Themes Used By Arthur Dimmesdale In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne utilizes his characters to present themes of the story. One character in particular, Arthur Dimmesdale, is used to show that the Puritans were believers of black and white- no gray area. This is shown when Dimmesdale is constantly being pulled between his public identity, as a minister, and his personal identity, as a human being. Dimmesdale, as a Puritan, believes that he can only be a model citizen or a sinner, never both. This conflict destroys him because he can’t find the balance between the two.
Dimmesdale’s public identity as a minister means that he is the model for all things good in the Puritans’ eyes. (quote about him being the closest thing to god). As this model, Dimmesdale is responsible