"And my child must seek a heavenly Father; she shall never know an earthly one" (64)
Hester wants God to be the only father that her child knows. The earth is full of imperfection; God created us with blemishes. Hester does not want her daughter to be in connection with any of these blemishes, but to be in relation to only God, the epitomization of goodness. Hester has made her mistakes, and probably does not want her child to make the same. She has already given her daughter a bad name, and hopes to appease it by helping her find God. She wants her child to look to God for guidance, so that the child will never do wrong.
"Live, therefore, and bear about thy doom with thee, in the eyes of men and women,–in the eyes of him thou didst call thy husband,–in the eyes of yonder child! And, that thou mayest live, take off this draught" (68)
Mr. Chillingworth is provoking Hester into giving up the name of the man she slept with. He tools with her pride and then the things she loves. If she continues to keep the name secret, Chillingworth says the town and her husband will continue to look down on her. He then mentions Hester's daughter. Hester loves her child, yet she is a symbol of Hester's sin, something her daughter will have to bear for the rest of her life. The child would probably be embarrassed when she grows up to be known as the child of the adulteress. Though Chillingworth tries to get it out of her, Hester remains steadfast.
Questions:
1) Will Hester's daughter grow up with shame pressed upon by the town?
2) Is the A going to be removed?
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