Kevin McAdam
AP English 11/ Mr. George
2/24/10
Scarlet Letter Essay

Public vs. Private

Redemption and the methods utilized to attain such redemption were the driving themes of both The Crucible and The Scarlet Letter. Characters from both novels were forced to make decisions on whether to acknowledge their sins of adultery publicly or privately. Furthermore, the choices they made great affected their outcome in the novels. After witnessing the results of the choices made by characters in both novels, the decision to bear one’s sins publicly was a superior alternative to confessing either privately or to disregard one’s sins altogether.

Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter is an obvious demonstration of a character who displayed her sins in front of a public audience. Hester was bound by her circumstance to present her sins publicly. Through her pregnancy, Hester was given an immediate burden that she was forced display throughout the town. On top of bearing a child as punishment for her sin, she was given the scarlet A, which afflicted her with feelings of immense shame that she could not ignore. Hester’s punishment gradually diminished her dignity as a human being because it tainted people’s opinions of her based on hasty generalizations: “From first to last, in short, Hester Prynne had always this dreadful agony in feeling a human eye upon the token; the spot never grew callous; it seemed, on the contrary, to grow more sensitive with daily torture” (Hawthorne 79). Publicly confessing her sins alienated her from society and left her by herself. This allowed her to reflect on her actions and realize the severity of what she had done, eventually making her a better person. Hester’s perseverance through adversity granted her the mental fortitude to understand and accept the consequences of her wrongdoings. Hester’s resolve and commitment to self- improvement allowed her to mold the scarlet A into a motivational asset. Hester’s ignominy appeared overwhelming and gave the impression of public demonstration of her sins as a bad decision.

In the debate of whether it is better to display one’s sins publicly or privately, close examination of each character’s final outcome is necessary to make an accurate conclusion. In Hester’s case, it was the public admission of her sins that allowed her to eventually regain acceptance into society and feel the sense redemption that she had been longing for. Hester went through extreme criticism and emotional agony on her journey for redemption, but it was worth the pain for her to become a better person in the end. Hester turned her sin into a tool for development and eventually the meaning of the A turned from “adulterer” to “able.” The detachment of the scarlet A from Hester’s chest was freedom. Freedom so strongly desired it was like removing the ball and chain off of a prisoner’s ankle. It was freedom that she had earned through physical charity in the community with her beautiful craftsmanship and through internal reflection. Although she had no choice in the matter, Hester’s public admittance of her sins eventually cleansed her of all that had transpired, not only in the eyes of the townspeople, but through Hester’s eyes as well. Hester went through the purest and most open form of repentance, allowing her to feel full redemption when the time came. Such a feeling could not be had through privacy because it deals with deceiving society and takes away from being fully merciful for one’s actions.

Obviously, there were several characters in both novels who were involved with the sin of adultery. One thing that can be said of these sinners is that they all acknowledged there sin in some way, with the one exception being Abigail Williams. In contrast to a character such as Hester, who put her sins on display in front of the entire town, Abigail Williams from The Crucible chose to ignore her adulterous mistakes completely. As a result, her outcome was far different from Hester’s. There are so many other things wrong with Abigail’s moral process that the fact that she ignores her sin is somewhat understated, but that is probably the way she would like it. As the novel shows, Abigail becomes consumed by her own power and is only motivated by the threat of death. In reflecting on this fact, Abigail did not have any desire to punish herself and feel shameful the way other characters did. Abigail was unique in that she was not motivated to reflect on any feelings of guilt or be interested in public redemption. It is not surprising that Abigail does not feel she has done wrong because of the way she manipulated others and sent others to their deaths to save herself. Her complete lack of morals liberated her from feeling any remorse for her actions. In addition to ignoring her sins and disregard the welfare of John Proctor, she retreated from her problems out of cowardice. In the end, because Abigail made no attempts to achieve reconciliation for her sins, the outcome the reader witnesses about seems fitting.

Abigail Williams’ end in the story is not surprising to the reader based on the decisions she made along the way. Abigail’s life in Boston is very similar to the way Abigail spent her time in Salem: “The legend has it that Abigail turned up later as a prostitute in Boston” (Miller 146). It is not a glamorous or desirable way to live, but she does whatever she needs to survive, just like she did during the witch trials. Perhaps if Abigail had admitted her sins before the witch trials had begun, she would have gone through a period of self- reflection and not acted so inappropriately. The way Abigail dealt with her sins, along with how she ended in the story, clearly display strong opposition to any defense of ignoring one’s sins instead of confronting them straight forward.

One of the most complex characters in both novels was John Proctor because of the distinctive way he concealed the truth about his sins, yet ultimately gained redemption. The reader observes Proctor as a somewhat reclusive character who does not stand out much at the beginning of The Crucible until we find out about his past with Abigail. We see he does not attempt to bring his sins into the open and deals with them through private methods. Proctor is constantly lured back by Abigail and Proctor struggles to resist the temptation as Ms. Williams once stated, “Do you tell me you’ve never looked up at my window?” (23). Throughout the novel, Proctor suppressed his sins because he feels he cannot be forgiven. He avoids attending church because of constant reminder of what he did. Proctor’s inability to act on his internal feelings causes him great distress as he is often conflicted with decisions he makes. Once again, it is a character’s lack of admission to their mistakes that keeps them from redemption.

In the case of Proctor however, his true colors become apparent before his death. He admits his mistake and gains his redemption that he struggled to obtain. There were many factors that went into his confession besides feelings of guilt however. For instance, the life Proctor’s wife, Elizabeth, was at stake and Proctor had the opportunity to display Abigail’s flaws also. The reader definitely views a drastic change in Proctor as the novel unfolds and his longing for redemption is revealed. However, Proctor’s methods for gaining redemption change along with his character. At the end of the novel, Proctor’s public display of his sins leaves him cleansed of all that he had done. After all the internal pain he had gone through, Proctor’s liberation upon death came from publicly admitting his sins, further proving that openness is the only way to be truly clean.

The final character examined is Reverend Dimmesdale from The Scarlet Letter, and his complex decisions regarding publicity and privacy bring up many elements for debate. Before Dimmesdale even committed the sin of adultery, he was looked upon by the town as its most noble subject as he, “was considered by his more fervent admirers as little less than a heaven-ordained apostle, destined… to do great deeds for the now feeble New England Church” (109). Any fault by him would mean disaster for the faith of all the citizens. Being in such a stressful position, Dimmesdale felt immense shame for his actions and knew what would happen if he revealed what he had done. Instead, he decided to punish himself privately in contrast to his paramour’s public consequence. By administering his own punishment without the people knowing, Dimmesdale attempted to find redemption, but his guilt was so great that he could hardly bear it. He not only felt guilty for his actions, but for leaving Hester to fend for herself. To compensate for his guilt, Dimmesdale physically punished himself by what was supposedly a branded A on his chest and changes in his appearance because of stress and anxiety. The emotional toll that keeping his secret hidden took on Dimmesdale was far greater than that of Hester, and his end was far worse also.

For Dimmesdale, after everything he put himself through, the one thing he desired most of all was redemption, and he could only get it by publicly confessing his sins. The mental, emotional, and physical torment that consumed seven years of Dimmesdale’s life was ended with one speech atop a scaffold. Like Proctor, he tried to keep his sins quiet and find his own personal redemption, but after personal reflection, the two men realized that a public confession was necessary for their desired feelings of salvation. However, Dimmesdale quest for redemption is more virtuous and true because he was compelled to by his conscience. On the other hand, Proctor had outside forces that influenced him to confess. In the end, the ultimate goal of redemption was reached by both men, only after they admitted their sins publicly.

A common theme found among the characters who publicly admitted their sins was that they all found some sort of peace, whether they lived or died. We all search for peace within ourselves for our whole lives, and if the characters involved with public admission found peace, then the decision to open themselves up is definitely superior to any alternative.





















Works Cited

· Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Bantam, 1850.

· Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin, 1976.

Kevin McAdam
AP English 11/ Mr. George
2/21/10
Character Analysis #2

Hester

Hester Prynne is a remorseful character who struggles through adversity to ultimately gain acceptance.

From the start of the novel, the reader witnesses the burden Hester is forced to carry with her as punishment for her sin. Having to wear the scarlet “A” as well as being pregnant, Hester’s actions were widely shown about the town and isolated her from society. Hester eventually allowed herself to move on with her life as “her handiwork became what would now be termed the fashion” (76). It was only until Hester was able to accept her sin and understand her punishment that she was shown forgiveness. She was welcomed back into society by acknowledging her sin and by attempting to continue following Christian virtues.

Hester is like a professional athlete who was accused of using steroids. Much like adultery in Boston at the time, using steroids in sports is the ultimate sin one can commit. It ruins their reputation and casts a shadow over everything that person has accomplished. Also, the initial public response is similar in both situations as the subject is rejected and looked down upon by everyone. The amount of shame that Hester and professional athletes feels is enormous, but they can only be forgiven by admitting what they did. Once the first step is taken by either party, often times the public will forgive those who are truly sorry for what they have done.

Hester is a lot like Pete Rose who was accused of betting on baseball, but would never admit it while being scorned by the public; finally his confession was made and is now admired by even more people who think he is one of the greatest to ever play the game.

Kevin McAdam
AP English 11/ Mr. George
2/21/10
Character Analysis #1
Dimmesdale

Reverend Dimmesdale is a proud character with great respect towards the authoritative position he holds in Boston.

Dimmesdale is the pinnacle of virtue in the city of Boston and is revered by everyone. In a society that is centrally based around religion, it is obvious that Dimmesdale, the most fervent preacher and the most devout leader of Christianity, would be looked upon by all to set a good example and to keep faith in God alive at all times: “His eloquence and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession” (Hawthorne 62). Dimmesdale understood his place in society and did his best to fulfill his duty. After committing adultery with Hester, he was too proud to tell the people. Also, Dimmesdale recognized that if the town knew about his transgressions, all faith would be lost in him and, more importantly, in God. The people would think that if such a saintly figure like Dimmesdale could not withstand temptation, then no one could ever maintain the purity that Christianity called for.

Dimmesdale is like the captain of a sports team. A captain is the leader both in practice and in games. A captain sets the tone for the rest of their teammates and instructs them on how to behave in order to win the game. Often times, if the captain has a poor game or does not follow the game plan correctly, the rest of the team will suffer and all will be lost.

Dimmesdale is like Tiger Woods because the two men were the most respected at their craft, and Dimmesdale’s wrongdoings brought down the town’s faith the same way Tiger’s actions brought down the entire sport of golf.

Kevin McAdam
AP English 11/ Mr. George
2/11/10
Scarlet Letter Essay 1

Dimmesdale’s Torment

The deep pain of guilt, no matter the situation, always penetrates deep into a person’s soul. This fact is no truer than in the case of Reverend Dimmesdale. Countless factors went into making Dimmesdale’s punishment so personal and unbearable for him. Part of him suffering was brought on by exterior sources, while another component of his anguish was erected from interior problems. The accumulation of Dimmesdale’s crisis, both internally and externally, was begotten by his key role in society, his moral character, and his desire to spread Christianity to others.


In The Scarlet Letter, Reverend Dimmesdale is looked upon by society as the ultimate leader of faith. He is the pinnacle of virtue in Boston and is revered by everyone that knows his name. The worship shown to Dimmesdale is not without just cause as he exhibits many admirable characteristics that are respected by the townspeople. Dimmesdale does not take his position in society lightly as he makes it his duty to be as honorable a human being as possible. The trust and continued faith of his followers is Dimmesdale’s principal belief that allows him all the hardships he endures. Dimmesdale must remain at this high state of purity to maintain the faith of those that look up to him, and any scandal against him would go against the heart of the church and everything he believes in.


Without a doubt, Dimmesdale suffered the most agonizing punishment for his involvement with Hester. It can be debated that Hester suffered a more traumatic punishment caused by external forces with the “A” being placed on her chest, and being reminded about her sin by the town on a daily basis. Conversely, the mental anguish Dimmesdale frequently accepted from Chillingworth is an unbearable punishment in it of itself. Chillingworth repeatedly would bring up situations that would remind Dimmesdale of his sin, causing Dimmesdale to feel worse and worse. On top of that, Dimmesdale relentlessly questioned his character in the years following the incident and destroyed himself internally, causing a physical change in his appearance. The mental agony Dimmesdale put himself through truly shows how much he cared about his position atop society. Dimmesdale could not forgive himself for committing adultery, but also not telling of his sin in the first place. Being the highest point of virtue in Boston, the terrible feeling of hypocrisy was far worse than the original crime. The more and more people worship Dimmesdale for his honest and noble work, the more pain he feels inside because they do not know the truth about his past: “I have laughed, in bitterness and agony of heart, at the contrast between what I seem and what I am!” (Hawthorne 173). These wretched emotions deep in Dimmesdale’s soul could simply break the man, but maintains his fortitude because of his excessive passion to preserve the church and its teachings.


Dimmesdale’s punishment is perfect for him because it puts him in a complex ultimatum. Being the supreme figurehead of virtue in society, everyone looks up to him to do the right thing. It is impossible for Dimmesdale to admit his mistake in order to preserve the Christian faith in the people. If the people of Boston found out that their most noble leader was involved in such a shameful act that ruined his reputation so, the less morally upright citizens would lose hope that they could ever achieve true happiness. Dimmesdale’s passion for his faith allows him to accept the moral pain that would come to him in order to keep his secret from the public.


The suffering Dimmesdale felt throughout the years was the perfect punishment because of how his character and faith forced him to make decisions resulting in his own suffering, but benefitted the greater good. The depressing guilt from committing one mistake lingered in the heart of the sinner Dimmesdale for many years, but the virtuous and faithful man that he is, was able to use his sin as an opportunity to become closer with the people and to inspire them even more than he ever could when he was innocent. Dimmesdale’s ability to accept his brutal punishment enabled him to gain redemption within himself and become a better man for it in the end.

Scarlet Letter #10

"It was the observation of those that beheld him now, that never, since Mr. Dimmesdale first set foot on the New England shore, had he exhibited such energy as was seen in the gait and air with which he kept his pace in the procession" (213)

I feel somewhat glad for Dimmesdale because he realizes that his time has come to confess his sin and he knows he does not have to beat himself up anymore. He realizes that it is not his place to punish himself for what he did because that is God's job. He is supposed to forgive himself and accept any consequences that are thrown at him. Dimmesdale had felt the burden of his sin and his hypocracy for such a long time that being relieved like Dimmesdale was would change anyone's spirit and make them look and seem different to others.

"Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. The great scene of grief, in which the wild infant bore a part, had developed all her sympathies; and as her tears fell upon her father's cheek, they were the pledge that she would grow up amid human joy and sorrow, nor forever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it. Towards her mother, too, Pearl's errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled" (229)

Throughout the book, we have seen Pearl being a symbol of both Hester and Dimmesdale's sins, but she also was a symbol of their redemption as well. We see that before Dimmesdale revealed his sin, Pearl would not accept his affection towards her, but after, she gives him a kiss to prove that his spirit is cleansed. Pearl is a pivotal character in the novel because she keeps the Hester and Dimmesdale in check and makes them remember what they did. Pearl is able to expose her parents' flaws to them because of her innocence. As we have learnt in theology this year, young children often see the world using Pre-Conventional morality. Pearl sees how people can act around Hester and how Dimmesdale acts around Hester, so she can sense they have each committed a sin and should be punished for it. Pearl believes this because followers of Pre-Conventional morality believe in a reward/punishment system. Pearl innocence and unbiased knack for finding the truth allowed her to be the perfect chracter to be someone to keep their sins ever-present until they confessed where she would then be the first sign of redemption.

Scarlet Letter #9

"Children will not abide by any, the slightest, change in the accustomed aspect of things that are daily before their eyes. Pearl misses something which she has always seen me wear" (189)

To the town, the "A" was the glaring symbol of Hester's crime, and it alienated her from society. However, Pearl is the true punishment and symbol of Hester's crime. If Hester is truly supposed to be branded with this sin for the rest of her life, the life of a child is even more of a burden than a letter on her chest. At first, Pearl was told to be a reward to Hester, but she has been the complete opposite. Besides the fact that Hester is reminded of her sin just by looking at Pearl, now that Pearl has grown, she constantly reminds her of what she has done. Just when Hester has moved on from her past, Pearl prevents her from forgetting it.

"But,at that instant, she behold old Roger Chillingworth... smiling on her; a smile which... conveyed secret and fearful meaning" (210-211)

No matter how devilish and psychotic Chillingworth may be, I must give him credit. He has set out to take down Hester's lover, and he will not be stopped. He just keeps popping up everywhere and I must admit he is good at this. By now, there is no doubting Chillingworth's desire for revenge. A less passionate person would stop here and be satisfied with their work, but Chillingworth will not let it go and must follow them all the way to England. This also proves how crazy Chillingworth has become because of the great lengths he is going to in order to get his revenge. This story has turned from being more of a drama, with the cheating wife and angry husband, to a horror, with the family starting to start anew, but a crazed stalker keeps harassing them until a cilmactic finish takes place.

Scarlet Letter #8

'Yes, I hate him!' repeated Hester, more bitterly than before. 'He betrayed me! He has done me worse wrong than I did him!'" (159)

Hester's hatred towards Chillingworth is completely justified because he has brought her so much more pain than was necessary, and his revenge no longer contains any merit. This is seven years after the incident and Chillingworth still desires revenge on Dimmesdale for his actions. No matter what someone has done, you cannot keep the same passion for that length of time and still be acting in a sane manner. Chillingworth has thrown away the idea of trying to resolve the issue (like Hester and Dimmesdale have tried to do). Instead, he has continued to carry out a plan full of malice and has brought nothing but added pain and suffering to Hester who was trying to put the entire situation behind her.

"No golden light had ever been so precious as the gloom of this dark forest. Here, seen only by his eyes, the scarlet letter need not burn into the bosom of the fallen woman! Here, seen only by her eyes, Arthur Dimmesdale, false to God and man, might be, for one moment, true!" (177)

The burden that Hester and Dimmesdale both carry with them, although very difficult for the two of them, ultimately has brought the two of them closer together. Hester and Dimmesdale are lucky to have one another alongside them as they go through such rough times because they understnad the suffering upon them and are able to comfort one another. Unlike the rest of society, Hester and Dimmesdale are able to see through the rough exteriors that both of them present, and witness the true beauty deep down. Having that other person to connect with regarding their pain is so helpful for Hester and Dimmesdale because it keeps them hopeful for peace in the future.

Scarlet Letter #7

"Individuals in private life, meanwhile, had quite forgiven Hester Prynne for her frailty; nay, more, they had begun to look upon the scarlet letter as the token, not of that one sin, for which she had borne so long and dreary a penance, but of her many good deeds since" (147)

The scarlet letter was a punishment placed upon Hester for her wrong-doings, and it has resulted in a very positive effect. Punishments are made to teach people about what they did wrong, and to help someone become a better person because of it. However, a punishment only works if the accused is willing to accept the punishment. Hester definitely realized the severity of her act, and she knew she must pay the price for it. She struggled through adversity, but, with enough desire, she was able to stick it out and now is being welcomed back into society. This is only right because she has done everything asked of her, and she deserves a second chance.

"Hester could not but ask herself, whether there had not originally been a defect of truth, courage, and loyalty, on her own part, in allowing the minister to be thrown into a position where so much evil was to be foreboded, and nothing auspicious to be hoped"(151)

Well, the last horse finally crosses the finish line. After all the times Dimmesdale secretly asked Hester to tell on him, only now she realizes he might also be struggling with his own situation. However, you cannot really blame Hester for protecting Dimmesdale because it was all in good intentions. Hester was branded with a physical punishment that destroyed any reputation she had with the twonspeople. She figured keeping Dimmesdale out of the spotlight would preserve his reputation and admirable character that was so popular in the town.

Scarlet Letter #6

"To the high mountain-peaks of faith and sanctity he would have climbed, had not the tendency been thwarted by the burden, whatever it might be, of crime or anguish, beneath which it was doomed to totter. It kept him down, on a level with the lowest" (129)

A regular preacher during this time period would not become closer to God by committing acts that are frowned upon in society. However, Dimmesdale does just that. He gains a renewed sense of religious passion because he has learned from his mistakes. The fact that he has not cracked yet is astouding based on how he has sunk to such personal lows. Instead, Dimmesdale uses his guilt to try and reconcile what he has done because he knows that, in the end, the only judgment that matters is God's judgment.

The Scarlet Letter #5

"'I found them growing on a grave, which bore no tombstone, nor other memorial of the dead man, save these ugly weeds, that have taken upon themselves to keep him in remembrance. They grew out of his heart, and typify, it may be, some hideous secret that was buried with him, and which he had done better to confess during his lifetime'" (119)

By now, Chillingworth is just messing with Dimmesdale's mind. It is obvious Chillingworth has found his man, and this may very well be part of his revenge. Dimmesdale is constantly being proposed with situations where he should admit what he has done, and every time he has backed away. Chillingworth does not just point Dimmesdale out and tell of his crimes because that would be way too easy and dissatisfying. Instead, Chillingworth wants to put so much pressure on Dimmesdale that he finally cracks and tells the truth because the truth is Dimmesdale's greatest fear in the story. Chillingworth knows that Dimmesdale telling the truth will bring Dimmesdale the most pain and Chillingworth the sweetest revenge in the end.


"Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ecstasy, he would have had no need to ask how Satan comports himself when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom" (126)

At first, I believed that Chillingworth's motives for revenge were purely justified, but now, after seeing the way he has acted, I have second guessed his character. I thought Chillingworth would be the man and go hunt down his target in a cool Rambo sort of way, but now he kind of creeps me out. I imagined Chillingworth being a character similar to the Count of Monte Cristo in that he would devise a clever plan to get back at those who betrayed him while still keeping his honor and dignity. Instead, Chillingworth is closer to Iago. He gets close to his target, befriends them, and attacks them, but not in the noble, heroic methods I imagined. Especially when Chillingworth is the great scholarly man, I would think he would be more logical and not act so evil.