Billy Dolon Comment 4: In this paragraph, Hester resolves to reveal to Dimmesdale the identity of her husband. We already know this character to be none other than the bane of Dimmesdale, Chillingworth. This is an example of dramatic irony. Earlier in the novel, Chillingworth states that Dimmesdale is acutely aware of the identity of his torturer, but does not acknowledge the truth fully. While there is no logical reason that Hester cannot meet with Dimmesdale in his study to reveal her secret, she chooses instead to find him in nature (the embodiment of truth). She feels that a natural setting would be more appropriate, she states that "both the minister and she would need the whole wide world to breathe in." I believe this implies that she is anticipating a strong reaction from Dimmesdale upon receiving the information that Chillingworth was Hester's husband.

Billy Dolon Comment 3: In this paragraph, Pearl entertains herself by accessorizing herself with items found in nature. The narrator describes her as "a little mermaid." This reinforces the idea that Pearl is other-worldly, impish, and demonic in nature. Pearl is then stated to have inherited her mother's aptitude for clothing. This sentence may indicate that Pearl has more in common with her mother than we are led to believe. Most importantly in the passage, Pearl adorns herself with a letter A made from seaweed. The narrator takes the time to point out that it is green instead of scarlet. Scarlet is often associated with evil. It is a satanic color and the color of blood. Green is the color of most objects in nature, therefore representative of innocence, purity, and truth. This event further enforces the idea that Pearl is symbolic of truth, as Hawthorne constantly reminds us.

Billy Dolon Comment 2: In this passage Chillingworth states that he believes Hester, his wife, has cheated on him with the pastor Dimmesdale. He says that the only reason Dimmesdale walks free is that Chillingworth witholds their secret. He neglects to reveal the truth to the people, preferring to let Dimmesdale wallow in suspense and torture. Chillingworth believes he has destroyed Dimmesdale's spirit utterly, leaving behind but a shell that "creeps about on earth." He implies that he has somehow done a good deed in keeping Hester and Dimmesdale's secret. Hester then claims that a swift death would have better suited Dimmesdale, as opposed to the long, drawn-out torturous existence he now lives. Chillingworth agrees, acknowledging that no human being has suffered as long or badly as Dimmesdale has. He also implies that Dimmesdale has been aware that Chillingworth is the source of his suffering.

Billy Dolon Comment 1: In this paragraph, Nathaniel Hawthorne emphasizes Pearl's demonic and impish nature. She seems to be fascinated by the scarlet letter on her mother's bosom. This unwarranted interest signifies Pearl's embodiment of pure truth. Hester is unable to attribute Pearl's behavior to any natural cause and begins to question (jokingly) if Pearl is really her own child or not. Pearl is the end result of Hester's sin, and so, in a spiritual sense, her relation to imps and demons makes sense. At the end of the passage, Hester thinks she sees the shadow of a fiend in Pearl's eyes, but acknowledges that she may have imagined it. This shows that at least part of Pearl's demonic depiction can be attributed to Hester's mind. I believe that Hester imagines her daughter, the embodiment of her sin, to be a semi-evil entity because she feels guilt over the sin she committed.