Dimmesdale's Morals

Throughout society, every individual holds a set of morals or values for themselves. Depending on which individual is focused upon, there is a different set of morals present. Some people will hold a higher value for themselves compared to others. Each individual's actions are subject to the morals they have set for themselves. One’s actions may be taken at a greater force than another person’s only because of their own morals. This is shown in The Scarlet Letter through a variety of characters. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne conveys how one's morals affect that person’s actions through Dimmesdale hiding his sin, through Hester refusing to give up Pearl, and through Dimmesdale going up onto the scaffold with Hester and Pearl. Dimmesdale’s morals affect how he acts because he holds a higher value for himself than what his sin represents. After his sin of

During the story he changes how he acts around Hester and Pearl, which accurately represents how he feels. In the forest after Pearl asks, “‘Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?’” Hester replies with “‘Not now, dear child’” (175). At that point Dimmesdale did not believe morally it would be right for him to walk with the women. As time progressed his mindset changed. Dimmesdale would call upon the women to come to his side,“‘Hester’ said he, ‘come hither! Come, my little Pearl’” (206). Dimmesdale wanted to stand together and show the town when they were at the scaffold. His morals now would show he placed Hester and Pearl above the opinion of the townspeople. Because of what Dimmesdale believed previously, and now that his beliefs changed to acceptance, his actions changed in the same way. Dimmesdale's beliefs provide a connection between his morals and the actions that he