Group+Five

toc Gab Freedman Rachel Karach Jess Hering

=Chapters 1-3=
 * Monday November 8th: Chapters 1-3**

**Imagery/symbolism**
Throughout these three chapters, the main pieces of imagery were the prison door and the rose right beside it. The prison door symbolizes the darker side of the Puritan lifestyle. Since Puritans took their religion so seriously, crime was looked upon as one of the worst things a person could do. Sinning, no matter how severe the sin, belonged behind that prison door. Sinners did not belong among the rest of society.

The rose represented beauty that could coexist with all the sins of the world. Therefore, the most appropriate place for it to be was beside the prison. Nature can provide relief to those with a burden of misfortune. Also, the rose could have represented the hope and integrity of the Puritans inside the prison.

Hester’s baby is the physical embodiment of her sin.

**Characters**
Women: They acted ashamed of Hester and believed that she got off easy and deserved a harsher punishment. These women are strict fundamentalists to their religion. They have been raised to always follow the rules and therefore, someone like Hester, that breaks the rules, deserves a harsh punishment. Also as the narrator mentioned, Hester was a beautiful woman and part of the reason for the women's hatred could be out of jealousy to be young and beautiful like her.

Hester: She was punished to stand for three hours in the town's marketplace. The entire time she seemed very calm when she was going through all of that public shaming. However when people asked her who the father of her child was, she stubbornly refused to reveal his name. This shows that Hester is a stubborn person. She most likely was a calm during her public shaming because she didn't want the townspeople to win. They were all expecting her to break down, but Hester stood her ground.

Hester's husband: He didn't want it to be known that he was the actual husband of Hester. Not much is revealed about this character but he might be secretive because he loves Hester and knows that if her husband comes to town then she would be put on a lot of stress by the townspeople.

The Reverends: They want Hester to confess who the father of her child is. They know what she did was a sin and they most likely want to save her.

**Interesting Passages**
chapter 1 pg. 40: “ This rose-bush, by a strange chance, has been kept alive in history; but whether it had merely survived out of the stern old wilderness, so long after the fall of the gigantic pines and oaks that originally overshadowed it,—or whether, as there is fair authority for believing, it had sprung up under the footsteps of the sainted Ann Hutchinson, as she entered the prison-door,—we shall not take upon us to determine. Finding it so directly on the threshold of our narrative, which is now about to issue from that inauspicious portal, we could hardly do otherwise than pluck one of its flowers and present it to the reader. It may serve, let us hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossom, that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.” __Notes about passage__
 * 1)   Rose bush may still be alive today
 * 2)   Some people believe the rose bush grew under the footsteps of Ann Hutchinson as she entered the prison
 * 3)   The author hopes the rose bush will serve as a symbol of a sweet lesson to give relief from this tale of human weakness and sadness

ch chapter 2 pg. 43: “ The door of the jail being flung open from within, there appeared, in the first place, like a black shadow emerging into the sunshine, the grim and grisly presence of the town-beadle, with a sword by his side and his staff of office in his hand. This personage prefigured and represented in his aspect the whole dismal severity of the Puritanic code of law, which it was his business to administer in its final and closest application to the offender. Stretching forth the official staff in his left hand, he laid his right upon the shoulder of a young woman, whom he thus drew forward; until, on the threshold of the prison-door, she repelled him, by an action marked with natural dignity and force of character, and stepped into the open air, as if by her own of free-will. She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, who winked and turned aside its little face from the too vivid light of day; because its existence, heretofore, had brought it acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison.” __Notes about this passage__
 * 1)   The town beadle walked into the prison
 * 2)   The town beadle looked like a black shadow appearing out of the sunlight
 * 3)   Town beadle was a harsh person who carried a sword and his staff would stand near him
 * 4)   The beadle symbolized the law of the Puritans
 * 5)   Beadle was responsible for delivering the Puritan's punishments

__chapter 2 pg. 49__ :   “ Could it be true? She clutched the child so fiercely to her breast, that it sent forth a cry; she turned her eyes downward at the scarlet letter, and even touched it with her finger, to assure herself that the infant and the shame were real. Yes!—these were her realities,—all else had vanished!” __Notes about passage__:
 * She held child so tightly, that it began to cry
 * She touched the scarlet letter to see if it was real
 * The letter was real and everything had disappeared

__Chapter 3 pg. 52__ :   '“ A wise sentence!” remarked the stranger, gravely bowing his head. “Thus she will be a living sermon against sin, until the ignominious letter be engraved upon her tombstone. It irks me, nevertheless, that the partner of her iniquity should not, at least, stand on the scaffold by her side. But he will be known!—he will be known!—he will be known!”' __Notes about passage__ :
 * 1)   The stranger says she will be like a living sermon against sin ,until the shameful letter is seen on her tombstone
 * 2)   It bothers the stranger that her wicked partner is not punished for his actions
 * 3)   The stranger says the wicked partner will be held accountable for his actions

**Questions/Predictions**
Why is Hester's husband being so secretive? Hester's husband will try and destroy the soul of the father of her baby. Baby will grow up with an idea of why Hester is so isolated from society. Why won't Hester reveal the father's name?

**Connections**
Many married people today have affairs similar to Hester's, but are not publicly shamed like she was. Many religious fundamentalists still exist today, with views comparable to those of the Quakers.

= = =Chapters 7-10=
 * Monday November 15th: Chapters 7-10**

**Character Behavior or Psychology**
Dimmesdale: He is very powerful when it comes to public speaking and can move anyone with his words. He is the village's idol and everyone is worried about his well being. He is very sick and some people say that it might be because of a sin he committed. This might be true and this sin is that he is Pearl's father. A hint to this when he saw Pearl and Pearl had an immediate attachment to him.

Chillingworth: He is scaring many people because he has "an evil look". This is because he is so into revenge that he might be losing himself. Revenge is evil and the evilness of revenge is rubbing off on Chillingworth.

Pearl: She is a very tough little girl. This is probably because she has grown up being bullied all the time by everyone and learned to fight back. Also she is drawn to Dimmesdale and is unaware that this attraction is most likely because they are father and daughter.

Hester: She is very attached to Pearl and doesn't want to give her up. Pearl is the only person she has in her life and without Pearl, Hester said that she would start witchcraft.

Imagery/Symbolism
Pearl is both a blessing and a curse to Hester, being the beautiful little girl that she is as well as constantly binding her to her lover.

We begin to get a glimpse of Chillingworth’s character in this section of the novel. He may represent the devil, playing both sides of the conflict to see what he can get out of it. His motives are demonic: practically sniffing out Hester’s lover to destroy his soul or do whatever he has to to get revenge.

The children in the town that torment Hester and her daughter represent conformity. This is because every one of them pokes fun at the two without knowing or understanding the reason for the “A” on Hester’s chest or the protective nature of the child. They group together and bother Hester and Pearl because that’s what everyone else in the town considers correct.

Dimmesdale’s sickness represents the other half of Hester’s sin. The sin seems to be what is making him sick.

Questions
Does Pearl know anything about her mother’s sin at such a young age? What will Chillingworth do to Pearl’s father? Will Chillingworth harm Pearl in the process? Is Chillingworth poisoning Dimmesdale?

Predictions
-Hester’s husband will kill Pearl’s father by the end of the novel. -Chillingworth will then be publicly shamed, just as Hester was.

Interesting passages
> Pearl is a fearless child and has survived several obstacles that come upon her. She has lived through her Heyster's isolation and her public humiliation. She has grown strong and has become resilient to her mom's problems.
 * Chapter 7:
 * 1) “But Pearl was a fearless child. She frowned, stomped her foot, and shook her little hand in several threatening gestures. Then she suddenly charged at her enemies, sending them scattering away. Pursuing them, Pearl seemed like a baby pestilence: the scarlet fever, or some pint-sized angel of judgment sent to punish the sins of the young. She screamed and shouted so loud that the children’s hearts must have quaked with fear. Victorious, Pearl returned quietly to her mother and looked up, smiling, into her face.” pg. 87
 * Chapter 8:
 * 1)  “Pearl knew perfectly well who made her. Hester Prynne was herself raised in a pious home. She talked with Pearl about her heavenly Father and taught her those religious truths that young children intently absorb. In her three short years, Pearl had learned so much about religion that she could have passed any school examination without having to study. But that same naughtiness present to some degree in all children existed ten-fold in Pearl...?” pg. 95
 * Chapter 9:
 * 1)   “This is how the mysterious old Roger Chillingworth came to be medical adviser to Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale. Since the doctor was interested in the character of the patient as well as his disease, these two men, so different in age, gradually came to spend a great deal of time together. They took long walks by the seashore and in the forest, listening to the splash and murmur of the waves or the solemn song of the wind in the treetops. These walks were good for the minister’s health, and they gave the doctor a chance to gather medicinal plants. They also spent time at each other’s home...” pg.105
 * Chapter 10:
 * “Chillingworth would search long in the minister’s psyche, as though it were a mine. He would rummage through the good things he found there as if they were trash, then he would turn back, discouraged, and resume his quest elsewhere in the minister’s soul. The doctor groped along as carefully and quietly as a thief entering the room of a man half asleep—or perhaps only pretending to sleep—hoping to steal that man’s most precious treasure. In spite of the doctor’s care, Mr. Dimmesdale would sometimes become vaguely aware of the danger—as though the floor had creaked or the thief’s clothes had rustled as his shadow fell across his sleeping victim. The minister’s acute sensitivity often seemed like spiritual intuition...” pg. 111

**Connections**
In current day people still believe in exorcism, which is about an evil spirit being present in a person. =Chapters 9-12 Readers Guide= 15a) The dark cavern represents the inner workings of Dimmesdale's mind and Chillingworth wants explore it "treasure" from it. He is going to such of an extreme as doing this to a Reverend because he is that obsessed with getting revenge. 15b) The examples in this quote are metaphors for Chillingworth trying to uncover Dimmesdale's secret. 15c) This quote compares Chillingworth to a thief. This is the very moment before the thief is going to steal what he wants to steal.

16a) Hester is more confident and willing to expose her secret however Dimmesdale is still too scared to identify himself as the second half of this affair. 16b) The references make it more intense because dark greatly contrasts light naturally. Light makes things more obvious. 16c) When Dimmesdale was up in the scaffold and heard sounds, and was scared because he didn't want anyone to see or hear him up there. He heard Pearl's laughing which made it ironic because she is the outcome of his sin. 16d) The first sentence basically sets the mood. It states "it was an obscure night of early May". The paragraph describes how it is night time and everyone is asleep, therefore no one would ever see Dimmesdale up in the scaffold. 16e) All of these descriptions are used for the purpose of making everything more dramatic. 16f) The metaphor means that they are a family and are all linked together.

=Chapters 14-16= Friday November 19, 2010

Imagery/Symbolism
Chillingworth: In this passage, Chillingworth began to realize how much he had changed. The narrator repeatedly described a fire in his heart; this represented his gradual loss of humanity and link to the devil. Every time Chillingworth said something to Hester about Dimmesdale, the "fire" flared up and one could see it in his eyes.

Chapter 16: In this chapter, Pearl and Hester go on a walk through the woods. It is a cloudy day out, and sun peeps through the clouds only briefly. Every time Hester tries to walk through the light, it disappears. Pearl then exclaims that the sun does not love her mother or the scarlet "A" on her chest. Pearl is able to run and play in the sunlight, but no matter how much Hester tries to join her, it still disappears back into the clouds. Therefore, the sunlight must represent divine or heavenly beings who warmly welcomed innocent little Pearl, but shied away from Hester and her spectacular sin.

Characters
Chillingworth: He has changed since the beginning of the book. People in the town have grown to fear him because of the bad vibes he gives off. Even Chillingworth himself has noticed his change and he felt that he lost most of his humanity. When he realized he was losing it, he panicked but then went back to his old evil self. Pearl has began to start calling him the "Black Man", otherwise known as the devil.

Hester: She has been trying to atone for her sin by doing a lot of charity work. People have been changing the meaning of the scarlet letter, thinking it symbolizes "Abel" for the martyr instead of "adultery." The narrator explains that the public humiliation she has dealt with for seven years has hardened but strengthened her, giving her a lot of independence.

Pearl: Pearl is a rather important character in the book. She resembles her mother in more ways than one, especially with how passionate she can be. Pearl seems to have a "sixth sense" when it comes to the relationship between her mother, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale. She is inquisitive and asks lots of questions of her mother to try and make sense of her situation, which could potentially reveal more information to the reader.

Questions/Predictions
-Will Chillingworth ever reveal his true identity to Dimmesdale or the rest of the town? -Will he continue to harm Dimmesdale/watch him suffer or will he regain his humanity and put a stop to it? -Is Hester safe now that she spoke to Chillingworth, or does he hate her so much that he’ll kill her?

-Dimmesdale will find out who Chillingworth really is. -Chillingworth will harm Hester and Peal -Will then be publicly humiliated in the same way Hester was seven years earlier.

Connections
A band called Alesana released a new album in the beginning of the year titled "The Emptiness". The entire albums tell the story of two lovers. The woman was named Annabel and the man was known as "the Artist". Annabel cheated on the Artist with someone known as "the Thespian" and after, the Thespian murdered Annabel. In the music video of their song "The Thespian", it showed a lot of the story that this album tells. The Thespian wore black and had black skin and he could symbolize a "black man". Chillingworth was also referred to as the black man. Chillingworth and the Thespian are similar because they were both involved in love affairs and they are evil. In the music video/album, the Artist began to go crazy after the murder of Annabel. Dimmesdale also began to become very sick after the affair and became worse as Chillingworth got more involved in his life. They both became mentally ill (even though Dimmesdale was more physically ill). Dimmesdale and the Artist were both good and healthy before the "black men" entered their lives.

Interesting Passages
Chapter 14 pg.149: “What evil have I done the man?” asked Roger Chillingworth again. “I tell thee, Hester Prynne, the richest fee that ever physician earned from monarch could not have bought such care as I have wasted on this miserable priest! But for my aid, his life would have burned away in torments, within the first two years after the perpetration of his crime and thine. For, Hester, his spirit lacked the strength that could have borne up, as thine has, beneath a burden like thy scarlet letter. O, I could reveal a goodly secret! But enough! What art can do, I have exhausted on him. That he now breathes, and creeps about on earth, is owing all to me!” Notes about this passage:
 * Chillingworth feels the priest's spirit was not strong enough to face the power of the scarlet letter
 * Chillingworth explains to Hester he has done everything medically possible to help save the pries
 * The reader is a given a deep description of Chillingworth's attitude towards the priest

Chapter 14 pg. 150: "The unfortunate physician, while uttering these words, lifted his hands with a look of horror, as if he had beheld some frightful shape, which he could not recognize, usurping the place of his own image in a glass. It was one of those moments—which sometimes occur only at the interval of years—when a man’s moral aspect is faithfully revealed to his mind’s eye. Not improbably, he had never before viewed himself as he did now. " Notes about this passage:
 * Chillingworth viewed himself differently
 * The doctor saw his inner self for the first time in years
 * Chillingworth was horrified when he became aware of his frightening image

Chapter 15 pg. 154: "Let men tremble to win the hand of woman, unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart! Else it may be their miserable fortune, as it was Roger Chillingworth’s, when some mightier touch than their own may have awakened all her sensibilities, to be reproached even for the calm content, the marble image of happiness, which they will have imposed upon her as the warm reality. But Hester ought long ago to have done with this injustice. What did it betoken? Had seven long years, under the torture of the scarlet letter, inflicted so much of misery, and wrought out no repentance?" Notes about this passage:
 * Men should be afraid to get married unless they women's heart is attached to the man
 * Chillingworth suffered because another man treated Hester with more sincerity and kindness
 * When Hester came back to Chillingworth, she was aware of his false image of happiness that he had hoped would pass off as being sincere and realistic
 * Hester should have dealt with her issues towards Chillingworth a while ago
 * The passage also questions whether Hester has suffered enough with the scarlet letter to finally to gain remorse

Chapter 15 pg. 156: “Nay, mother, I have told all I know,” said Pearl, more seriously than she was wont to speak. “Ask yonder old man whom thou hast been talking with! It may be he can tell. But in good earnest now, mother dear, what does this scarlet letter mean?—and why dost thou wear it on thy bosom?—and why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?” Notes about this passage:
 * Pearl questions the meaning behind the scarlet letter and is curious about the minister's condition
 * The reader gets to understand how Pearl's thoughts

Chapter 15 pg. 157: "Pearl’s inevitable tendency to hover about the enigma of the scarlet letter seemed an innate quality of her being. From the earliest epoch of her conscious life, she had entered upon this as her appointed mission. Hester had often fancied that Providence had a design of justice and retribution, in endowing the child with this marked propensity; but never, until now, had she bethought herself to ask, whether, linked with that design, there might not likewise be a purpose of mercy and beneficence. If little Pearl were entertained with faith and trust, as a spirit-messenger no less than an earthly child, might it not be her errand to soothe away the sorrow that lay cold in her mother’s heart, and converted it into a tomb?—and to help her to overcome the passion, once so wild, and even yet neither dead nor asleep, but only imprisoned within the same tomb-like heart?" Notes about this passage:
 * Pearl remains curious about her mother's connection to the scarlet letter
 * Hester used to feel as though God had given her Pearl to Hester as a symbol of justice and punishment
 * Hester wonders for the first time in life if Pearl was given to her as a cure for the mother's aching heart

Chapter 16: “Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me; for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!”
 * I interpreted this as: Even though Hester has acted like a saint over the past few years, the scarlet letter is always there as a reminder of the horrible sin she committed years ago. There is nothing that can truly save her from this evil deed and it was shown when the sunlight did not shine on her.
 * Pearl could've ended her sentence with the word "bosom" but instead, she said the word "yet". This one word could foreshadow that Pearl is going to grow up to be like her mother was (before Pearl was born).

Chapter 16 pg. 161: "Pearl set off at a great pace. Hester smiled to see that she did actually catch the sunshine and stood laughing in the midst of it, brightened by its splendor and glowing with the liveliness of rapid motion. The light lingered around the lonely child as if glad to have such a playmate. Her mother drew almost close enough to step into the magic circle too." Notes about this passage:
 * Hester looked behind herself to see Pearl feeling lively and happy while she was playing in the sunshine
 * The sunshine captured Pearl as though they were playmates
 * Hester was close to joining her daughter in the circle that the sunshine had made

Chapter 16 pg. 164: “And so it is!” said the child. “And, mother, he has his hand over his heart! Is it because, when the minister wrote his name in the book, the Black Man set his mark in that place? But why does he not wear it outside his bosom, as thou dost, mother?” Notes about this passage:
 * Pearl is convinced that the minister is the Black Man
 * Pearl questions Hester about the minister's mark
 * Pearl is observant about how the minister does not wear his mark outside of his chest like Hester does

=Chapters 17-21= November 22, 2010

Characters
Dimmesdale: He finally discovered Chillingworth's true identity and said that Chillingworth is a worse sinner than both Hester and himself. He still is unable to fully accept Pearl.

Pearl: Although it has not been stated, Pearl has most likely discovered who her father is. She seems mad at Dimmesdale because he hasn't accepted her yet. When Hester took off the scarlet letter, Pearl did not recognize her mother because the scarlet letter has become a part of Hester and it has been something Pearl has lived with for all of her life.

Hester: She clearly hates her scarlet letter and wants to get rid of it. However she knows that the scarlet letter is punishment for the sin she committed years ago. It stated that when she took off the scarlet letter, she seemed to get her beauty and youth back.

Chillingworth: It is very obvious that he intends to carry through with his revenge. He would even follow Hester and Dimmesdale back to England to have his revenge. Chillingworth has become obsessive and evil during the course of this book.

Connections
In the //Pretty Little Liars// book series, one of the main characters, Aria, has parents going through separation. This separation is brought on by an affair her father has with a former student of his. Aria's dad and his lover (her name is Meredith) hid it for a long time, but then they decided to live with one another. Eventually, the reader finds out that Meredith is pregnant with a child, so Aria's dad had a baby with someone other than his wife. Aria was so angry with Meredith that she walked into her art class and painted a bright "A" on her clothes. The baby was born at the end of the series, and I can't quite remember but it might've been a baby girl named Pearl. When I first read the book I vaguely understood the connection, but now that we are almost done with reading __The Scarlet Letter__ I can see how clever the author is.

Questions/Predictions
-How will Hester ever get away from Chillingworth? -Will Dimmesdale ever accept Pearl? -Will Pearl ever be able to recognize her mother without her scarlet letter?

-Karma will come for Chillingworth and he will probably get sick and possibly die. -The people of the town will discover that Dimmesdale is Pearl's father. Since they all like Dimmesdale, they will accept that fact and let Hester take off her scarlet letter. -Hester and Dimmesdale will have a happy life in England together.

**Interesting Passages**
Chapter 17: " Hester Prynne looked into his face, but hesitated to speak. Yet, uttering his long-restrained emotions so vehemently as he did, his words here offered her the very point of circumstances in which to interpose what she came to say. She conquered her fears, and spoke. " Notes:
 * This passage explains how she has finally gotten over her fear of talking to Chillingworth.
 * Chillingworth spoke forcefully so that Hester had the opportunity to interject her own feelings

Chapter 17: " “I might have known it!” murmured he. “I did know it! Was not the secret told me in the natural recoil of my heart, at the first sight of him, and as often as I have seen him since? Why did I not understand? O Hester Prynne, thou little, little knowest all the horror of this thing! And the shame!—the indelicacy!—the horrible ugliness of this exposure of a sick and guilty heart to the very eye that would gloat over it! Woman, woman, thou art accountable for this! I cannot forgive thee!" Notes:
 * Chillingworth wonders why he did not understand the intensity of the scarlet letter

Imagery/Symbolism
In these chapters, Pearl sees Hester without her scarlet letter for the first time. Pearl panics, and she doesn’t recognize her mother and demands her to put it back on. This shows the reader that Hester can never escape her “A,” even if the public stopped humiliating her.

Also, when Hester and Dimmesdale speak in the woods about leaving the village, they discover that there is a difference between sin and evil. Chillingworth and his obsession with revenge is //evil,// but Hester and Dimmesdale’s affair was not, but instead a sin. Sinning, in their opinions, is a better alternative to doing evil, which puts others in danger rather than solely damaging your own morality and position with God.

Pearl simply represents the physical and emotional bond that Dimmesdale and her mother share. Without Pearl, the relationship would not be as pronounced. She is the “glue” that brings the two characters together.

The planned journey back to Europe can symbolize breaking free from society, or escaping from a regret big enough to have a negative impact on your life. The is an example of that first moment of liberation from something that has been dragging you down for a while.

=Chapters 22-24=

Characters
Dimmesdale: He finally admitted to the public that he was Pearl's real father. After that he passed away. This showed major character development throughout the entire story. He started off as a young minister who was not willing to accept Pearl and was not willing to admit that he was Pearl's father. As the story progressed and he became sicker, he gradually grew closer to Hester and Pearl and in the end, he accepted Pearl.

Pearl: At the very end, she finally discovered who her father was. Pearl knew that Dimmesdale didn't particularly like her and so she never accepted his kisses when he kissed her. Right before Dimmesdale died, both the father and daughter finally accepted each other. It was noted that Pearl married off into a rich family and that she is similar to how Hester was when Hester was younger.

Chillingworth: Karma finally got to him and he died alone. He deserved this for spending the last years of his life trying to bring unnecessary misery onto others.

Hester: She spent her last years alone because Dimmesdale was dead and Pearl was off in Europe. After she committed her sin and received the scarlet letter, she tried to live her life the best that she could. I'm sure that God would have forgiven her for her sin, had this story been real.

Connections
Like in most stories, this ending was pretty happy and he evil character died. However this ending wasn't entirely happy because Dimmesdale died and Hester lived the rest of her life alone. This can kind of relate to the movie/book "The Green Mile". In both stories, the main characters committed a crime/sin, Hester's being adultery and Coffey with an accused murder. The stories are very different but many of the characters are the same. For example Dimmesdale and Edgecomb are both very righteous and philosophical characters that suffer from illness. Also Wharton and Wetmore from "The Green Mile" are both very similar to Chillingworth because they are the evil characters in the story. Percy Wetmore was introduced as a calm character but as the story progressed, people began to see his evil and cocky side, which is exactly how Chillingworth acted. "Wild Bill" Wharton was pure evil and lied to many people and in the end, he faced the punishment he deserved as did Chillingworth. John Coffey and Dimmesdale both die in the end of the story although they were both innocent and good people. Hester and Paul Edgecomb were the two remaining characters in the end of the stories. Hester was alone because everyone else had died or moved faraway. Edgecomb was alone because all of his loved ones had died of old age and he was stuck with the eternal life that Coffey had given him.

Imagery/Symbolism
Hester and Dimemsdale's graves: They were buried next to each other but at a distance at the same time so the two lover would not mingle with each other after death. Also the gravestone was marked with the letter "A" for adultery and for the sin that the two of them created.

Dimmesdale's chest: The fact that there was a scarlet letter on his chest proves that Dimmesdale was very guilty on the sin that he committed. This can also mean that he was devoted to Hester and didn't want her so be the only one to suffer with a scarlet letter. His chest can represent either his guilt for the sin or the love he had for Hester.

Mistress Hibbins: In many stories, a character is faced with a dilemma and the options for the character are either a good choice or a bad choice. This is when an angel and devil would appear on the character's shoulders and try to persuade the character to make the good choice or the bad choice. Mistress Hibbins represents the devil on the character's shoulders. Whenever Hester was faced with conflict, Hibbins was always there with the option of performing witchcraft, or something related to witchcraft. The narrator has made it obvious that siding with Hibbing would be a bad choice because she would be executed as a witch in the future.

Interesting Passage
//The scarlet letter ceased to be a stigma which attracted the world’s scorn and bitterness, and became a type of something to be sorrowed over, and looked upon with awe, and yet with reverence, too.//
 * This is basically a summary of the impact of the scarlet letter on Hester's life.
 * It started off being something that drew negative attention to her but eventually people began to feel sorry for her.
 * In the end, many people forgot what the significance of the scarlet letter even was.