#2 Characterization Paper In the book The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, there are many ways that the author depicts the characters individually. Each persona of the novel has specific and special characteristics that explain their part in the book. Many of these are important traits that reflect upon themselves, leading towards different events in The Scarlet Letter, consequently taking us to the climax of the book. The nature of these characters is: Hester Prynne is a sign of inner strength, Pearl as the demonic child, Arthur Dimmesdale as the personification of "human frailty and sorrow," and Roger Chillingworth being the nasty evil man. First and foremost is Hester Prynne. She defies the word brave. Hester Prynne does
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Guilty of adultery but not quite known by the puritan community yet, but is under speculation. “If thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy earthly punishment… I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer!" (ch III, pg 57) Arthur realizes he is a sinner. Through his actions, his decisions. He wants to be punished for the bad things he has done. “Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him” (ch III, pg 57) Dimmesdale wants Hester to put the blame on him, he wants to self punish himself but putting pity on him. A physician obsessed with a fiend goes by the name Roger Chillingworth. The greatest sinner in his puritan community. His only motive was to seek revenge. “But what distinguished the physicians ecstasy from Satan was the trait of wonder from it!” (ch X, pg 118) Assuming that Chillingworth wants revenge, he most likely found evidence against Dimmesdale, relating to Rogers motive. As he finds this evidence he knows he will be able to destroy Dimmesdale. “As he spoke, he laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to scorch into Hester’s breast,” (ch IV, pg 62) this shows the creepiness of the evil character he is. Very perverted too. Many other characteristics are depicted throughout this novel, many can be positive or negative. But all characteristics reflect on the relationships between the characters. Hester hates Chillingworth, Chillingworth
Guilty of adultery but not quite known by the puritan community yet, but is under speculation. “If thou feelest it to be for thy soul's peace, and that thy earthly punishment… I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-sinner and fellow-sufferer!" (ch III, pg 57) Arthur realizes he is a sinner. Through his actions, his decisions. He wants to be punished for the bad things he has done. “Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him” (ch III, pg 57) Dimmesdale wants Hester to put the blame on him, he wants to self punish himself but putting pity on him. A physician obsessed with a fiend goes by the name Roger Chillingworth. The greatest sinner in his puritan community. His only motive was to seek revenge. “But what distinguished the physicians ecstasy from Satan was the trait of wonder from it!” (ch X, pg 118) Assuming that Chillingworth wants revenge, he most likely found evidence against Dimmesdale, relating to Rogers motive. As he finds this evidence he knows he will be able to destroy Dimmesdale. “As he spoke, he laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to scorch into Hester’s breast,” (ch IV, pg 62) this shows the creepiness of the evil character he is. Very perverted too. Many other characteristics are depicted throughout this novel, many can be positive or negative. But all characteristics reflect on the relationships between the characters. Hester hates Chillingworth, Chillingworth