The Scarlet Letter #7

"Such helpfulness was found in her,-so much power to do, and power to sympathize,-that many people refused to interpret the scarlet A by its original signification. They said that it meant Able"(Hawthorne 146)

It is very surprising that people in a puritan society would behave in such a manner. I was under the impression that Hester was doomed to a life of shame no matter what she did. However, her kindness and devotion is restoring the image that her adultery had originally destroyed. This society is clearly very different from the one in The Crucible, where the mere mention of a sin could lead to someone being put to death. This may not have always been. After all, the initial view we get of this society is nothing like the view we get of them now. Where there were once people desiring Hester's flesh to be branded, there are now people who find Hester venerable. Perhaps the town is evolving to take up Jesus' message of forgiveness and repentance. Or maybe the town expected Heter to behave wickedly due to the Scarlet Letter she wears, and were shocked to see her demonstrate so much compassion. If public opinion of Hester continues to change this way, it will completely destroy the system of the Scarlet Letter.

"'Woman, I could well nigh pity thee!' said Rogering Chillingworth, unable to restrain a thrill of admiration, too; for there was a quality almost majestic in the despair which she expressed"(157).

Chillingworth is beginning to lose his mind more and more as the novel progresses. He has become so obsessed with torturing Dimmesdale that he has forgotten what he initially set out to do. Chillingworth seems to have developed a perverted taste for human suffering. While spending much of the novel in a bad humor, he expresses joy after hearing the anguish in Hester's voice. I highly doubt that he will ever end it all. He will most likely continue torturing Dimmesdale for the rest of his life to satisfy himself. I would not be surprised if the medicine Chillingworth concocts for Dimmesdale were to contain some sort of poison. Chillingworth has already fullfilled his motive, and yet continues with his plan. He completely understands how much pain he is causing Dimmesdale, which only makes him want to inflict further damage. Chillingworth blames Dimmesdale for making him into a fiend, and yet continues behaving like a fiend when he could choose to end it all.