What happens in chapter 20 of The Scarlet Letter?

Summary: Chapter 20: The Minister in a Maze Through her charity work, Hester has become acquainted with the crew of a ship that is to depart for England in four days, and the couple plans to secure passage on this vessel. Tempted to announce to all he sees, “I am not the man for whom you take me!

What does The Scarlet Letter symbolize in Chapter 24?

Finally, Hester becomes a symbol of comfort and compassion, and upon her death, she is buried in the cemetery near the prison door where she first was incarcerated. While alive, she gives hope and comfort to those who feel sorrow and pain, and, accordingly, the scarlet letter becomes a symbol of help.

Why did Hester name her child Pearl?

Why did Hester name her child Pearl? “she named the infant “Pearl,” as being of great price—purchased with all she had—her mother’s only treasure!”

What does the black man symbolize in The Scarlet Letter?

In the Scarlet letter Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the Black Man to symbolize the devil and his messenger in the form of Roger Chillingworth who is the devil. The Black Man was important to this book because Hester’s scarlet letter was left by the black man (The Devil).

What is the ending of scarlet letter?

In the end, Chillingworth is morally degraded by his monomaniacal pursuit of revenge. Dimmesdale is broken by his own sense of guilt, and he publicly confesses his adultery before dying in Hester’s arms. Only Hester can face the future bravely, as she prepares to begin a new life with her daughter, Pearl, in Europe.

Why is Chillingworth called a leech?

Roger Chillingworth is called “the leech” because he sucks the spirit and strength from Reverend Dimmesdale the way the aquatic leech exploits and often kills its host. He pretends to be a caring physician, but he extorts favors from the clergyman to serve his own selfish need to be near Hester, his legal wife.

Is Chillingworth the devil?

In The Scarlet Letter by “Nathaniel Hawthorne”, one of the main characters, Roger Chillingworth, represents the devil.

What happens in chapter 20 of the scarlet letter?

What does the scarlet letter symbolize?

The scarlet letter is meant to be a symbol of shame, but instead it becomes a powerful symbol of identity to Hester. The letter’s meaning shifts as time passes. Like Pearl, the letter functions as a physical reminder of Hester’s affair with Dimmesdale.

What does Hester say is the saddest result of sin?

Answer the question: “Had Hester sinned alone?” What does the narrator say is the saddest result of sin? Loss of Faith. What leads the narrator to say that “all was not corrupt” in Hester Prynne?

What is one of the saddest results of sin what is revealed about Hester by her struggle to believe that no one other than she is guilty?

What is one of the saddest results of sin?” What is revealed about Hester by her struggle to believe that no one other than she is guilty? The saddest result of sin is the loss of faith. This reveals that Hester is a very honorable person because, she takes responsibility for all her actions.

Why is chapter 20 called the minister in a maze?

This chapter is called “Minister in a Maze” because Dimmesdale is confused on whether he has changed as a person, or if the devil has changed him. He has to ignore his impulses in which he has never experienced and that scares him, as well as confuses him.

What is the title of chapter 20 scarlet letter?

No Fear Literature: The Scarlet Letter: Chapter 20: The Minister in a Maze | SparkNotes.

What is the moral of the story of The Scarlet Letter?

The moral of The Scarlet Letter is that secret sin leads to guilt and pain.

Is The Scarlet Letter A true story?

The Scarlet Letter is also a historical novel, in that it was written in 1850 but set in the 1640s and contains real-life settings, characters, and actual historical events.

What does Pearl do in the graveyard?

Pearl collects burrs from the side of a grave and sticks them to Hester’s Scarlet Letter.

How is guilt shown in the scarlet letter?

In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne explores themes of guilt to present a new perspective on morality and sin. Through the suffering of Hester Prynne’s secret lover, Reverend Dimmesdale, Hawthorne presents the ravages of guilt on the body, mind, and spirit. Guilt eats the body alive, consuming its vitality.

Had kept cold snow within her bosom meaning?

I interpreted it as “cold snow in her heart” – meaning she’s been holding grudges/been upset, and those feelings haven’t gone away (unsunned snow implies it’s snow that hasn’t been melted)- implying her feelings haven’t changed; she still has a hardened heart.

Why does Hester’s husband want to keep his identity a secret?

Why does Chillingworth ask Hester to keep his identity a secret? He does not want to encounter the disgraces of the husband of a faithless woman. But it may also be for other reasons. He does not want to hear all the talk about his wife being unfaithful.