Poor, Poor Dimmsdale

So, Dimmsdale dies! What the heck! I was a little surprised that his life ended so abruptly! I kind of wish that Dimmsdale didn't die because he finally admitted to his secret and I just don't think that thats a good example of somebody telling the truth. I think that people with be deterred from telling the truth because of that. On that situation would be a really good thing to just kind of make people look at it and use it as an example to not committ sins.

The ending

I was satisfied with the way the book ended in that it was neither a sad or happy ending. Sure, it was sad in that both Hester and Dimmesdale died but it was also happy and peaceful in the way that they were buried next to each other. I am a little disappointed though that this book once again ended with death. It has been a long time since I have read a story in English class that someone did not die in the end. I believe there are many other ways to end a story.

The ending of the book surprised me! I thought maybe that Hester, Pearl and Dimmsdale would really leave and live a new life. I thought that it was really cool that Pearl finally was able to kiss Dimmsdale as i feel like she knew all along that he should of confessed. But what really happens to Pearl? Where does she end up after her mother returns?

why did dimmsdale die?

im a little confused as to why dimmsdale died in the end of the book. maybe i just cant read or skipped over that part or something, but when i read it it was just like "oh look im the man who hester had sex with" and then "oh look im dead"
im a little confused.

Semi-Un-Related

these philosophical questions on the sheet we have to do
are reminiscent of the part in donnie darko
where he has to decide if the person returning the wallet and not the money
was fear or love?
yeah, these questions reminded me of that.

ANTI-RELIGIOUS RANT

the end of the book bothered me so much
and many of the characters' religious motives more so
that i will probably enter the internet-yelling world
of CAPITAL LETTERS at some point here.
so.
A) chillingworth keeps being a JERK right up to the end.
he freaking GRABS dimmesdale and tries to stop him going up on the scaffold.
B) dimmesdale still feels the need to admit and do his penance, i can deal with that.
but he freaking KILLS himself to do so, whereas he was going to run away with hester and pearl.
C) the whole deal where in the beginning, hester and dimmesdale are at least somewhat in love, have sex, and hester has a baby. because a few words in the presence of a minister were not spoken, the whole marriage thing, hester is shunned from polite society forever, pretty much, and she would have been killed, except that she had a baby. also, dimmesdale suffers internally for seven years. and both hester and dimmesdale feel that because they did something they wanted to do, they must suffer, and they are happy to do so! well, not happy, happy would be bad, but they do nothing to alleviate any of their sufferings. thank you puritan religion for making people feel like crap.
D) the only good thing to come out the the whole beginning of the book was pearl, a free-spirited child, the only person who really always did what she wanted. and at the end of the book, it is heavily implied that her free-spiritedness was only god punishing hester and dimmesdale, and now that they're punished enough, she can be a normal boring person!
our page 175: "...as her tears fell upon her father's cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor for ever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it."
that bothered me the most.
but, in summation, everyone claimed to pretty much have religious (granted, puritan) motivation for their actions, especially the ones that made them or other people feel miserable. any time anyone did something fun or exciting, it was either a sin or a demon-infested child.
what the hell.

Don't read this if you haven't finished the book!

I really like the ending. I knew that Chillingworth was going to try and mess things up for the minister and Hester at some point before the end of the book, but I was really happy that Dimmesdale decided to confess to everyone and stand with Hester and Pearl and I think that it made Pearl respect him more, in a way. I really liked how Chillingworth died later that year and made Pearl very rich but I wasn't quite clear on how Hester ended up. It sounded like she traveled with her daughter for awhile but then went back to Boston to live in her cottage by herself. Anyone got a clearer explination? Anyway I still think that everyone was better off with Chillingworth dead because he just wasn't a happy camper.

Does the Devil dwell in Dimmsdale?

Well does he? Or does he not???? I mean, come on! The man is having these horrid, unpure thoughts and telling little children nasty words... I think maybe the Devil's dirty deeds have been brewing inside Dimmsdale for a long time now... I think its like an addiction, once you give in a little, its oh so hard to stop!
Maybe Chillingworth's presence is a good thing! I feel like he may be a sort of weird, derranged protector...

The End?

Okay, so the minister and Hester have made their plans to get away from Boston on a boat and cross over the ocean with Pearl, but does anyone have ANY idea how it's going to end? I mean I can't figure out if the minister will back out and reveal everything because he's a good puritan? Or will Pearl say or do something wrong in front of the towns people to make the whole plan unravel? Or will they actually get away together, Pearl turn out better (because of her father's influence) and live happily ever after?

Pearl

RANT:
Okay, I'm so sick of Hester not telling Pearl about why she wears the A and what the deal is with Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. I hate that she keeps Pearl in the dark because I think Pearl has a definite right to know, I don't think she's too young. Especially since she's seen her mother without the A and that they're planning to go to Europe. Which, btw, pisses me off because she shouldn't just run away now, especially if she continues to not tell Pearl. I think she should sit Pearl down, explain the whole thing and tell her why the A is not a good thing and why she wants to take it off and move away. Then maybe her daughter will trust her and she could go to Europe feeling good about the situation. Except that Chillingworth is going on the boat. thanks a lot. what an @$$. I'm so done with him torturing Dimmesdale, even if he is kinda lame in that he won't just confess it. but i guess he just let it go too long and now it would just be dumb to say anything.
Also, I would just like to say that I would be an angry demonic child, too, if my mom met with some man in the woods and then wouldn't let me say hi to him in public and whatnot. She's like a puppet!!

Hester and Dimmesdale

What do you think about Hester's feeling about Dimmesdale? Obviously, she feels closer to him than to Chillingworth. But, is it only because of their mutual sin or because of something else?

Chapter 21.

So Hester & Dimmsdale are planning their trip to europe and Hester might actually feel something besides guilt... I mean i'd be happy if i got a second chance. I wonder how she feels when she realizes that Chillingworth will be on her boat to europe......She probably just wants to slap him across the face. Like, when she finds out and sees him smirking... I'd be so mad about that. 

mistress hibbons sounds a little creepyyy >,<

Dimmsdale

I find myself feeling bad for Dimmsdale. Even though he has committed adultery, I just feel like he shouldn't be suffering so much! Especially after four years, you would think that he might be a little past that now. It is kind of hard with Pearl alive, but the poor man is being dragged through four years of suffering. I am also very suprised about Chillingworth because he is relentless. I think he is truly evil.

How does chillingworth know that Hester and Dimmesdale were together?
Also it is so cool that when Dimmesdale was standing on the platt form or scaffold that a metor in the sky made the letter A. I think that is a sign!!!
I wonder why doesnt Dimmesdale just confess, because it seems like living in sin is far more horrible then confessing.

Pearl is so smart, I couldnt really understand how she knows so much when she is so young.

Characters and all

Alleluia! This was the first time when during reading I didn't feel like I was swallowing two-year-old bread. In other words, it started to be at least a little bit (not very much, but I appreciated it anyway) catching.

Dimmesdale is beggining to be sympathetic to me. As a person who "betrayed" his belief and now suffers by the awareness of his sin is he portrayed pretty well. Also I kind of like Chillingworth, 'cause I've always liked this type of "evil genius," all these evil sorcerers, scientists and so. :) And, in the dialogue in the end of some chapter it looks like he actually suffered more than it seemed. On the other hand, I don't like Hester. I know that this kind of strong, tenacious, good, kind... woman probably wasn't cliché when Hawthorne wrote this book, but I can't help it - single-coloured characters in real sceneries bore me.

Questions Chapter 12

Is the horrible thing that Mr Dimmesdale sees in the sky a comet? If so, is everyone saying that it is in the outline of the letter "A"? Is this supposed to be some sign from God to the minister telling him that he needs to also have a punishment for the sin he committed and be along side Hester?

On another note, does Pearl really KNOW who Mr. Chillingsworth is to Hester? Could Pearl really tell Mr. Dimmesdale that the man who had taken care of him, is the man who Hester was/is married to?

Pearl & other random stuff :]

Pearl seems to be pretty clever. I mean when she whispers into Dimmesdale's ear and tells him that she is going to punish him for not standing in public with her and her mother... she has got to be pretty smart to do this at her age. I also think it's pretty funny that they give Hester an "A" for her punishment, but when they see the "A" in the sky, they think it stands for Angel.... it's just a little funny.

So seeing as Chillingworth knows about Dimmesdale and Hester's relationship.... what do you think will happen? CAT FIGHTTT :] hah.

Chillingworth is a jerk.

Yeah, I've decided that Chillingworth is a jerk.
He agrees that Hester and Dimmesdale sinned, and that they are both paying plenty of their own penance for it.
So the longer Dimmesdale lives the more he suffers.
And Chillingworth is doing his best to keep him alive, for whatever reason.
And Chillingworth still thinks that Dimmesdale hasn't suffered enough!
Chillingworth needs to take a chill pill.

I am getting more into the story now that it is evolving and more action is occurring. I am confused about the red A that showed up in the sky during chapter 12. Was it Chillingsworth that made that happen? I know it is kind of late to ask this but at the beginning of the story Hester decided to stay around the Boston area. She had the choice to move so why did she stay?

I think that the book is really interesting ! I think that Chillingworth is a strange character.I really wonder like liana why did the town let him in? I would think that they would really check on his background before he was let in. for Hester , I think she is a really strong character. I think that she is surprising other towns people, becuase she did stay there in town and did not leave like maybe others would of. Overall I am enjoying the book so far.

Mr.C and Mr.D

Well, I didn't really get what happened in Chapter 9-11. At first, I thought Mr. Chillingworth already knew that Mr. Dimmesdale is Pearl's father. So, Mr. C (to make it short) approached Mr. D, in this case is being his physician to make a way to take revenge. But, after I read more, I got confused. Probably, I am completely wrong. So, anyone has an opinion about that?

Do you think it's just a coincidence that Mr. C got closer to Mr. D without knowing that Mr. D is the one he is looking for? Or, maybe he has a hidden agenda?

Sorry, if my question is dumb -_-!

I personally think that Hester does care for the minister (Mr Dimmesdale) if she is going to keep his name a secret so that his good name, as a man of God, is not ruined and put to shame. Hester may not love him now that their affair has been put out into the open but she does not hate or dislike him. I would also like to know why Nathaniel Hawthorne named the man that Hester has an affair with "Mr. DIMmesdale"? Anyone have any idea where that one came from?

Mr. Chillingworth >.<

I think this book is pretty strange to be honest. I'm a little confused about Chillingworth, he seems a little like, hmm...weird?  I mean he just basically welcomes himself into the community without anyone knowing about him. I found it really surprising that the society just let him in, without knowing anything about him. For all they know, he could be some rapist who just wants in. At least more towards the end of chapter 11 or so, they start to suspect him. I think them accusing him of being the devil is a bit on the deep end, but that's just how they are  during that time? Not sure..... anyways, does anyone else find him weird?

chpt. 11

Welcome everyone. I am very curious to know how you honestly feel about what you have read so far in the novel. You will not lose points in any way if you are completely negative. I just want you to support what you say. I also would welcome comments about your feelings toward Chillingworth and Hester. You've read enough now to have a sense about who these two characters are. How about the actual difficulty of reading?