Arthur Dimmesdale's Growth In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

Relationships–they make us, and they break us. They give us life and can also kill us physically and emotionally. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, relationships are the antagonist and protagonist. One in specific–that of Hester Prynne’s and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale’s–creates the major drama within the plot, after the appalling sin of adultery is committed in seventeenth-century Puritan society. Hester must stand upon a scaffold and face the punishment of shame in front of the whole town, and is also sentenced to wearing a woven scarlet letter A on her breast to remind others that she is an adulterer. She must now navigate how to handle her relationship with Dimmesdale in secret, while trying to recreate her reputation and raise

This is risky, because if anyone sees them in such close proximity, they can get in even more trouble than they are already in. As they mature in this situation, they realize that it would be in their, as well as Pearl’s, best interest to be on good terms with one another. That maturation also shows a change in their relationship. As well as their positioning, the moss on the fallen tree symbolizes new growth. Since the tree has fallen, it has died, and moss has started taking over the remains.The tree falling may symbolize Dimmesdale leaving his old life with the town to establish a solid relationship with Hester. Thus, the moss creeping up the tree symbolizes Dimmesdale's new life blooming from within. It signifies new growth within his relationship, taking place in his old life, where he had to hide. Although it will cost him his reputation, he will be at peace knowing he has admitted his sins, and only the truth is present. After years of guilt, stress, and uncertainty, the mood is finally calm, which also proves a turning point. Overall, these symbols within the setting help describe one of the most vital turning points in Dimmesdale and Hester’s