Internal Conflict In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter

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Throughout one’s life, one has to learn to struggle with holding certain expectations of oneself. In literature, this is often shown as internal conflict. In this case, The Scarlet Letter, an anti-transcendental novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the internal conflict of a character portrays the idea that if one does not accept his/her true, imperfect nature, he/she will not live a fulfilled life. This theme helps illustrate that Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is doomed to death because he struggles to accept his true hypocritical nature. At first he leads a double life, trying to cover up his sin by presenting himself as innocent. Then, his guilt starts to physically show and people became worried for the sake of his health. Finally, when he comes …show more content…
It is clear that Dimmesdale wants to come clean, so he finally decides to accept that he is a sinner. Dimmesdale is tired of “wear[ing] one face to himself and another to the multitude” (Hawthorne 120). Arthur wants to come clean and try and live the rest of his life honestly. The next time that Pearl sees Dimmesdale, she questions if he is the same person “that kissed me by the brook?” (134). At last, after holding himself “from doing [this] seven years ago” he calls Hester and Pearl to stand in the daylight with him on the scaffold (141). After Dimmesdale tells the truth, he is planning on fleeing to Europe and becoming a family with Hester and Pearl. Arthur wants to leave with his family so that he can finally live a satisfied life. However, once Dimmesdale tells the truth, he dies. It is inferred that Dimmesdale did not come forth sooner because of the expectations that his society held. It is possible that if the truth was told sooner, he could have prolonged his life. Dimmesdale does not get to have the satisfaction of being a family with Hester and Pearl because he tells the truth too late. This proves that Dimmesdale’s internal struggle of being a coward takes his own life, which fully portrays the following theme: one who does not accept his/her true, imperfect nature will not live a fulfilled, satisfying

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