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Comparing Letter And Dimmesdale's Pain In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

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In The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the comparison between Hester’s scarlet letter and Dimmesdale’s hand over his heart presents the theme that people will experience a permanent and more powerful pain when they attempt to hide their sin intentionally rather than choosing to confess and expose it to the public. The scarlet letter once to be a reflection of sin, but what it stands for can always be changed because it is removable, and it is not a permanent imprint on Hester’s body. Even though both Hester and Dimmesdale are sinners, Hester experiences less torture because the townspeople witness her confession through her action of helping the poor, and they interpret the scarlet letter A as “able” instead of “adultery” because …show more content…

Dimmesdale’s scarlet letter is a permanent scar that causes a strong pain, but nobody is able to see his redemption because it is always hidden. Saying “God is merciful” cannot bring Dimmesdale peace because he knows that he does not deserve God’s forgiveness as a coward who has failed to confess his mistakes. Once Dimmesdale’s sin is covered by his hand, he has stepped into the endless circle of hiding and regretting. The scarlet letter’s changeable nature reflects the life of Hester, who is able to repent her sin in a positive way and eventually gains her right to return to a normal life. However, the contrasting characteristic of Dimmesdale’s hand over his heart indicates the fact that his life will be always filled with guilt and torture because his inability to be true. Hawthorne presents the scarlet letter and Dimmesdale’s hand over his heart both as the token of sin, but he eventually draws the differences between these two to convey the message that people will experience a stronger and permanent pain when they are unable to confess their sin to the

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