Chapters 9-12

Something that Hawthorne incorporates throughout these 3 specific chapters that stood out to me was the development of conflict within certain characters. The main characters in which he shows this are Roger Chillingworth, and Reverend Dimmesdale. Hawthorne describes Chillingworth as a "pure and upright man"(117).  But throughout the time in which Chillingworth "takes care" of Dimmesdale, he feels the need to get to know more about him as a person, based on his life and just who he is in general. But in his pursuit of trying to learn more about Dimmesdale, Chillingworth starts to develop the feeling that Dimmesdale may be hiding something from him. Eventually, Chillingworth starts to somewhat change who he is in order to get closer to finding about what he theorizes Dimmesdale is hiding. Hawthorne says, "He groped along as stealthily, with as cautious a tread, and as wary an outlook, as a thief entering a chamber where a man lies only half asleep-or, if it may be, broad awake,- with purpose to steal the very treasure which this man guards as the apple of his eye" (118). This shows that Chillingworth is becoming obsessive and needy to find out about what ever it is that he suspects Dimmesdale is hiding from him. I think that this presents an internal conflict for Chillingworth, because he ends up changing who he is himself as a person in order to learn more about Dimmesdale, just because getting to know the patient is part of the process that he takes in order to treat him or her. I think that Chillingworth's actions in this situation help to develop a possible theme that falls along the lines of something like, "it is important to not allow evil and neediness to take over who people are as individuals."
Reverend Dimmesdale is commonly thought of as a somewhat god-like figure, or somebody who would be considered to be too good to be walking around on earth. But soon enough, Roger Chillingworth finds out about Dimmesdale big dark secret that he was the one who Hester committed Adultery. Knowing that Dimmesdale wants to be thought of as a super-religious man who follows the beliefs of Puritans, he decides to punish himself for his wrong-doings. He does this by whipping himself and starving himself. The starvation of himself and the illness that he suffers from causes him to hallucinate things such as ghosts. Hawthorne describes the situation by saying, "Now came the dead friends of his youth, and his white-bearded father with a saint-like frown, and his mother, turning her face away as she passed by" (132). The significance of these ghosts is that they all put him through what seems to be a form of a guilt-trip, so he'll learn. This presents the conflict of Dimmesdale vs. Religion because he decides to torture himself and put himself through misery, for the sole purpose of trying to make up for his sinning. Based on this, it is almost as if Hawthorne is trying to show a central theme that relates to how religion should be or is the most important thing in somebody's life.

5) What is the significance of Chillingworth's examining Dimmesdale's chest?

On page 126, Hawthorne says, "The physician advanced directly in front of his patient, laid his hand upon his bosom, and thrust aside the vestment that, hitherto, had always covered it even from the professional eye. Then, indeed, Mr. Dimmesdale shuddered, and slightly stirred. After a brief pause, the physician turned away. But with what a wild look wonder, joy, and horror!". The significance of Chillingworth's examination of Reverend Dimmesdale's chest is that he finally figures out Dimmesdale's secret that he believed he was hiding from him. The secret ends up being that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl, and that he was the one who Hester committed Adultery with. Chillingworth realizes this because what he sees on Dimmesdale's chest, is a Scarlet Letter very similar to Hester's.

6) What is the reaction of Dimmesdale's parishioners to his sermons?

The parishioners seemed to be rather amazed by Dimmesdale's sermons. "The next day, however, being the Sabbath, he preached a discourse which was held to be the richest and most powerful, and the most replete with heavenly influences, that had ever proceeded from his lips" (143). This makes it evident that the sermon that Dimmesdale gave was the best one that he as ever given, and that the people loved it.