The Scarlet Letter Group
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dchbowen4life
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High School - 11th Grade
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writergal06 Teacher
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Posted by writergal06 on Monday December 1, 2008 at 11:48 AMChillingworth is certain that Dimmesdale is Hester's lover and Pearl's father. Rather than reveal him publicly, he inflects continued emotional damage, visiting the idea of guilt and sin repeatedly in conversations with the minister. To escape the growing weight of his hidden sin, Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold at night to stand alone. While he is standing there, Hester and Pearl pass by, leaving from watching the governor's deathbed. At Dimmesdale's request, they join him on the scaffold. While they stand there, a meteor crosses the sky, resembling the letter "A." Everyone assumes this to be a sign the that passing governor has gone to heaven.
Chapter 13 focuses on the new view of Hester that is seen in the town. She has rebuilt her reputation, and the town has replaced the original meaning of the letter "A" with a new meaning of "Able." Hester also notes the serious decline in Dimmesdale's health, and, perceiving the cause, is seeking to find a way to help the minister
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