The chapter opens as the Puritans are discussing Hester Prynne and her sin. With almost no exceptions, the ridged townswomen are unhappy with the mildness of her punishment. Hester comes out of the prison and walks to the scaffold wearing an elaborately embroidered scarlet letter A on her breast, and carrying a small infant in her arms. As she is standing alone on the scaffold she attempts to escape her shame by dreaming of her past life in England.

While standing on the platform, Hester recognizes a man in the crowd who is accompanied by an Indian. This man inquires about her and why she is there. This is where we learn that she has committed adultery (the scarlet letter A is for adultery). The man seems very concerned that the other guilty party should also be on the scaffold. Hawth

Now that Chillingworth knows Dimmesdale's worst secret he wants Dimmesdale to confess to him, since he has no forgiveness in mind. He uses his knowledge unmercifully against Dimmesdale, who had no clue of his motives. Dimmesdale however begins to sense strong evil in Chillingworth, but blames the evil on his own guilt. Because of his sorrows, Dimmesdale becomes very popular with his congregation, who sees him as more like them than other clergy. Dimmesdale is haunted by their adoration and feels he does not deserve it. He fights constantly with the desire to expose his guilt to them. The more he tortures himself the more they admire him. Dimmesdale begins to punish himself physically and mentally and because of his dishonesty, he becomes even frailer than before.

Hester talks to Chillingworth, and he congratulates her because he has heard that they may remove her letter, but she disagrees. Chillingworth, in the past seven years, has changed. It was as if his soul was on fire and had been transformed into the devil. Chillingworth is very aware of what he has become, and does not like it. Whatever happens now is their fate, as Chillingworth says, " Let the black flower blossom as it may." Their conversation turns to Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth admits to torturing him. Hester feeling guilty asks to be freed of her promise of concealing his identity, and he says she may do as she wishes. As Hester leaves Chillingworth she wonders that he doesn't ruin every plant he touches. Even though she knows it is a sin, she admits to herself that she truly hates him.

Hester tells Dimmesdale about the true identity of Chillingworth. At first Dimmesdale can not forgive Hester, but then forgives her and says that Chillingworth's sin is much greater than both of theirs. Dimmesdale feels he might as well die since he has no strength left. Hester decides to be his strength and tells him so. She tries to convince him to leave and take on a new identity, which he says he hasn't the strength to do. Hester tells him that she will be with him so he wouldn't be alone.

wonder, joy, and horror at what he sees there.

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Dimmesdale heads back to town with a new energy. Hester will make the arrangements with a ship that will leave in a couple of days for their return to England. Dimmesdale is pleased that they will not be leaving before his Election Sermon. He sees everything around him differently on his return than it was two days ago when he left. The town had not really changed, but Dimmesdale certainly had. He feels a strange urge to do and say inappropriate and wicked things. He wonders if he hasn't made a deal with the devil. When he returns to his room he meets Chillingworth, but refuses his medicine. Chillingworth suspects that he now knows the truth, but neither of them admits it. Dimmesdale then burns his old Election Sermon and spends the night writing a new sermon.

During the conversation, Pearl, with the aid of her imagination was playing games along the seashore. She arranged an "A" in seaweed on her own bosom, and Hester asks if she knows the meaning of the "A". Pearl replies that it is for the same reason that Dimmesdale keeps his hand over his heart, then asks what it is really for. Hester fights the urge of telling her daughter the truth but decides not to and instead tells her that it is for the gold thread, but Pearl is not satisfied with the answer her mother has given her. Hester sees the possibility that Pearl might truly understand her and become a friend instead of the illusive child that she has always seemed.

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Approximate Word count = 3181
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)