related to Pearl and her happiness and being able to move forward without any problems. The second verse of the song talks about lies and corruption which relates back to Chillingworth and Dimmesdale with their lies and secrets that they have to keep.

Chapter 18- A Flood of Sunshine

Summary:

                This chapter begins with the decision for Hester and Dimmesdale to run away together, and finally escape from the guilt of their sins- an easy choice for Hester to make, but more difficult for the minister due to his life of obeying authority. However, he says that since there is no hope of him achieving happiness in the afterlife, there was no reason for him to continue suffering as he has been in the present. As Dimmesdale agrees to the plan, Hester takes off her scarlet letter and tosses it aside. She then continues to let her hair loose, and is portrayed as an attractive woman once again. The sun breaks through the sky and falls upon Hester. Meanwhile, Pearl is off playing in the forest. She gathers berries, interacts with some of the animals, and decorates herself with wildflowers. When Hester calls for her daughter, Pearl reluctantly begins to approach.

Point 1: Dimmesdale and Religion

                Once Dimmesdale has agreed to run away with Hester, he seems to become a new man. Hawthorne writes, “The decision once made, a glow of strange enjoyment threw its flickering brightness over the trouble of his breast. It was the exhilarating effect—upon a prisoner just escaped from the dungeon of his own heart—of breathing the wild, free atmosphere of an unredeemed, unchristianized, lawless region”  (155). Here, Hawthorne is ultimately talking about religion and puritan society; the religion in this town is what was keeping Dimmesdale prisoner. Reverend Dimmesdale has lived the past seven years harming himself due to the guilt brought on by the prevalent christian values. The strict rules prevented the minister from being with Hester, accepting his daughter, and confessing sins. Hawthornes way of criticizing the religion is to give Dimmesdale a moment to be free from this prison, and experience what it is like to live without the shackles forcing him to live a life of guilt. Dimmesdale is ecstatic, and gets a taste of the wild like he has never had before. 

Point 2:  The Sun, Hester, and Pearl

                Throughout the last few few chapters, the sun has been used to show goodness. Earlier on, the sun would not fall upon Hester. However, once she casts aside the letter “A,” the sun beams down on the transformed woman. “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 156).  Hester is finally acknowledged as the good soul she is once she has taken off the scarlet letter and let down her hair. Also, Hester is again compared to Pearl through this sunlight. Pearl has always been able to catch the sun, as she does once again in this chapter, “Hester smiled, and again called to Pearl, who was visible, at some distance, as the minister had described her, like a bright-apparelled vision, in a sunbeam, which fell down upon her through an arch of boughs” (Hawthorne 157).This reinforces the similarities between Hester and Pearl. Pearl is often viewed as Hester's internal thoughts and feelings that are hidden by the scarlet letter. Now that the letter has been removed, the natural imagery of sunlight highlights the fact that Hester is able to be herself without the letter upon her chest. The two are equals, at least for a moment.

Wow factor: Hearing Implants

 

The woman in this video hears herself for the first time and is ecstatic. It is something unlike anything she has ever heard before, and the emotion is impossible to miss. Similarly, Dimmesdale has similar feelings as he lets go of his sins for a given moment. He escapes from the shackles of the religious puritan society, and gets his first taste of what it is like to be free. Hester also has similar feelings as she takes the “A” off of her chest. She is relieved, and is experiencing emotions that have been kept hidden all this time. The woman in the video, Aruthur Dimmesdale, and Hester Prynne are each breaking free from different confining elements.

Chapter 17 - The Pastor and His Parishoner

Summary:

During chapter seventeen, Hester finally runs into Dimmesdale in the forest. At first they are surprised to see what each other look like. They make a bit of small talk, but then they start to talk about if they have found peace. Hester avoids the question while Dimmesdale admits that he has found nothing but despair. Dimmesdale explains to Hester how his secret sin has been affecting him and she tries to make him feel better. She then alerts Dimmesdale that Roger Chillingworth is her husband. He is described as to having a black frown and does not take the news lightly. He is upset with her and she convinces him to forgive her and let God do the punishing. Dimmesdale brings up the point about what Chillingworth will now do with their secret since he knew of Hester's motives to tell Dimmesdale who he really was. They discuss what Dimmesdale can do to get away from Chillingworth and the chapter ends with Hester giving Dimmesdale a bit of a pep talk to get through it. 

Dimmesdale Dealing With Sin:

It appears to have been seven years since the Hester and Dimmesdale have properly talked to each other. It is clear that the two have been affected by their shared sin. The narrator describes them to have mutual dread and that their physical appearances have both diminished. They both share cold hands and although Hester's physical appearance has been affected, her mentality has not turned negative.  It is clear though, that Dimmesdale's mental state has been affected by keeping this secret sin that they share. When asked if he has found peace, Dimmesdale replies with, "None!-nothing but despair!" he answered. "What else could I look for, being what I am, and leading such a life as mine?"... "Hester I am most miserable!"(Hawthorne 147). He is leading his life miserably with this secret sin he has to keep. Dimmesdale even mentions the fact that his soul is polluted and that he feels guilty for his sin. He brings up the point about how its wrong that a polluted soul like his is trying to help purify others' souls. Dimmesdale also mentions how Hester wears her sin openly and doesn't have to keep it to herself. Dimmesdale holds his sin bottled up, because if he admits it to anyone, he will face serious consequences. The sin is really eating away at him and has caused him to change.

Hester's Pep-Talk to Dimmesdale:

At this point, it is clear that Hester still feels responsible for - or even a shared burden of their sin. She does not like watching Dimmesdale struggle to stay afloat. At the end of the chapter, Hester tries to reassure him not to worry about anything. She gives him a pep-talk to make him feel a bit better. She suggests that he run away and start new in some other place. Hester advises him to "Preach! Write! Act! Do anything, save to lie down and die!" (Hawthorne 153). She acknowledges that he has been crushed by the weight of seven years of misery. She is trying to support Dimmesdale so he does not suffer from his secret sin. Hester tells him to think for the future and to either go into the woods with the Native Americans or even travel by sea back to Europe. It is interesting to note that she says the woods because that is where the devil is supposed to be. She is desperate to get him back to being well again. It only proves that by being able to deal with her sin in the open, it has not drowned yet. Ultimately Hester convinces Dimmesdale to not give up and to run away, but of course, not alone.

Gossamer Thread:

"Feeling Sorry" by Paramore relates to this chapter in a few ways. The song talks about not having time to feel sorry and that one needs to move forward. The song mentions telling lies and about getting out. This relates to the pep-talk Hester gives Dimmesdale to try and get him to not worry about their sin anymore. She wants him to get out and to move forward. 

Chapter 13: Another View of Hester

Chapter 13: Another View of Hester

Summary:

Hester is pondering her recent revelations about Reverend Dimmesdale, who seems to be diminishing due to his guilty conscience. Hester and Dimmesdale are bonded by their sin of adultery and therefore she feels she is obligated to aide him. Time has passed, and her daughter Pearl is now seven. Also, Hester's place in society had matured over the years. She has become more respected due to her charitable deeds and virtuous soul that she has sustained in the face of public shame. Although the needy mocked her for her sin, she continues to sew them clothes and bring them food. She also assists the ill, who saw the Scarlet A as a symbol of comfort in their ailing homes. People begin to associate the Scarlet A with the word "able" to express the kind and warm nature of Hester Prynne. Hester would refuse their gratitude and therefore society acted more kindly towards her. The Scarlet Letter had affected Hester as well, her attractive exterior resembling a more humble and stern appearance. Her mind is no longer restricted by the confines of society because she no longer feels apart of it. Hester questions her existence along with the existence of womanhood in general. Her thoughts conclude that no woman's existence can ever be worth the trouble due to the impossible task of woman obtaining a fair and dignified place in society. As a result, Hester questions if she should send Pearl to heaven immediately and soon follow if fate would allow. The narrator concludes that the Scarlet Letter, which was meant to be a punishment but has turned into a symbol of holiness, has not done what it is meant to do. After seeing Dimmesdale in such a dilapidated condition, she regrets the deal she has made with Roger Chillingworth and decides to correct her error. The thought of revenge has changed Chillingworth into an evil man, and Hester decided to attempt to save Dimmesdale from him. Not long after this revelation, Hester is walking with Pearl when she runs into her former husband collecting herbs for medicines.

1. Hester's Redemption 

While living with the shame of her sin, Hester provides food for the poor and sews them simple clothes out of the kindness of her heart. Despite the warm gestures, the needy still feel it necessary to mock her. Hester also cares for the sick which displays her tenderhearted nature. In spite of her charity, Hester never asks for forgiveness for her crime and she does not expect anything from society in compensation for her good deeds.

"With nothing now to lose, in the sight of mankind, and with no hope, and seemingly no wish, of gaining anything, it could only be genuine regard for virtue that had brought back the poor wanderer to its paths." (pg. 123)

 Hester has come to accept that she will never be able to return to her previous place in society. Being at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak, she simply does these acts to redeem herself in the eyes of God in order to achieve a state of purity once again. Ironically, because of her humbleness, the public begin to respect her more and commend her for her virtuous behavior. 

Also, Hester observes Reverend Dimmesdale continuously diminish due to the presence of Roger Chillingworth. His nerves have become shattered and he is not the man he once was because he is living with guilt and fear. Hester cannot help but feel responsible for his state because of her hand in the scheme devised by Chillingworth. Her guilty conscience makes her realize that she must fix the wrong doing inflicted upon Dimmesdale by taking matters into her own hands. Her readiness to take responsibility for her actions demonstrate her true intentions of cleansing herself of sin.

2. Hester's Appearance 

Over the past seven years, the Scarlet Letter has begun to change not only the internal state of Hester Prynne, but her physical condition as well. Her beautiful long hair is hidden beneath her cap. The warmth and vivaciousness of the young woman seems to have evaporated over the years leaving only the silhouette of the lonely woman Hester has become. The passion that Hester used to embody has been drained from her face and the rest of her features because she has been living with the public shame of her sin, and the Scarlet Letter is a constant reminder.

"All the light and graceful aspects of her character had been burned away by this flame-colored letter. Only a bare, harsh outline remained, like a tree that has lost its leaves." (pg. 125)

 The burden of the symbol she is forced to wear upon her bosom has begun to affect her externally. Her dutiful lifestyle of purity has left no room for the passion and love that used to be part of her character. It is obvious that the result of the Scarlet Letter, which represents the structure and rigid moral standards of Puritan society, has transformed Hester Prynne in to the new drab version of herself. Her lack of companions and ostracism from society has left her going through the motions of life with no vitality in her actions. She is essentially a shell of a human being, trading  her previous life of warmth and tenderness for one of seclusion, devoted to thought. The stigma of the Scarlet Letter and all that it stands for has plagued Hester and is slowly sucking the life out of her which is shown through her declining appearance.

Gossamer Thread

The novel, Defending Jacob, by William Landay, is the story of a father, a district attorney, faced with the challenge of defending his son of 14 who is accused of murdering his classmate. Throughout the novel, the Barber family and their pristine reputation in the quiet suburban town quickly crumbles when they are ostracized due to the allegations against their son Jacob. Their physical state as well as their mental well being begins to deteriorate, especially the health of the mother Laurie. She becomes distant and weary, her looks suffering from the pain she is caused due to the constant scorn she is looked upon with. Laurie questions the existence of her child and soon takes matters into her own hands. 

Like Hester, she begins as a woman full of life and passion as well as beauty. As a result from being ostracized, Laurie becomes hardened by the punishment of society's disdain. She begins moving through the actions of her daily life as though it were a job she must endure. This is very similar to the actions of Hester, who sews for the needy and tends to the sick with a detached manner because of her suffering from the burden of the Scarlet Letter. Not only do their looks diminish due to the shared ostracism from society, they both question whether their children would be better off going to heaven now instead of suffering on the cruel and unforgiving Earth. Both of their children are associated with sin, one being a product of sin and one allegedly committing a sin. These two women are linked together by the common threads of social ostracism and physical decline. 

Chapter 14: Hester and the Physician

Chapter Summary

The chapter begins as Hester decides to go to Chillingworth and ask him to stop tormenting Dimmesdale. She and Pearl find him by the beach collecting herbs for medicines. As Hester confronts Dimmesdale, Pearl is by the water looking into her reflections in the puddles left behind by the waves. Chillingworth informs Hester that the “council” is considering allowing the removal of Hester’s scarlet letter. However, Hester states that the letter can only be removed by “divine providence,” or the natural escaping of guilt over time. Hester also states that they should tell Dimmesdale about Chillingworth’s identity, in part because Chillingworth now knows the truth about Pearl’s father. Chillingworth’s transformation to a devilish figure is also described by the narrator during the argument. Roger has been watching Dimmesdale closely, tracking his every move. This torture, Hester claims, would make him better off dead, but Chillingworth wants to preserve him so he can fulfill a living hell.

Pearl’s Self-Reflection

            Pearl spends time at the beach during the confrontation trying to find her reflection in the puddles on the shoreline. The waves come in from the sea, and when they recede, they create small puddles on the land. These waves are represented in her life by society, and the external events that shape Pearl’s self-reflection, based on a Pearl’s relevance to the sea. She is looking for her true identity, still unaware of who exactly she is, tainted by society. However, as she looks into her reflection, she does not see that devilish child everyone talks about. She sees only herself and her distinct human-like features that make her more related to beings in society.

“Here and there she came to a full stop, and peeped curiously into a pool, left by the retiring tide as a mirror for Pearl to see her face in. Forth peeped at her, out of the pool, with dark, glistening curls around her head, and an elf-smile in her eyes, the image of a little maid, whom Pearl, having no other playmate, invited to take her hand, and run a race with her” (Hawthorne, 129).

Pearl is being challenged by society to create an image of being a devil-child. However, she looks into this tempting water, seeing her own personal features. Presenting herself to the water, “Stepping in, mid-leg deep, beheld her own white feet at the bottom,” (Hawthorne, 129) she is trying to see herself with the added effect of society’s labeling of her as an outcome of major sin. Pearl is being manipulated by society in the deceiving waters where there “came the gleam of a kind of fragmentary smile, floating to and fro in the agitated water” (Hawthorne, 129). This smile can also be related to the deceiving smile of Chillingworth. He is an internally evil character himself, but his evil can be masked by his unusual smirk.

Dimmesdale and Chillingworth the Devil

            Roger Chillingworth becomes increasingly evil throughout the plot. The narrator even notes, “But the former aspect of an intellectual and studious man, calm and quiet, which was what she best remembered in him, had altogether vanished, and been succeeded by an eager, searching, almost fierce, yet carefully guarded look” (Hawthorne, 130). Chillingworth changes his life to devote himself to harvesting guilt and sins to create punishment for the sinners, as a devil would. His disguise as a doctor while using a smirk are the only differences from a devil. He spends much time watching Dimmesdale skeptically, acting as his evil shadow. Through Chillingworth’s watchful eyes, he realizes that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl.  During the argument, he shares with Hester his findings. “’My finger, pointed at this man, would have hurled him from his pulpit into a dungeon,’” (Hawthorne, 131) Although he is aware of the culprit, he does not want to reveal the secret to society because he believes that keeping Dimmesdale under his watchful eyes is more torture to him than just ending the guilt. This belief, Chillingworth states, is how he will get revenge on Dimmesdale. The guilt and secrecy within oneself is far superior than any punishment that society would give, which Chillingworth understands. For this reason only, he keeps his victim at the edge of The Sea of Fire. Hester states that Chillingworth’s watchful eyes create a living hell for Dimmesdale. “Since that day, no man is so near to him as you. You tread behind his every footstep. You are beside him, sleeping and waking. You search his thoughts. You burrow and rankle in his heart! Your clutch is on his life, and you cause him to die daily a living death; and still he knows you not” (Hawthorne, 131). Hester tries to tell him to stop with the torture and just end it. She and Chillingworth share the same belief; that Dimmesdale would be better off being revealed for his sake, which is why Chillingworth wants to keep it going. Although Chillingworth states to have saved Dimmesdale from torment, he really did the opposite. Dimmesdale is suddenly removed of his previous godly state, and put through torture by the devil after following temptations to sin.

Gossamer Thread

      In this song, “Broken Mirrors,” by Rise Against, many aspects of the chapter are present in the lyrics. The song suggests that one’s “final days are near” from “a fate that we deserve.” Like Dimmesdale, his days are numbered as to when the society will hear his secret, but it is a fate that he deserves for the major sin he has done. This song expresses a similar fate, describing what will happen.

   The aspect of “broken mirrors” also expresses Pearl’s tainted reflection of herself through the influencing eyes of society.

Chapter 15 - Hester and Pearl

Chapter 15 - Hester and Pearl
By: Jayne Pilachowski

Summary:

            After a short visit in the forest, between Roger Chillingworth and Hester, Chillingworth departs and continues to pick up herbs and plants.  After he walks away, Hester is thinking about how she wants something bad to happen to him and even admits she hates him.  She knows hating him is another major sin, considering Roger Chillingworth is her husband and they had good times in the past, but Hester does not care.  Meanwhile, Pearl is playing down by the stream; she goes in and out of the water, sails boats down the stream, and picks up pebbles to throw at birds.  Finally, she makes herself into a mermaid using natural wildlife around her, and her final touch is a green letter “A” that she puts on her bosom.  She hopes this will provoke her mother to tell her what the scarlet letter stands for.  Hester comes by and sees the letter on Pearl.  Upon examining it, she entertains in the child’s amusement for a little while, but soon realizes all the implications of the question and lies about the scarlet letter.  Nevertheless, Pearl continues to question her mother about it, but Hester never tells her the truth.

 

 

1. Hester’s Sins

 

          Throughout the novel, Hawthorne has developed the ideas of secret sin and guilt.  In Puritan society, everyone is suppose to act pure and as if they are the chosen ones who are going to get into Heaven.  However, with Hester’s child and the letter "A" on her bosom, it is widely known that Hester has committed a major sin.  Others feel Hester is not going to Heaven.  However, Hester still has a secret sin, which others do not know about.  Hester says, “Be it sin or no … I hate the man [Roger Chillingworth]” (Hawthorn 134).  Hester does not like Roger Chillingworth because of the actions he has taken.  She exclaims how she wants something bad to happen to him, such as him gathering bad herbs or the herbs dying once his cold hands touch them.
 

          Hester admits this secret sin to both the reader and to herself.  She knows it is a sin, but that does not seem to bother her.  She has already been found guilty of committing the sin of adultery.  Therefore, having this sin, of hating her husband, does not seem to be a big issue to her.  Other characters, such as Reverend Dimmesdale, are constantly haunted by their secret sin.  It seems that the letter “A” has completely shaped Hester’s personality and thoughts to the point where she is not afraid to admit one of her sins.  It is already known that she is not going to Heaven, so what is one more sin?  Although she cannot admit this secret sin to anyone else, since others do not know Roger Chillingworth is her husband, it does not weigh on her conscience.  Hester’s secret sin does not bother her because of previous experiences that have shaped her.

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2. Pearl's "A"

          Pearl is growing older, and now, at the age of seven, she has become more aware and curious of situations around her.  Pearl acts like an innocent child, such as when she plays in the water.  Also, the way she adorns herself with the letter “A”, is done in innocence.  However, her main objective is to find out why her mother wears the “A”.

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          Pearl is extremely smart for her age, and Hester comes to realize this.  By adorning herself with the “A”, Pearl hopes her mother will tell her what the letter “A” represents and why she wears it.  Pearl believes that if she acts like and imitates her mother, she will get her way.  However, when Pearl asks what the letter means, Hester sidesteps the question at first.    Later, Hawthorne explains, “The thought occurred to Hester that the child might really be seeking to approach her with childlike confidence, and doing what she could, and as intelligently as she knew how, to establish a meeting-point of sympathy” (Hawthorne 137).  Pearl is very smart and is using tactics to get what she wants.  Pearl has even picked up on the fact that Reverend Dimmesdale always puts his hand over his heart when she sees him, just like Hester has a symbol over her heart.  It is interesting that Pearl is the only one in society who has noticed the Reverend's gesture.  Pearl has taken an interest in the “A” and is doing her very best to determine its meaning.

          It is  also interesting that Hester never reveals the actual meaning of the letter.  Instead, she says she likes the “gold-thread” (Hawthorne 138) on it.  This is the first time that Hester has ever lied about the meaning of the scarlet letter, symbolizing the scarlet letter no longer has the same meaning it used to have.  When Hester first began to wear the scarlet letter, it had a negative meaning of adultery.  Hester was looked upon as a horrible and sinful character.  Now, after all the help she has provided others, the scarlet letter has a better, more positive meaning.  It has shaped Hester’s character and actually made her a stronger woman.  Also, Pearl is the human life form of the scarlet letter, and since she does not know and will not be told its negative meaning, it is almost as if the negative connotation of the “A” has disappeared.  The scarlet letter has taken on a more positive meaning.


Gossamer Thread: Yours, Mine and Ours

          Yours, Mine and Ours is about a mother of 10 kids and a father of 8 kids who are now one big family.  However, the kids do not like that they have been joined together and make up a plan to separate their family.  In the end, they realize they do not want their family separated though, and they try to fix their past actions.  For example, the mother likes a messy office.  When the kids were trying to break-up the family, they organized their mother’s office to try to create conflict within the family.  However, when they are trying to fix their previous mistakes, the smaller kids mess up their mother’s office.

          The kids in the movie act in the same manner as Pearl does in The Scarlet Letter.  They are innocent children and do not know the deeper meaning behind certain situations.  The kids think that completely messing-up the office is just how the mother likes it and this will make their family stay together, just like Pearl believes wearing the same object as her mother, the “A”, will get her mother to tell her the information that she wants, the meaning of the “A”.  In neither instance, however, do the young ones find out the true meaning behind the situation.  Pearl and the children in the movie share common characteristics.

Chapter 15 - Hester and Pearl

Summary: 

The chapter begins in a field, with Roger Chillingworth stooping around and picking up herbs here and there and placing them in a basket he had on his arm. Hester, watching Chillingworth pick herbs and roots, imagines to herself a few dreadful things regarding the man. She imagines awful things directed toward Chillingworth, such as what if the earth were to grow poisonous shrubs for him to pick and why everything good he touches doesn't turn evil and hated. She wondered how the sun, shining everywhere else, fell on him. They went home after the long day and all Hester could think of was her hate for Chillingworth. He attempted to convince her to be happy by his side, but Hester was not having it. Hester then called over Pearl. While Chillingworth and Hester were speaking earlier, she entertained herself by flirting with her own image in a pool of water. Once she found out it was not real, she then continued to amuse herself by making small boats out of birch bark in which she placed snails on, she collected starfish, and placed a jellyfish to bake in the sun, beating down on it. She saw a flock of seabirds feeding near the sea shore and she began to pick up rocks and pelting them. She managed to hit one bird and break its wing, and at that point she stopped because she felt bad. Throughout the rest of the chapter, Pearl begged her mother multiple times to tell her what the "A" on her mother means as well as why the minister, Dimmesdale, keeps his hand over his heart while he sleeps. Hester refuses to tell her daughter the answer to these questions, claiming she is too young to understand. At one point she feels it would create a stronger mother-daughter bond between them, but she refrains from allowing the truth to get out. She asks her all day, falling asleep wondering why an "A" is on her mother's chest and wakes up asking yet again. Hester threatens to put her in the dark closet and the chapter ends.

Point One: Hester's Marital Struggles 

Throughout the beginning parts of the chapter, Hawthorne delves into Hester's train of thought watching Chillingworth pick herbs and roots from the ground. She shows a great amount of hatred toward her husband.

"Would not the earth, quickened to an evil purpose by the sympathy of his eye, greet him with poisonous shrubs, of species hitherto unknown, that would start up under his fingers? Or might it suffice him, that every wholesome growth should be converted into something deleterious and malignant at his touch? Did the sun, which shone so brightly everywhere else, really fall upon him?" (Hawthorne, 134)

By describing her husband in this way, it shows that clearly Hester has been hurt by Chillingworth, and she feels he is evil and should pay somehow. This also shows that there is some fire in Hester and that her and Pearl really aren't too different at all. They are both stubborn and independent.

Point Two: Pearl's Attention to Detail, Pearl's Progression as a Symbol

Taking place seven years after the situation arose between Roger Chillingworth and Hester Prynne, Pearl is now older, therefore more wise and intelligent. She, as done in other chapters, acts stubborn and bold at times but also appears to be far ahead of her age when it comes to intelligence. She pieces together a relationship between Dimmesdale holding his hands to his heart as he sleeps to Hester's "A" on her chest.

"'(Hester) Dost thou know, child, wherefore thy mother wears this letter?'

'Truly do I!' answered Pearl, looking brightly into her mother's face. 'It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart!'" (Hawthorne, 136)

This quote is one of the many occasions in which Pearl asked her mother for answers regarding her "A" on her chest and why the minister holds his hand over his heart when he sleeps. Pearl has progressed into a very wise young girl with great attention to detail and her intelligence allows her to piece these separate things together fairly easily. Her development as a symbol has also taken large jumps in this portion of the novel because when she is out and exploring and pelting birds with rocks, she feels remorse, adding another dimension that we have not seen before in Pearl thus far.

'Wow' Factor:

In this episode of "Spongebob Squarepants", Spongebob, Patrick and Squidward were all stuck in a treehouse next to their houses in Bikini Bottom and when Squidward tried to pull them to the ground by reaching out the window, they were flung to a remote island. They have a conch shell, which is the leader of their "club" and you cannot do anything without asking the conch first. As Spongebob and Patrick feast, Squidward is stuck asking the conch if he can eat and the conch does not approve.

This relates to Chapter 15 in "The Scarlet Letter" because throughout the chapter, Pearl is constantly asking Hester why she has an "A" on her chest and why the minister sleeps with his hand over his heart, and she refuses to tell her why because she feels Pearl is too young at the moment. Like Squidward, Pearl is asking a question over and over again, and it reminded me of this situation Squidward was in when he asked the same thing multiple times over the span of less than a minute. Both of these situations were annoying, and that, in my opinion, brought these situations together.

Chapter Nine: The Leech 

Summary:

            Roger Chillingworth entered the town as a doctor, and he was readily accepted as skilled surgeons and doctors rarely came along. He arrived with this new name because he did not wish to stand beside Hester on her pedestal of shame. Hawthorne continues to discuss Chillingworth as a man who had led a upright and religious life and knew a great deal about the ancient art of medicine. Just at the time he arrived, Reverend Dimmesdale happened to be ill. The people adored him; they said if he were to die, then it was because the world was no longer worthy of him any longer. In addition, the Puritans believed it was God’s work that Chillingworth arrived. At first, Dimmesdale refused help from the doctor, however later he reluctantly agreed. The two grew closer and closer, and Dimmesdale enjoyed the relief that camefrom hearing a different, scientific view of the world. Chillingworth was constantly observing Dimmesdale and trying to understand him, however the Reverend was so private. The two then moved in together in the house of a pious widow of good social rank. Chillingworth tried to pry every secret out of Dimmesdale, but as Dimmesdale kept private, Roger Chillingworth grew colder and darker. The people believed Dimmesdale was haunted either by Satan himself or by Satan’s messenger in the person of old Roger Chillingworth. 

Point One: The Guilt of Reverend Dimmesdale

         Throughout the chapter, the guilt inside Reverend Dimmesdale is just eating him up. Chillingworth, to Dimmesdale, was an innocent doctor coming to town at just the right time. The elders, deacons, matrons, and young women of the congregation were all determined that Mr. Dimmesdale should try out the doctor’s freely offered help, but the Reverend at first refused the help. Why would this man suffer, when clearly a help from God was sent to him? The guilt from cheating with Chillingworth's wife was so powerful he would rather choose death. 

•  “I could be well content, that my labors, and my sorrows, and my sins, and my pains, should shortly end with me, and what is earthly of them be buried in my grave, and the spiritual go with me to my eternal state, rather than that you should put your skill to the proof in my behalf" (Hawthorne 93).

              Reverend Dimmesdale was also reluctant to moving in with Chillingworth. Most would be appreciative of this kind offer by a doctor. In Dimmesdale's case, however, he would have a constant reminder of the sin he had committed. Again, the guilt inside him was pushing him away from help, but he could not deny it as the townspeople would question him. 

 

      Nathaniel Hawthorne also incorporates a few allusions to other works and people which highlight adultery, sin, and ultimately, guilt. Tapestries hung on the wall of Dimmesdale's new apartment, and one in particular told the biblical story of David and Bathsheba. In this story, King David commits adultery with Basheba, the wife of his most trusted soldier, Uriah. Hawthorne also cleverly mentions the murder of the famous Sir Thomas Overbury. This man was poisoned for is opposition to an adulterous relationship. Hawthorne includes these because he wants to reinforce Dimmesdale's wrongdoing and perhaps a foreshadowing element to his downfall. 

Point Two: The Leech

       Nathaniel Hawthorne does not title chapter nine "Leech" for no reason. In the time period if The Scarlet Letter, people would refer to a doctor colloquially as a “leech." "Physician" and "leech" describe what he's doing rather than what he is. He's learned enough to get by as the physician, but he acts as the leech with Dimmesdale, keeping so close to the man that he's almost attached. Leeches are blood-suckers; they suck the life right out of you. Chillingworth had successfully become Dimmesdale's primary doctor and roomate. According to Hawthorne, if the doctor has natural wisdom along with intuition, doesn’t have too big an ego, or any serious character flaws; if he has the innate power to become so intimate with his patient that the patient speaks what he imagines he has only thought; if the doctor receives these revelations calmly, acknowledging them only by silence, a small breath, and now and then a small word of understanding; if these qualities of a friend are joined with his status as a doctor, then, sure enough, the soul of the sufferer will reveal itself. The leech will, in disguise, expose Dimmesdale and his sin. 

"So Roger Chillingworth—the man of skill, the kind and friendly physician—strove to go deep into his patient’s bosom, delving among his principles, prying into his recollections, and probing every thing with a cautious touch, like a treasure-seeker in a dark cavern" (Hawthorne 94).

A leech is a hanger-on who seeks advantage or gain. Roger Chillingworth is a perfect example of a leech. He has attached himself to Arthur Dimmesdale like a harmful and vicious worm. His only goal in life is to expose Dimmesdale's ignominy and get revenge.

XOXO, Gossip Girl

Gossip Girl is a television show which highlights the life of the rich teens of the Upper East Side in New York. These teens surround themselves with drama, secrets, cheating, and lies. Gossip girl is a website run by an anonymous blogger. This website constantly exposes deep secrets of the show's characters causing absolute chaos. Gossip girl receives emails from the people of New York containing pictures and the hot gossip it can't see. It is an online paparazzi.

        Roger Chillingworth IS gossip girl. Although the website does not personally badger the characters as Chillingworth does with Dimmesdale, it has a paparazzi to perform that task. Like the dreaded camera-carriers run by gossip girl, Chillingworth eats into Dimmesdale's mind to find out his deepest, darkest secrets and expose them to the world. Gossip Girl, like Chillingworth, does everything in its power to expose every lie, cheat, and scandal of the public's favorite stars to show that they are only human and should not be idolized. Dimmesdale is praised by all of the people, and Chillingworth wants to remove this town idol out of his own pleasure and revenge.