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.

Chapters 9-12 Reflection

I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't see Roger Chillingworth as the scary guy everyone else does, I see him as just as much a hero as Hester is a heroine. The very beginning of chapter 9 (pg.107) gives a brief recap of Chillingworth's character since the start of the novel. Telling how he ventured out of the woods only to see the one person whom he hoped to find some fragment of his old life with, after being with indians, standing center stage being shamed by the town for committing adultery. It must have felt like someone had tore his heart out to see his wife standing there. Although his choice to take on a new identity way seem horrible, I saw it as a noble sacrifice in a sense. After all, the man just gave up the last pice of his old life that he had. By leaving Hester he may have spared her even more shame from the townspeople and the church, had they known that her husband had returned and she had bore a child with another the scorn that she would receive would be far worse. Especially because Roger would have to act furious with her which would only hurt her all the more, despite seeing that he somewhat understands how she could have cheated on him. Lastly by leaving Hester he was also left in an easier position to infiltrate the town and simply become a regular man as he carried out his manhunt for the man who took his wife. Had he not taken a new alias he never would have been able to get so close with Mr. Dimmesdale, for he would have stayed as far away from Chillingworth in order to hide his sin with Hester.
In addition these chapters further develop the motifs of secret sin as well and guilt. It is not so hard to figure out that Dimmesdale holds a secret sin within him in these chapters. Obviously Chillingworth sees this too and is only assured of this when he stumbles upon Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl standing upon the scaffold in the dark of night trying to hide their sin. Guilt is also shown in a physical sense in the deterioration of Dimmesdale and more specifically on his chest.

Questions

1. What are the townspeople's reactions to Chillingworth's lodging in the same house as Dimmesdale?
At first they seemed pleased, and perhaps even jubilant that Dimmesdale was going to be healed and continue to be there spiritual leader. However this quickly disappears as people begin to see Chillingworth as Satan himself or at least his servant come to battle for Dimmesdale's soul.

 2.What changes have taken place in Chillingworth over the years?
Chillingworth slowly grew more sinister and cold as he aged, I saw this as him growing at an accelerated rate due to the stress and pain he bore as he searched for his wife's partner in adultery. However the townspeople see him as taking on a look of evil.

Chapters 9-12

Mr. Mahoney, I hate to break it to you because I know how big of a Chillinworth fan you are, but chapters 9 through 12 made me creeped out, annoyed and a bit loathing of him. What has been standing out to me throughout the novel is the association Hawthorne gives between Satan and Chillingworth, and it was these chapters that embody it the most thus far. (especially bottom of pg 126) Much of these chapters develop the relationship between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. Chillingworth now lives with the reverend under the pretext of a desire to heal him, however, in reality, Roger is seeking analyze and destroy the man. On page 118 Hawthorne describes the doctor's eyes as having a "light glimmering...burning blue and ominous." There is evil in Roger Chillingworth's "friendly" actions toward Dimmesdale. Though he does not fully understand why, the reverend senses this malevolence in their friendship, but the physician hides it well. Dimmesdale is intuitively concerned but when he looks at Chillingworth, "There the physician [sits]: his kind, watchful, sympathizing, but never intrusive friend" (Hawthorne 118). Roger is actually very intrusive in subtle, manipulative ways that Dimmesdale does not consciously notice. For instance, Roger prompts a conversation (pg120) about Hester, sin and secrecy with Dimmesdale in order instill terrible guilt in the reverend because he believes that he is Hester's partner in adultery. While appearing sympathizing, Roger is really dissecting Dimmesdale's responses for information and literally killing him with guilt.

Also, I interpreted from these chapters that the scaffold holds a similar but slightly different meaning and symbolism for Hester and Dimmesdale. For Hester, the scaffold is a symbol of the shame she was subjected publicly by the puritans years ago and also the public shame sh continues to feel as a result. For Dimmesdale however, the scaffold is a symbol of guilt, a more internal disapproval of himself that is not known to others. He is not subjected to shame but he is the victim of guilt. 

What actions does Dimmesdale take to punish himself?
Dimmesdale keeps a secret whip in his closet which he violently whips himself with as a form of punishment for his sins. In addition to this, he fasts for the same reason. He does not fast like others to cleanse his body, but instead he fasts until he can no longer even stand as a means of self punishment. (pg 132)

Why is Chillingworth called a "leech," and why, at another point, does the narrator compare him to  a miner?
First of all I love that Hawthorne chooses to call Chillingworth a leech because it has a double meaning. Roger is literally a leech because at that time "leech" was a word which referred to physicians because there was a practice which involved using leeches to drain blood to heal people.In a more figurative sense, Chillingworth is a leech because he has attached himself to Dimmesdale in a destructive, parasitical manner. The way Chillingworth subtly tortures Dimmesdale literally drains life from him in the way a leech does. Day by day, Dimmesdale looks more emaciated and closer to death.
The narrator also compares Chillingworth to a miner. This is an accurate comparison because, like a miner, Chillingworth is in search of something very specific and something of great value to him. He searches and searches in manipulative ways to find an answer like a miner digs and digs to find gold or coal etc.

Response to 5-8

I find this book challenging to read. The level of detail in which Hawthorne describes everything in the throughout the book makes it difficult to follow. He regularly takes multiple pages to describe a single object. For example, Hawthorne takes an entire chapter to describe Pearl's appearance and personality. While reading the lengthy pages that lack dialogue or any real action, I often find my concentration fading. Hawthorne's word choice makes it difficult for me to get through the book, because I end up spending a long time re-reading pages multiple times to understand what is happening. Although I do not particularly like his writing style I enjoy the way he includes his own ideas towards the puritan society. It is not hard to find throughout the story. Hawthorne frequently includes comparisons of modern life to puritan life. For example, in chapter 7 he compares the way they deal with personal matters. “It may appear singular, and, indeed, not a little ludicrous, that an affair of this kind, which, in later days, would have been referred to no higher jurisdiction than that of the selectmen of the town, should then have been a question publicly discussed, and on which statesmen of eminence took sides”(91). Also, I actually like the way that Hawthorne describes the symbols that he incorporates into the story because I like how he lets the reader know exactly what he was thinking while he was writing. He leads the reader by describing exactly what a symbol represents.

9. How does Pearl behave when questioned by the men?

When Pearl is questioned by the men she is very stubborn. She escapes through a window when Mr. Wilson tried to talk to her. Mr. Wilson asks Pearl who made her, and even though she knows the right answer because her mother has taught her everything about religion, she refuses to say anything to him. Pearl eventually makes something up and claims that she was plucked from a rose bush that grows by the prison door.

10. How does Hester succeed in her mission, and how does this relate to her conversation with Mistress Hibbins?

Hester's mission was to convince Governor Bellingham that she was capable of raising Pearl because she heard that people were debating whether or not they should take Pearl away from her. Hester succeeded this mission because she begged Master Dimmesdale to convince the rest of the men that they should not change the way Pearl is living. This relates to her conversation with Mistress Hibbins because Hester said she would have gone with Mistress Hibbins if Pearl had been taken away from her, so even though Pearl is young she saved Hester from the devil.

Chapters 5-8 Reflection

After finishing these chapters I find that Hawthorne's language has become easier to read. Although it became a little boring at times, lacking dialogue and character interactions throughout most of the chapters, Hawthorne's character descriptions and symbols made it more interesting. One symbol that stood out to me was the rose bush in front of the prison door that was described in the first chapter and brought back up in the seventh. Pearl is cries for it because it is so beautiful compared to the flowers in the forest that she usually see. Then when Mr. Wilson is questioning the beliefs of Pearl  asking who made her and Hawthorne describes her response: "The child finally announced that she had not been made at all, but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison-door" (102). Pearl, at the age of only 3, responds that she has been plucked from a ross bush, the symbol for something beautiful blooming from some thing dangerous and covered in thorns. She is the result of this scorned sin but she her appearance is described as perfect and beautiful. Also, Pearl coming from the sin is symbolized in the fact that the rose bush is directly in front of the prison door. Pearl's birth is accurately represented by the rosebush because she is the result of the sin symbolized by the thorns and she is represented by the flower.
Another thing that stood out to me is the kindness of Reverend Dimmesdale towards Pearl. In a society where everyone looks down on both Hester and her daughter, Dimmesdale stands out. When everyone else wants to take Pearl away from Hester, he speaks out for her saying that she is there to bring her some joy but also remind her of her sin. This convinces the other men to let Hester raise Pearl as she wishes. He even gives Hester a little hope of redemption saying: "If she shall bring the child to heaven, the child will also bring its parent thither!" (105). All of the women at the scaffold wanted her to be condemned to death because of her sin, but here he is going as far as saying that she could go to heaven. Then in chapter eight, he holds Pearl's hand and kisses her head showing his impressive kindness yet again.

Pearls's Personality and Appearance:
 Pearl is described at first as having a "perfect shape" and that there was "an absolute circle of radiance around her" (82). Her beautiful and capturing appearance even as an infant is clear as soon as Hawthorne begins describing her. She has dark brownish black hair and black eyes. As far as her personality, Pearl reflects a lot of her mother's characteristics such as her defiant, sometimes depressing mood, and her volatile temper. Also she gives her mother looks that are completely unsympathetic and she never acknowledged Hester's sorrow. Pearl is described multiple times as capricious showing that she is fitful and moody. At points Hester thinks that she is devilish and she is described as an imp and and an elf.

Pearl's Reaction to the Scarlet Letter:
 The first thing Pearl notices about her mother is the scarlet letter embroidered on her bosom and she reaches for it. Then as she grows older, she appears to resent it thawing flowers at it and smiling whenever she was able to hit it. Then when Hester and Pearl are in the Governor's house, she points out the letter in their reflection where it appears to almost overshadow her mother because of the concave mirror.

“The church is the great family of children of God. Certainly it has human aspects from the members who comprise it, pastors and faithful. They have defects, imperfections, sins. Even the pope has them — and he has many — but what is beautiful is that when we become aware that we are sinners, we find the mercy of God. God always forgives. Don’t forget this. God always forgives.”

—Pope Francis beginning a series of meditations on the church May 29

I wanted to find a quote from the Pope to contrast a modern day religion to that in the Puritan society. The Pope openly admits that he has sins, which they would never do in that time so they could look like they were in God's grace. Also, he says that God always forgives, but Hester is so severely punished because of one sin and no one will forgive her.  

Ch 5-8: Reflection

One thing that I really noticed while reading these chapters is the extent to which Hawthorne describes a character or an idea. He uses incredibly precise language to evoke a certain image and feeling when describing any situation; he explains every little detail. By being so specific and writing such vivid descriptions, Hawthorne doesn't allow readers to have very much leeway in putting their own interpretation. In addition, many times Hawthorne seems very long-winded because he spends so much time to describe everything. One instance of Hawthorne being very direct and precise with the reader is the beginning of chapter five on page 72 and 73. Another more prominent example is that he spends all of chapter six thoroughly describing Pearl and the way she affects Hester. He spends more than a page describing why Hester felt more vulnerable walking out of the prison than during her time on the scaffold. Despite those downsides, it is amazing how clearly he imagined these fictional situations and characters while writing the novel. Furthermore, it is even more amazing that he is able to write down his ideas so exactly and eloquently. At first it was hard to keep track of all the information, details, he tells us, but gradually it becomes easier to follow Hawthorne's language.While I also noticed how much Hawthorne keeps on associating Pearl with imps and sprites along with the color scarlet red. By describing Pearl as beautiful yet terrifying and as a product of Hester's sin (82-83), Hawthorne implies that Pearl is a physical representation of sinning itself. Indulging in one of the seven sins, although satisfying and tempting like Pearl's beauty, leads to detrimental consequences and tarnishes the soul of an individual. Furthermore, he explicitly says, "It [Pearl wearing a crimson tunic] was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!" (93) Pearl is a living representation of Hester's sin.
Pearl reminded me of a siren-type of figure to Hester. Sirens were beautiful creatures; however, they were actually monsters that killed sailors by luring them in with their beauty and mesmerizing voices. Similarly, Pearl's beauty mesmerizes Hester, and by attempting to care for Pearl, Hester only suffers from her daughter's cruelty and witnesses the demon inside of her.

Chapters 5-8: Answers to Question 1-2

After her ordeal, where did Hester choose to live? Why?

Hester had an option of moving away from Boston to some other settlement or even back to England and start anew under a different identity in order to escape from her notoriety in Puritan society. Despite being publicly ashamed, she decided to remain close to Boston. Hester found a cottage in the woods on the outskirts of Boston that was abandoned because it was located on infertile land. She decided to remain in Boston for a few reasons. One reason being that Hester, through her sinning and public humiliation, formed an deep bond with the Boston society: "The chain that bound her here was of iron links, and galling to her inmost soul, but could never be broken" (74). Another reason that she may have remained in Boston is that she hoped that by staying there, she would be able to see Pearl's father. She hoped that together they could withstand the judgement of society together as if they were husband and wife (74). A third reason that Hester stayed in Boston is that she should remain in the place that she sinned for her punishment. By enduring her shame, Hester believed she could have regained her purity and become saint-like(74).

What occupation did Hester take up?

Hester became a seamstress in Boston because of her incredible talent in needle work. She made highly desired ornate clothing for governors, for the poor, and for funerals. However, nobody would hire her to make wedding clothing because people thought it was inappropriate to be wed using clothing made by a woman that committed adultery. (76)