and structure of Hawthorne's masterpiece. The first time we meet all the principal characters of

the novel is in the first scaffold scene. The second of three crucial scaffold scenes appears

exactly in the middle of the novel. Again, Hawthorne gathers all of his major characters in one

place. Hawthorne brings all the principal characters together one more time in the third and

final scaffold scene. This scene begins with the triumph of Dimmesdale's sermon and ends with

his death. These scenes unite the plot, themes, and symbols of the novel in a perfect balance.

The basic structure for the novel is provided by the scaffold scenes because everything else

revolves around what happens during these scenes.

The first scaffold scene focuses on Hester and the scarlet letter. Hester stands alone with

Pearl in her arms, a mere infant and sign of her sin. Meanwhile, a crowd of townspeople has

gathered to watch her humiliation and to hear a sermon. Two important people in the crowd our

Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale. Chillingworth, Hester's husband just returned

from his long journey to America. Her lover,

literature. In the covering of darkness, Dimmesdale made his way to the scaffold to perform a

Dimmesdale and she now realizes and understands that he is her father. Since Dimmesdale died,

(Mr.Wilson), State (Governor Winthrop), and the World of Evil (Chillingworth); the connection

when a large meteor burns through the dark sky. Although Chillingworth said nothing to the

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Approximate Word count = 908
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)