"I, your pastor, whom you so reverence and trust, am utterly a pollution and a lie!" (131)
Guilt is one of the worst punishments a human can have. Reverend Dimmesdale is the representation of God for his people, but he has committed a major sin. Besides this fact, he does not tell anyone of his doings. This is very contrary to the religious leader he is supposed to be. Th town looks up to him as an earthly saint, and this is how he is acting? Dimmesdale knows he is a liar, but does not want to tell the Bostonians. Due to his duty to God, he cannot let his people go away from Him once they are disheartened by his conduct. This connects to how Proctor thought God was dead in "The Crucible".
"And there stood the minister, with his hand over his heart; and Hester Prynne, with the embroidered letter glimmering on her bosom; and little Pearl, herself a symbol, and the connecting link between those two" (140)
This is an interesting family portrait. They all stood on the scaffold together, displaying their sin. This family was rooted in evil. Adultery was at the center, and Pearl was the product. Hopefully, this foreshadows that the family will be judged together, even with Dimmesdale. The scarlet A did shine over them in the night sky, perhaps referring to the darkness of their sin and as a future sign that everyone will know the truth.
Questions:
1) Will they be judged together?
2) Will Dimmesdale open up to the town?
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