Scarlet Letter Chapter 9-14 Summary
Chapter 8-9 – The four men set to determine Pearl’s fate are Chillingworth, Bellingham, Wilson and Dimmesdale. When Pearl and her mother enter the room, the men call Pearl a demon child. During the meeting, Pearl seemed to be drawn to Dimmesdale, even placing his hand on her cheek. Dimmesdale happens to come to Hester’s defence, stating that god had sent the child as a blessing and a curse for Hester. As Hester leaves with Pearl entoe, she is invited to do witchcraft by the Governor's sister. Hester resist the request, explaining that she may have if she wasn’t allowed to keep Pearl, implying Pearl is steering her away from the devil. Roger Chillingworth is a cold and deceitful man. His actions border on psychopathic due to his lack of empathy and manipulation of other people. He is purely driven by revenge, lying to the whole town about his identity.
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Chapter 10-12 – Chillingworth tells Dimmesdale that the black herbs he was using came from an unmarked grave, likely someone who was buried with secrets they hadn’t confessed to.
Dimmesdale states that one should confess to sins before death, and Chillingworth agrees, going further to say that if uttered by work or shown by a sort of emblem the sin will not follow one to the grave. Dimmesdale finishes the conversation by saying he’s heard many confessions on people's death beds, and suggests the reason one may die with their secrets is they were never given the chance to state them. Pearl, after seeing Chillingworth treating Dimmesdale through the window, says that the Black Man has gotten to the
minister.
Chapter 13-14 – As time goes by, people in the town begin to view the letter “A” on Hester’s chest as meaning “Able”, the biblical character, rather than “Adulter”. Hester now believes she has been “burned” by the scarlet letter, and views herself as a husk of her normal self. She also believes that keeping the identity of Roger from Dimmesdale is hurting him. Hester approaches the physician on the beach, asking him if she may tell Dimmesdale of Rodger’s true identity. Chillingworth knows that Dimmesdale is Hester’s lover and refuses her request. The narrator describes Chillingworth’s soul as tainted and deformed and he says he’s become a fiend. They then argue who’s fault Rodger’s madness with revenge is.
Chapter 15-16 – The scarlet letters meaning changes throughout the novel. The simple meaning is that it represents the sin Hester committed, but there are other, more complex meanings. The fact that Hester never covers it shows she's content with her sin and she does not let it define herself. The reason people in town are more accepting of her letter proves that her sin does not define her. Hester intends to tell Dimmesdale Chillingworth’s identity despite Chillingworth’s demands. Pearl asks who the Black Man is because Mistress Hibbins says that he put the scarlet letter on Pearl’s mother. When Dimmesdale appears, Pearl wonders if he is the Black Man, and Hester tells her no. Instead Pearl wonders if the Black Man is the reason Dimmesdale grabs at his chest so often.
Chapter 17-19 – Shame, despair, and solitude taught Hester to better understand the town and how criticize its flaws. Dimmesdale through his life would keep incredibly close watch over his emotions and actions. Because he not only belonged to this society of puritans, but was a social leader, his guilt tortured him. Dimmesdale hopes that him and Hester could create a life together, one better than his current life. Hester throws her scarlet letter off, representing her letting go of the past to move forward. How does the narrator describe Pearl at the end of this chapter in comparison to the forest and its creatures. Write a brief character analysis of Pearl including what you think she symbolizes. Pearl is a clear symbolization of the sin
Chapter 20-21 – After what happened in the woods, Dimmesdale feels that he is unfamiliar with himself. In town, he first encounters a church elder, who he wants to blurt blasphemy at. Then he encounters an elderly widow, but he can’t think of bible scripture to say and can only think of the impossibility of life after death. Next he encounters a young convert to the church, but he attempts to avoid her as best as possible. Following that, he encounters one of the sailors from the ship he will take to England. He has the urge to do a round of oaths with the man. After this, Dimmesdale nearly teaches a group of children wicked words. Finally, he encounters Mistress Hibbins and she invites him out into the forest, presumably to talk with the devil. When he gets home, now knowing the identity of Chillingworth, he asks that he stops treating him. Chillingworth is nervous that Dimmesdale knows his identity, but does not ask him.
Chapter 10-12 – Chillingworth tells Dimmesdale that the black herbs he was using came from an unmarked grave, likely someone who was buried with secrets they hadn’t confessed to.
Dimmesdale states that one should confess to sins before death, and Chillingworth agrees, going further to say that if uttered by work or shown by a sort of emblem the sin will not follow one to the grave. Dimmesdale finishes the conversation by saying he’s heard many confessions on people's death beds, and suggests the reason one may die with their secrets is they were never given the chance to state them. Pearl, after seeing Chillingworth treating Dimmesdale through the window, says that the Black Man has gotten to the
minister.
Chapter 13-14 – As time goes by, people in the town begin to view the letter “A” on Hester’s chest as meaning “Able”, the biblical character, rather than “Adulter”. Hester now believes she has been “burned” by the scarlet letter, and views herself as a husk of her normal self. She also believes that keeping the identity of Roger from Dimmesdale is hurting him. Hester approaches the physician on the beach, asking him if she may tell Dimmesdale of Rodger’s true identity. Chillingworth knows that Dimmesdale is Hester’s lover and refuses her request. The narrator describes Chillingworth’s soul as tainted and deformed and he says he’s become a fiend. They then argue who’s fault Rodger’s madness with revenge is.
Chapter 15-16 – The scarlet letters meaning changes throughout the novel. The simple meaning is that it represents the sin Hester committed, but there are other, more complex meanings. The fact that Hester never covers it shows she's content with her sin and she does not let it define herself. The reason people in town are more accepting of her letter proves that her sin does not define her. Hester intends to tell Dimmesdale Chillingworth’s identity despite Chillingworth’s demands. Pearl asks who the Black Man is because Mistress Hibbins says that he put the scarlet letter on Pearl’s mother. When Dimmesdale appears, Pearl wonders if he is the Black Man, and Hester tells her no. Instead Pearl wonders if the Black Man is the reason Dimmesdale grabs at his chest so often.
Chapter 17-19 – Shame, despair, and solitude taught Hester to better understand the town and how criticize its flaws. Dimmesdale through his life would keep incredibly close watch over his emotions and actions. Because he not only belonged to this society of puritans, but was a social leader, his guilt tortured him. Dimmesdale hopes that him and Hester could create a life together, one better than his current life. Hester throws her scarlet letter off, representing her letting go of the past to move forward. How does the narrator describe Pearl at the end of this chapter in comparison to the forest and its creatures. Write a brief character analysis of Pearl including what you think she symbolizes. Pearl is a clear symbolization of the sin
Chapter 20-21 – After what happened in the woods, Dimmesdale feels that he is unfamiliar with himself. In town, he first encounters a church elder, who he wants to blurt blasphemy at. Then he encounters an elderly widow, but he can’t think of bible scripture to say and can only think of the impossibility of life after death. Next he encounters a young convert to the church, but he attempts to avoid her as best as possible. Following that, he encounters one of the sailors from the ship he will take to England. He has the urge to do a round of oaths with the man. After this, Dimmesdale nearly teaches a group of children wicked words. Finally, he encounters Mistress Hibbins and she invites him out into the forest, presumably to talk with the devil. When he gets home, now knowing the identity of Chillingworth, he asks that he stops treating him. Chillingworth is nervous that Dimmesdale knows his identity, but does not ask him.