The Scarlet Letter (Chapters 9-14 Pgs. 114-171)

Throughout most of my readings, these chapters made me feel truly sad (almost cried).  Prior to Chapter 9-14 I usually felt sorry for Hester, but during these chapters my emotions switched more towards Dimmesdale.  Why? Simple, he is sick (mentally and emotionally sick) and nothing but the truth which he is scared of can cure him of it.

In Chapter nine the characteristics of Roger Chillingsworth is revealed.  During most of the novel I despised him.  This was because he wanted to ruin Hester's life (like it wasn't bad enough) by finding the man who got her pregnant.  But after looking at the situation from his prospective who could truly blame the man.  I mean he survived being held captive by Native Americans only to come back to a town that declared him death and to a wife that had bore an illegitimate child that wasn't his.  He was probably looking to come back home to an adoring wife and a nice house, but he didn't.  Thus hiding his identity.  He decides to be a doctor a highly and rare profession during the colonial period of the Puritans.  My heart starting leaning towards father Dimmesdale who we later discovered to be sick.  This saddens me, because he was such a nice person despite everyone else in the town.  Why is he sick? Isn't he too young to be feeling sick.  I find it weird that when he is sick he puts his hand over his heart, maybe he is suffering from Heart pain and if so what type?  "He was often observed, on any light alarm or other sudden accident, to put his hand over his heart, with first a flush and then a paleness, indicative of pain"(Hawthorne 117).  Luckily(not) he goes to Chillingsworth to get some type of healing(I mean whats better than a doctor whose learned healing remedies from Native Americans).

I found chapter ten (10) to be a Guilty Pleasure (hahaha).  After moving in with Chillingsworth, Dimmesdale isn't yet healed.  To examine whats wrong with his patient Chillingsworth has to dig deep into his soul.  At this point of the novel I really start to wonder what the young clergyman is suffering from(figuring that it is probably a mental illness rather than a physical pain).  At some point I felt as if he was hiding something, that glimmered guilt.  "They grew out of his heart, and typify, it may be, some hideous secret that was buried with him, and which he had done better to confess during his lifetime"(Hawthorne 127), and Chillingsworth is seeing it to.  I felt that Chillingsworth was taking his patients illness too personal because he would here and there say some type of riddle hoping that Dimmesdale would crack.  I wanted to know the secret, but didn't want the "leech" to know it, and I felt that at a point Dimmesdale was going to crack; but thank God,Pearl comes in and distracts him.
Chapter eleven(11) really startled me, but made sense.  I was wondering why Chillingsworth was dancing like a alien(Satan) after he made a huge discovery in the previous chapter.  Why father Dimmesdale why did you have to be "A"s partner in crime, hey I don't blame Hester I mean father Dimmesdale's description doesn't seem to shabby for a male back then (look at Chillingsworth).  But why Dimmesdale, Tell me why?(well he's obviously isn't going to answer my question EVER, but I have a few reasons as to why perhaps-I'll state it later).  This answers most of my early questions as to what made him sick.  His own guilt was eaten him up and his appearance gave the townspeople (specifically Chillingsworth) a glimpse of it.  Towards the ending of the chapter I was confused and thought that he was going to commit suicide (this is the point which I started to cry), until I realized that he was going for a walk. 

In Chapter twelve(12) I feel that Dimmesdale is trying to follow the footsteps of Hester by going where she was punished for her crime, the scaffold.  Maybe he would of felt just like Hester did if he were to do it in the day where people can see him and not at night.  Out of nowhere Pearl and Hester join him in the scaffold (the long waited family reunion).  I'm not going to lie, this scenery made me choke a little.  I mean come on Dimmesdale is for once not sad he is happy  to finally have Hester and Pearl which was the connecting link towards the two (if your finally catching on, Yes! Dimmesdale if Pearl's father).  It really touched me when Pearl would ask the young father to stand with her and the her mother at noon; but all he would say was on Judgement day we I will stand by you(that is a long wait).  This religious context really get to me because as a practicing Catholic CHRISTIAN, Judgement day is the day that only one man(GOD the almighty) will judge your live on earth(an no one can hide from that judgement).  The sentimental moment is of course ruined by Chillinsgworth, who Dimmesdale finally sees a glimpse of evil (just a little too late).  After all his crazy shenanigans the previous night Dimmesdale is able to give a powerful sermon (hopefully it wasn't SINNERS in the hand of an Angry god-joking!!!!).  I found it a bit awkward that the sexton found his glove on the scaffold.  It got me thinking that may just maybe Dimmesdale didn't leave it there, but probably someone else.  Someone else who was there that night, that wants REVENGE.
Chapter thirteen (13) makes me realize wow, its been seven years since the beginning of the novel, and the infamous letter "A" meaning has somewhat changed in the townspeople's head.  Instead of looking at Hester with disgust they respect her as a strong "able" women.  But Hester, hasn't forgot what the letter means, the letter has made her a stronger women but not in a full good way.  I state this because in some way the scarlet letter has taken some of her passion away(I don't like).  But, after seeing Dimmesdale being sick (insane), some of that passion I feel comes back.  

In Chapter fourteen (14) I was happy that she tells Chillingsworth to BACK OFF a bit.  That it were better for her to come out with the adulterous crime earlier that to have him being punished like that.  Well Chillingsworth being that cold man that Hester made him be, didn't want that.  I feel like he wants everyone to start off good like he did before he found out that he wad betrayed then turn cold and mean.  "Was I not, though you might deem me cold, nevertheless a man thoughtful for others, craving little for himself-kind, true, just, and of constant if not warm affections? Was I not all this?  This quote makes me feel a little sympathetic towards Chillingsworth again (I can't help my emotions at time), because he was a nice guy who became a monster due to Dimmesdale.  Everyone need love.  Well, its obvious that Chillinsgsworth is not going to stop, his terror on Dimmesdale has just begun.