assertion journal

When we were talking about shame and guilt, and which characters each represented, I believe that Chillingworth was a reminder of Hester’s shame and guilt. When Chillingworth arrives in town, or when he speaks to Hester alone, Hester is ashamed of her adultery and having her husband know the truth. She agrees to keep his identity a secret, and in some ways facilitates his plan for revenge. She ignores Chillingworth, and doesn’t tell Dimmesdale who he truly is, up until the end of the novel. Hester’s silence shows that she does not want Dimmesdale to know that her husband is still living, and has actually befriended him. Hester knows that her husband is alive and knows about her sin, and she lives with the guilt of her adultery. To Hester, Chillingworth acts as a reminder to not only her infidelity, but also her broken vows as a wife. Chillingworth’s presence shames Hester into keeping his identity quiet, and reiterates her sin.