Scarlet Letter
...ad been her teachers-stern and wild ones-and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss” (190). Hester’s “A” brought her to new contemplations and therefore to new knowledge regarding society and its people, knowledge that other women did not even dare to think. The original purpose of Hester bearing the scarlet letter upon her chest was to bring Hester to contemplations of her sin and salvation. However, the letter did not do as it was originally meant to, “The scarlet letter had not done its office” (160), instead, bearing the scarlet letter helps Hester to further realize that she does not need to even take notice of what the town thinks of her. For the same reason Hester did not flee with Pearl years earlier, Hester’s new knowledge only confirms her previous notion that others do not have the power to judge her. Similar to Hester, Arthur Dimmesdale also gains new knowledge from his sin. The burden of Dimmesdale’s sin gives him the ability to empathize with his congregation because he now understands life from the human point of view. As opposed to the life of a minister, upon a pedestal, that he had been living, Dimmesdale now realizes the harsh lives and burdens the average person goes through, and because of this realization his sermons become more powerful and his congregation respects him even more. Ironically, because Dimmesdale is such a great minister, his congregation refuses to believe that he has committed such a great sin, and they dismiss his confessions as modesty. Because Dimmesdale cannot publicly suffer for his sin, his suffering on the inside grows and grows, and he is constantly repenting for his sin. "Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” (242). Dimmesdale learns that it is important to not hide your true self, even if you only let part of yourself out, it still allows other to see into you, and it can help set yourself free of some burden. Hester suffers for her sin publicly, and even though she becomes outcast she realizes that one can only gain strength and individuality by accepting and changing themselves, and not by rejection of oneself; a realization that Dimmesdale, unfortunately, never learns and so he keeps suffering. Dimmesdale and Hester are both constantly reminded of their sin, Dimmesdale because of his constant internal suffering and Hester because of her “A”. For both, the sin comes to encompass their lives, and it plays a part in almost every aspect of their lives. Dimmesdale is able to incorporate his self-suffering into his sermons, making them more powerful, “But this very burden it was that gave him sympathies so intimate with the sinful brotherhood of mankind; so that his heart vibrated in unison with theirs” (139). Dimmesdale was able to incorporate personal experience into his sermons, he was able to empathize with his congregation, and thus his sermons had a more powerful effect over them. However, Dimmesdale’s sin also begins to encompass his whole life, taking him over; he is constantly repenting for his sin, and constantly suffering for his wrong. Gradually, the guilt Dimmesdale feels from his sin, and from not confessing the sin, takes over his life, and he becomes lost behind it. The guilt becomes so great, that Dimmesdale even begins to torture himself, not only psychologically, but also physically. He scourges himself with a whip, fasts, and he holds extended vigils, in which he stays awake throughout the entire night pondering about his sin. At the same time, and for the same reason Hester does not remove her scarlet letter, and does not flee from the town with Pearl, Hester knows that her...