The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne - 1299 Words

The scarlet letter symbolizes a part of Hester’s past that she can never forget but also represents a sense of strength that she overcame all the hardship that was a result of her sin, though she still feels the pain of the letter when encountering Mr. Dimmesdale. In chapter sixteen, Hester plans to meet with the minister in order to discuss their plans about what to do with Roger Chillingworth, but also just to talk to somebody who understands her situation. Eventually, Pearl brings up the Black Man again when she describes how â€Å"he haunts this forest, and carries a book with him [...] and how this ugly Black Man offers this book [...] to everybody that meets him here [...] and they are to write their names with their own blood [...] then†¦show more content†¦Her â€Å"teachers† have made Hester into a stronger woman emotionally, but they have also disconnected her from society and she is flawed in the sense that she no longer has the same social skills a s before and therefore she prefers to be alone rather than have any sort of company. The miserable state in which Mr. Dimmesdale has been living is filled with guilt and depression. He knows that the right and noble thing to do would be admitting to his sin but his position and reputation with the church is holding him back. The citizens of the Puritan society view the Minister as a God’s gift and for him to reveal his darkest secret would hurt the people as much as it would hurt him. During their time together, Dimmesdale explains to Hester that hope has risen up from within him after she agrees to run off with him and Pearl, thus leaving their old life behind. He is overwhelmed with the excitement of starting over and even cries to Hester â€Å"thou art my better angel!† (167). Overcome with exhilaration as well, Hester is ready to start a new chapter in her life and â€Å"undid the clasp that fastened the scarlet letter, and, taking it from her bosom, threw it to a distance among the withered leaves† (167). This action symbolizes Hester’s feelings toward the whole situation and proves to the reader that she is ready to move on and never look back. Towards the end of the chapter, the narrator describes Pearl as one with the forest and the â€Å"mother-forest, and these