Skip to main content

Which character is most responsible for Dimmesdale's suffering?

I would argue that the character most responsible for the Reverend Dimmesdale's suffering is Dimmesdale, himself.  He whips himself with a scourge, fasts, keeps late-night vigils, and wrestles with his conscience again and again throughout the novel, but he never does the one thing that will end his suffering until the book's conclusion: confess that he is Hester's co-sinner.  He sort ofconfesses to his congregation, saying that he is "utterly a pollution and a...

I would argue that the character most responsible for the Reverend Dimmesdale's suffering is Dimmesdale, himself.  He whips himself with a scourge, fasts, keeps late-night vigils, and wrestles with his conscience again and again throughout the novel, but he never does the one thing that will end his suffering until the book's conclusion: confess that he is Hester's co-sinner.  He sort of confesses to his congregation, saying that he is "utterly a pollution and a lie," but these terms are so veiled that his auditors interpret them only as a sign of his humility.  He never says explicitly that he is Pearl's father.  Then, standing on the scaffold at night, holding hands with Hester and Dimmesdale, their daughter asks him if he will stand with them and hold her hand during the day in front of the town.  He says that he will not; it is thus clear that he does not ultimately want anyone to know about his sin, and it is this hiding that causes him such anguish.  Dimmesdale could confess but chooses not to for over seven years.  If he didn't have such a guilty conscience, Chillingworth would not be able to torture him with it. The minister is responsible for his own suffering.

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...
Post a Comment
Read more