"To Hester's eye, the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale exhibited no symptom of positive vivacious suffering, except that, as little Pearl had remarked, he kept his hand over his heart" (Hawthorne, 2005, p.129).
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Thinking about this quote, why do you suppose that Mr. Dimmesdale's scarlet letter is placed on his heart? What is emblematic of the heart? Explain.
I believe that Dimmesdale puts his hand on his heart to symbolize guilt.Its emblematic for his pain that he feels for hidding his shame and disgrace.
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree, Dimmesdale Scarlet A is on his heart because he feels so much guilt for the sin he has committed. Since his sins are hidden, they are in the place that hurt him the most. While Hester suffered openly for her sin, Dimmesdale is suffering silently inside himself. It is like he is facing Judgement from himself, like Hester faced judgement from the townspeople.
DeleteI also believe that the pain in his heart is emblematic of guilt because similar to the heart that functions the body, the guilt is taking over him in a way too.
ReplyDeleteI agree, he has guilt that he is holding on to which causes him pain and it shows it's taking toll on him in the book.
DeleteTrue, he also placed his scarlet letter in the same position as Hester’s, but concealed under his clothing which symbolizes his need to to remain hidden from the public eye.
DeleteI feel like he purposely put it on his heart to symbolize how he's imprizoned himself from ever feeling happy.
ReplyDeleteI think it's because since the heart is where blood pumps, he purposely did it to signify that the guilt ran all throughout his body; it was like a poison infesting his entire body.
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