Chapters 16 - 19

         The plot truly begins to progress during chapters 16 – 19 as Hester and Dimmesdale make their plans to leave the colony and travel to back to England where they can be together with Pearl. While the plot became more interesting, the chapters themselves were just as difficult to read as before. While during the previous chapters, I felt happy that Hester was finally being forgiven by society, the way she completely discarded her sins by throwing the letter away after just having refusing to remove it in chapter 13 irked me a little. Despite this, I liked the way the story was beginning to take a more interesting turn.

“But Hester Prynne, with a mind of native courage and activity, and for so long a period not merely estranged, but outlawed, from society, had habituated herself to such latitude of speculation as was altogether foreign to the clergyman. She had wandered, without rule or guidance, in a moral wilderness. . . . The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread. Shame, Despair, Solitude! These had been her teachers,—stern and wild ones,—and they had made her strong, but taught her much amiss.”

         This quote from chapter 18 has to do with the theme of sin and knowledge that is so prevalent throughout the course of the novel. This passage from the text appears right after Hester and Dimmesdale decide to leave the colony and go to England. In this passage, the author is stating how Hester’s alienation by society has allowed her to truly understand freedom in all its parts. This can be seen as being due to the scarlet letter she wears forcing her away from society and also forcing her to wander in a “moral wildness” as she develops her own approach to life, independent of that of the puritans around her. This passage also reveals one of the author’s main criticisms of the society. While the intended purpose of punishing Hester with the A, as is true with all punishments, was reprimand her for going against the rules of the society and the reintegrate her back into it, it had the unforeseen effect of making her an outcast. This, as is stated in the passage, forces her to create and follow her own path which ends up being very subversive to puritan beliefs as is shown in this scene where she plots to escape with Dimmesdale. The irony between the intended effect for the letter and the actual effect is one of the main messages of the novel.

“Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!”

         This quote from chapter 16 shows both the significance of the scarlet letter and the role of Pearl in the novel. Throughout the novel, Pearl has been shown to be extremely perceptive of secrets. In this case, Pearl connects the scarlet letter on her mother bosom to the literal and metaphorical lack of sunshine in her life that has come about as a result of her wearing it. By continuously asking pointed questions such as these, Pearl continuously reminds her mother of her sin despite most people having forgiven her for it. This concept is explored later in this section of chapters when Pearl essentially forces her mother to put the scarlet letter back on after she discarded it. After saying this, Pearl states that despite her not wearing a letter at that moment, it will come to her with age. While one may assume that this is due to Pearl believing that all grown women are like her mother and wear the letter, it must also be noted that Pearl has most likely seen that other women do not wear it. This brings about a different meaning for this line in that Pearl appears to be insinuating that all grown women wear a letter, or have sinned. This is also consistent with the fact that Pearl is adept at seeing the secrets of those around her.

         My gossamer thread connection is to Tiger Woods, a professional golfer. A few years ago, there was a scandal involving Tiger Woods and his infidelity just as there was with Hester in the Scarlet Letter. After his admitting to his infidelity, Woods took time off of professional golf in order to deal with his marital problems that arose as a result of his affair. This is similar to how Hester is currently dealing with the problems that arose as a result of her affair since in the novel since she tells Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband and that their affair was the cause of Chillingworth's torture.