19.) Inside a Heart
The titel itself is a symbol of the inner struggles Dimmesdale is facing. Even though the scars are on the outside the pain he is feeling is all inside. I think he truly loves Hester and Pearl and to see them everyday knowing that he could fix the guilt that he is facing for not claiming the young child is something he is also struggling with. He has thought about telling everyone on numerous occasion especially now since his illness is giving him so much popularity but he just can't. I think that some of this selfish, he is scared of what the public is going to do to him but he is dying anyways just holding this secret in. And i know he is paying for it by himself but I think being with Hester and Pearl is better then being in this prison like society living in secrecy.
20.)"While thus suffering under bodily disease, and gnawed and tortured by some black trouble of the soul, and given over to the machinations of his deadliest enemy, the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale had achieved a brilliant popularity in his sacred office."
Dimmesdale scarred himself to feel pain because he was guilty of a sin that he was not owning up to and he needed some kind of excruciating punishment. But i am sure the last thing he wanted was his illness to cause him to have more popularity. To me i think that means that although he made a mistake Dimmesdale is not a bad man like Chillingworth. He is paying for his sin and he himself has found a way to punish himself. Even though he may feel terribly i think that people will always know that he is a good man. But i do think he needs to confess his sin to everyone hiding it will only make him more sick and he will just keep wasting away.
21.)"And now, through the chamber which these spectral thoughts had made so ghastly, glided Hester Prynne, leading along little Pearl, in her scarlet garb, and pointing her forefinger, first, at the scarlet letter on her bosom, and then at the clergyman’s own breast."
Hester and Dimmesdale are connected through there sins and they both have the symbol of the sin on there chests. Pearl is another symbol of there sin, and i think this relates back to the comment made about her being an angel. Angels guide people and i think Pearl is trying to guide Dimmesdale, if it weren't for the judgement of this society and puritan beliefs this small family could be together but in order for them to be together he has to tell the truth. Pearl knows, in this vision that he is her father as she points the A on his chest. She has grown up with her mothers A and has her own meaning of it rather then adulterer and i think she is showing Dimmesdale that she knows about his A too and there could be a more symbolic meaning of his A just like the A of her mothers.
Good look at a title for symbolic meaning. You can do more of this. Also note that HEARTS are usually thought of as red (and often rose like - is there a connection here as well)?
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