2.3 Roger Chillingworth

　　Roger Chillingworth, like all of Hawthorne's main characters, is complex and difficult to see through. The words "chilling" and "worth" compose the surname Chillingworth. Chilling comes from the word "chilly", which means this man is a merciless avenger. He is calm in temperament, kindly, but keep evil intentions. Being a man already in decay and misshapen from his birth hour, he married Hester, a woman with youth and beauty, deluding himself with the idea that intellectual gifts might veil physical deformity in a young girl's fantasy. He married Hester not because he loved her but because he wanted to light a household fire in his lonely and chilly heart. He is a bookworm who spends his best time in libraries, and shows no love to his young wife. It is he that has destroyed Hester's flower like youth, and indirectly leads to Hester's tragedy. After he discovers that his wife bore another man's child, Roger gives up his independence. He used to be a scholar, who dedicates his best years "to feed the hungry dream of knowledge," but his new allegiance becomes finding and slowly punishing the man who seduces his wife. He soon becomes obsessed with his new mission in life, and when he targets Reverend Dimmesdale as the possible parent, he disguises himself as one trust friend of the minister, attaching himself to him as a parishioner. For seven years, he digs into the minister's heart with keen pleasure. He searches the minister's thoughts; he causes the poor minister to die daily a living death. He searches into the minister's dim interior for a long time, and turns over many precious a tread, and as wary an outlook, as a thief entering a chamber where a man lies only half asleep,—— or, if it may be, broad awake,—— with purpose to steal the very treasure which this man guards as the apple of his eyes,"(P119) When he finally found the scarlet letter "A" on the bosom of the minister, he busted out a ghastly rapture, When he does these, he is turning from a victim to a sinner. Chillingworth is also means that the avenger's life is worthless. When he finds his wife betrays him, he dedicates all his time to seeking revenge. He gives up his identity, living with the minister and being by his side all day, every day. His largest sacrifice is by far, his own life. After spending so much time dwelling on his revenge, Chillingworth forgets that he still has a change to lead a life of his own. So after Dimmesdale reveals his secret to the world, " All his strength and energy——all his vital and intellectual force—— seemed at once to desert him; in so much that he positively withered up, shriveled away, and almost vanied from mortal sight, like an uprooted weed that lies wilting in the sun."(P236) Chillingworth dies less that a year later because he has nothing left to live for. The poor forlorn creature is more wretched than his victim is—— the avenger had devoted himself.

　　2.4 Pearl

　　Pearl is one of the most complex and misunderstood symbols in the book, the daughter of Hester Prynne. Pearl, throughout the story, develops into a dynamic symbol - one that is always changing. Pearl was a source of many different kinds of symbolism. From being a living scarlet letter, to a valuable thing with high price, then to the moral in this novel. She was a kind of burden, yet love for Hester.

　　The most significant symbolic meaning of Pearl in the novel is her association with the scarlet letter "A". When Hester stood fully revealed before the crowd, it is her first impulse to clasp Pearl closely to her bosom; "not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token, which was wrought or fastened into her dress."(P50) "In a moment, however, wisely judging that one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another, she took the baby on her arm…"(p50 ) Hester embroidered the scarlet letter with gold thread fantastically, and she had allowed the gorgeous tendencies of her imagination their full playing contriving Pearl's garb. "and, indeed, of the child's whole appearance, that it irresistibly reminded the beholder of the token which Hester Prynne was doomed to wear upon her bosom."(P93) Pearl really was the scarlet letter, the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life.

　　Pearl is a girl of rich and luxuriant beauty. "There was fire in her and throughout her, she seemed the unpremeditated offshoot of a passionate moment."(P93) The Bible says," the kingdom of heaven is like merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."(Matthew 13-14) Hester named the infant "pearl", as being of great price,—— purchased with all she had,—— her only treasure! if Pearl had never been born, Hester would have never been found guilty of adultery, and thus never would have had to wear that burden upon her chest. Without that burden, Hester would have led a much better life than the one she had throughout the novel. Although Hester has so much trouble with Pearl, she still feels that Pearl is her treasure. Pearl is really the only thing that Hester has in her life. Once and a while, Pearl will bring joy to Hester's life, and that helps her to keep on living. If Pearl isn't in Hester's life, Hester will almost surely have committed suicide. This can be proved in Chapter 8, The Elf-child and the Minister. After Hester gets the permission to still keep Pearl at her side, Mistress Hibbins invites her to go to the forest to meet the Black Man together with her. But Hester refuses and says, with a triumphant smile," I must tarry at home, and keep watch over my little Pearl. Had they taken her from me, I would willingly have gone with thee into the forest, and signed my name in the Black Man's book too, and that with mine own blood!"(P98) It is Pearl that saves Hester from Satan's snare.

　　Pearl also serves as moral in this novel, The moral she is meant to teach is that Hester and Dimmesdale should fully commits their sin and then take responsibility for their sin. The first thing Pearl see in her infancy is the scarlet letter on her mother's bosom. As a baby, she even reaches up and touches the letter, causing her mother intense agony at the shame it generated in her. Later, she plays a game when she throws flowers at her mother and jumps around in glee every time, she hits the scarlet letter. She also makes her own letter "A" to wear. When she finds Hester removes the scarlet letter from her chest in the forest, Pearl starts screaming and convulsing and refuses to cross the stream until Hester reattaches the letter. She is really a constant mental and physical reminder to Hester of what she has done wrong. With Pearl at her side, Hester will never escape the punishment of her wrong deed.