Dimmesdales death

what is your perspective of the death of Dimmesdale? What meaning if any at all did you guys get from it?

A Broken Spell

Hester wishes that Pearl could "soothe away the sorrow that lay cold in her heart" but the child did not empathize with her mother,  her "elfish" nature prevented her from doing so. (pg 149)

However, in chapter 23 we see a complete transformation of Pearl

"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 foe ever do battle with the world, but be a woman in it.

She is no longer the naive child that ran along oblivious to human sorrows. She is not the same child that mocked her mother not truly understanding the pain she caused.. Having finally felt grief herself, she could now truly sympathize with her mother's anguish.

What were your thoughts on Pearl's eye-opening moment? Do you think that it is too late for her to grow into this new found role in time to be there for her mother?

Hidden message?

Does anyone believe that the story "The Chrysanthemums" had an underlying message to the reader? If so what is it and your interpretation of it?

   Pearl is the one who moves the action in this chapter, and her response to Dimmesdale and Hester together does not foreshadow a happy ending. In fact, more than ever, Pearl is a symbol of the passionate act of her parents committed  She is a constant reminder of both their sin and, if Hester tries momentarily to forget the past and find her solace, Pearl will disapprove. Pearl, throughout the novel, has shown herself to be untamable under human rules and laws and seems to lack human sympathy. Pearl, interpreted on one level, acts like a child who has suddenly realized that her world may be changing. However if she were my child I would have spanked her.

A Burdens weight

when you've been holding something in a secret of some sort or a guilt it eats you away till you get rid of it.I think we all can agree on that. In the Scarlet Letter we see this relief with Hester and Dimmesdale. When one       rids of this guilt or burden its like your a free of some supernatural power you no longer feel the weight of this unnatural weight."The decision once made, a glow of strange enjoyment threw its flickering brightness over the trouble of his breast.It was the exhilarating effect-upon a prisoner just escaped from the dungeon of his own heart-of the breathing the wild , free atmosphere of an unredeemed, unchristianized,lawless region." We see the effect of this release weight which burden carries now he no longer lives this lie and is set free not physically but from within himself."The stigma gone, Hester heaved a long, deep sigh, in which the burden of shame and anguish departed from her spirit.O exquisite relief! She had not known the weight, until she felt the freedom!" She has lost this weight which she had carried with her for seven years not knowing what this supernatural weight was or that it existed.Do you guys believe in this sort of thing being possible or is it that there are somethings which nothing can comfort us?

Elisa Allen

Going back to what I had said on my last post about Elisa Allen, why did she all of a sudden bring up the fights at the end of the story that her husband had mention? She seemed as if she was holding something in. Elisa might have brought up the fights for the fact of her looking back on how she tried to seduce the man in the wagon. In the passage it said " She was silent for a while; then she said, "Henry, at those prize fights, do the men hurt each other very much?... Well , I've read about how they break noses, and blood runs down their chests. I've read how the fighting gloves get heavy and soggy with blood." It goes on to conclude that "She turned up her coat collar so he could not see that she was crying weakly--like an old woman." When she brought this up, could it be possible that she was imagining what would happen if her husband caught her trying to seduce the man? That if he caught her, her husband and the man would have a violent confrontation. She was ashamed for even thinking of it however "She grew complete again. "I'm strong," she boasted. "I never knew before how strong."

The Chrysanthemums

After reading The Chrysanthemums and discussing with a few others, there are many questions that haven't been answered. One that still crosses my mind was why was Elisa Allen crying at the end? In the passage it says "She was kneeling on the ground looking up at him. Her breast swelled passionately. The man's eyes narrowed. He looked away self-consciously... Elisa's voice grew husky. She broke in on him. "I've never lived as you do, but I know what you mean. When the night is dark--why, the stars are sharp pointed and there's quiet. Why, you rise up and up! Every pointed star gets driven into your body. Its like that. Hot and sharp and--lovely."(page 6) Could she be crying because of guilt? The guilt of even thinking about possibly committing adultery and how attempted to seduce the man in the wagon. What are your insights on this?