hen Dimmesdale falls ill falsely believe it to " come forth out of the conflict, transfigured with the … glory…" (110). And since this earthly minister was chosen as a battleground for the conflict between good and evil, he was predetermined to rise to a saintly post in the heavens. Upon his death, Dimmesdale states "… it is vain to hope that we could meet… in an everlasting and pure reunion. God knows…" (226). And if God is the ultimate judge of his fate and knows Dimmesdale’s fate, it seems logical that Dimmesdale’s fate is already predetermined.The final belief of Puritan society mentioned by Hawthorne is the strict code of ethics. The Puritans believed that every sin should be meet with an earthly punishment and well as a spiritual punishment. The earthly punishment would often involve public humiliation. Harsher punishments would often involve extended public infamy. The scarlet letter is an excellent example. As Roger Chillingworth said : " I can imagine a scheme of vengeance… so that this… burning shame may blaze upon thy bosom" (61). Along with Hester’s letter, was Roger Chillingworth for choosing to keep his identity a secret. He did not want " the dishonor which besmirches the husband of a faithless women" (64), which itself, while not mandated by law, brings infamy he choose to live without. When Hester and Dimmesdale decided to run away together, they waited so that Dimmesdale can give his Election Day sermon and leave no duty unfulfilled. Finishing one’s job is an ethical thing to do.Despite the fact that Hawthorne rejected Puritan ideas and resented the way in which his forefathers acted, he still understood Puritan beliefs. Hoping to expose those ideas, he gave them predominant parts in the Scarlet Letter. The three main ideas he addressed were: providence, predestination, and the strict code of ethics that the settlers of New Englanders live...
