own and proceeds to give a movingspeech about how it would be in her and the father of the childs best interest for her toreveal his name. Though he never actually denies being the father he holds his silencewhich is just as bad as denying the truth. With quotes like this one, If thou feelest it tobe for thy souls peace, and that thy earthly punishment will thereby be made moreeffectual to salvation, I charge thee to speak out the name of thy fellow-simmer andfellow-sufferer Dimmesdale becomes the worst of hippocrates (67). Chillingworthsfirst reaction is one of shock, but he quickly suppresses this feeling. Because the firstsight of his wife in two years is of her being punished for being unfaithful to him, he isnaturally surprised. However, his surprise does not last long because Chillingworthscold calculating personality does not allow him to show this emotion. Pearls existenceis the most immediate effect of Hester and Dimmesdales sin. She is the lasting symbolreminder of their love and of their troubles. The second scaffold scene occurs severalyears later and shows the effects after time has had a chance to play its part. It beginswith Dimmesdale climbing the stairs of the scaffold in the middle of the night. At thispoint that is the closest he can get to confessing his sin. This shows how pitifulDimmesdale has become due to his guilt. This guilt can be seen when he perceives thelight from a meteor as the letter A, and also when he screams aloud fearing the universeis staring at a scarlet token on his breast. Dimmesdale then sees Hester and Pearl andasks them to join him on the scaffold. Hester had been measuring the governor for therobe in which he is to be buried. Hesters talent as a seamstress has been noticed by theeveryone in town. Ironically, her first well known piece of work was the scarlet letterthat she wore on her chest. This scaffold scene also shows how Pearl has developedmentally in her situation. She...
