Why did Chillingworth want revenge Dimmesdale?
Chillingworth does want revenge because, as he says to Hester, this man “has wronged us both!” He feels that he shares some responsibility for Hester’s… (The entire section contains 2 answers and 646 words.)
Why does Hester meet with Chillingworth?
Hover for more information. In chapter XIII of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter we encounter Hester Prynne, after many years, finally facing up to the fact that she might be the key to changing Chillingworth’s heart so that he would stop punishing Dimmesdale.
What are some symbols in The Scarlet Letter?
The Scarlet Letter Symbols
- Red and Black. Red symbolizes the glow of Hester’s passion. Black represents the devil and sin.
- The Scarlet Letter. The Puritans mean for the scarlet letter to be a symbol of Hester’s shame.
- Pearl. Pearl is a living symbol, the physical embodiment of Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin.
What is ironic about Pearl’s existence?
What, according to the narrator, is ironic about Pearl’s existence? Pearl is the reason for all her mother’s troubles because her sin could not have remained hidden had she not become pregnant. Townspeople believe Pearl is the incarnation of the Devil, while Hester believes Pearl is the physical embodiment of her sin.
What is Hester coming to realize is the true sin she has committed?
What is Hester coming to realize is the true sin she has committed? Her true sin was marrying Chillingsworth out of convenience and not love. What does Hester realize about her “repentance”? She realizes her repentance can never be complete until Pearl knows who she is.
Why is Chillingworth called a leech?
Roger Chillingworth is called “the leech” because he sucks the spirit and strength from Reverend Dimmesdale the way the aquatic leech exploits and often kills its host. He pretends to be a caring physician, but he extorts favors from the clergyman to serve his own selfish need to be near Hester, his legal wife.
What is the symbolic meaning of Pearl’s name in The Scarlet Letter?
At the beginning of chapter five it states that she was named Pearl because she was “of great price-purchased with all she had,-her mother’s only treasure!” So, Pearl’s name is symbolic of the price that Hester had to pay in order to bear her.
How does Pearl react to the scarlet letter?
As Hester explains, “Pearl misses something which she has always seen me wear.” Pearl’s reaction shows that Hester cannot simply escape from her past: her identity is entangled with being the woman who bears the scarlet letter, and it may not be possible for her to adopt a new identity.
What is the symbolism of the rose bush in the scarlet letter?
The rose bush in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter reflects the ideals of the American Romantic movement. The rose bush suggests the solace and compassion of the natural world. It comforts Hester as she is led from the prison to the scaffold.
Why is Chapter 18 called a flood of sunshine?
Why is the chapter called, “A Flood of Sunshine”? The sun represent redemption and life which was blocked by hiding the truth.
Why does Hester dress pearl like the scarlet letter?
Just as the scarlet “A” that Hester is forced to wear is turned by her skill with the needle into a symbol of beauty and finery, so Pearl, the illegitimate child of an illicit and unlawful union, is a figure of beauty and is arrayed in all finery by her mother.
Does Hester hate Chillingworth?
Despite her pity for Chillingworth in Chapter 14, Hester reveals her deep hatred for him in this chapter. She realizes that he set off a chain of events beginning with an unnatural, loveless marriage.
What is the symbolism of the scaffold in Scarlet Letter?
The scaffold plays a vital role in The Scarlet Letter. In the novel, it’s both the symbol of sin and shame, as well as the site of ultimate redemption.
Why did Hester name her child Pearl quizlet?
Why did Hester name her child Pearl? “she named the infant “Pearl,” as being of great price—purchased with all she had—her mother’s only treasure!” “Pearl was a born outcast of the infantile world.
Why does Hester take off the scarlet letter?
For Hester, to remove the scarlet letter would be to acknowledge the power it has in determining who she is. Hester chooses to continue to wear the letter because she is determined to transform its meaning through her actions and her own self-perception—she wants to be the one who controls its meaning.