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.