In The Scarlet Letter, the author Nathaniel Hawthorne reveals an important theme of light and dark between Pearl and Chillingworth. The two characters contend brutally over the soul of the minister Arthur Dimmesdale in a fight between good and evil. As Dimmesdale’s child, Pearl is also a continuous symbol of truth and reality, while Chillingworth remains hidden in the shadows while standing as Dimmesdale’s physician. When Pearl and Dimmesdale first meet, the passion returns to Dimmesdale as he argues on Hester’s behalf, like a fire rekindling inside of his soul. Chillingworth is presented as a dark and quiet man, with a demonic light only showing through his eyes. He is the shadow that envelops Dimmesdale and extinguishes his will and hope.
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It is noted many different times in Hawthorne’s writing that he has begun to physically look demonic and evil when studied by the townspeople. Dimmesdale is blinded by his own shadow to see Chillingworth for what he really is, and his true intentions. Hawthorne describes him as a thief groping in the dark for a man’s most precious treasure, which to Chillingworth, is the secret that Dimmesdale hides inside of his deepest parts. Chillingworth pries carefully into the Reverend’s thoughts and weaknesses in order to find this secret that he has become obsessed with discovering. Dimmesdale however, is able to skirt around any topic that makes him uncomfortable, until Chillingworth begins to remark his own judgements on Pearl and Hester, who are standing below them in the graveyard. Pearl spots them, and pulls her mother away, calling out, “‘Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old black man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!’” (Hawthorne 202) Pearl is able to truly see through Chillingworth’s intentions, and sees the darkness inside of him. Pearl recognizes that Chillingworth has Dimmesdale tightly ensnared already in his own evil, selfish schemes, but also challenges his …show more content…
Pearl shows people the light, like with Hester and Dimmesdale, and is able to defeat the offending forces in the end to reunite her parents. Pearl is able to grow up and move on in the world naturally, with her mother and father shown the truth and the understanding of the effects of their sin and love. She is the physical representation of their sin, but is also the representation of their salvation. Chillingworth is their living symbol of darkness and vengeance, and is able to slowly crush Dimmesdale with the weight of his hidden secrets. No matter what Chillingworth accomplishes, Pearl overcomes Chillingworth’s evil in the end, and perseveres. The physician dies in the light, and perishes because the darkness inside had consumed him, leaving no inner peace left. The battle between light and dark ends with the freeing of Arthur Dimmesdale, and the characters are able to move forward to a brighter
It is noted many different times in Hawthorne’s writing that he has begun to physically look demonic and evil when studied by the townspeople. Dimmesdale is blinded by his own shadow to see Chillingworth for what he really is, and his true intentions. Hawthorne describes him as a thief groping in the dark for a man’s most precious treasure, which to Chillingworth, is the secret that Dimmesdale hides inside of his deepest parts. Chillingworth pries carefully into the Reverend’s thoughts and weaknesses in order to find this secret that he has become obsessed with discovering. Dimmesdale however, is able to skirt around any topic that makes him uncomfortable, until Chillingworth begins to remark his own judgements on Pearl and Hester, who are standing below them in the graveyard. Pearl spots them, and pulls her mother away, calling out, “‘Come away, mother! Come away, or yonder old black man will catch you! He hath got hold of the minister already. Come away, mother or he will catch you! But he cannot catch little Pearl!’” (Hawthorne 202) Pearl is able to truly see through Chillingworth’s intentions, and sees the darkness inside of him. Pearl recognizes that Chillingworth has Dimmesdale tightly ensnared already in his own evil, selfish schemes, but also challenges his …show more content…
Pearl shows people the light, like with Hester and Dimmesdale, and is able to defeat the offending forces in the end to reunite her parents. Pearl is able to grow up and move on in the world naturally, with her mother and father shown the truth and the understanding of the effects of their sin and love. She is the physical representation of their sin, but is also the representation of their salvation. Chillingworth is their living symbol of darkness and vengeance, and is able to slowly crush Dimmesdale with the weight of his hidden secrets. No matter what Chillingworth accomplishes, Pearl overcomes Chillingworth’s evil in the end, and perseveres. The physician dies in the light, and perishes because the darkness inside had consumed him, leaving no inner peace left. The battle between light and dark ends with the freeing of Arthur Dimmesdale, and the characters are able to move forward to a brighter