Dimmesdale's Place In The Community In The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne

OUTLINE INTRODUCTION
In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter, many people in this community committed a form of sin but hides it due to the consequences.
Publicly shamed for committing adultery, Hester must live with a scarlet A on her chest for the rest of her life, but the other person that commits adultery with Hester cannot say a word due to his place in the community.
THESIS STATEMENT: Due to his place in the Puritan community, Dimmesdale cannot say a word about committing adultery with Hester, which affects him and Hester and Pearl.

FIRST POINT: why he hast to keep it a secret
Dimmesdale cannot say a word about being the adulterer with Hester due to his position in the community.
As the minister of the community,

‘It is too mighty for me to struggle with," (Hawthorne 295)
This quote shows how he struggles to keep his secret.
SECOND POINT: how affects him
Dimmesdale punishes himself for his sin by hurting himself physically.
After seeing Hester publicly shamed, Dimmesdale starts to inflict punishment on himself, such as whipping and not sleeping, like penance for his sin.
His fading health causes the community to love him even more than before.
After he confesses his sin, the discovery of a letter A on his chest shocks the community. "While thus suffering under bodily disease, and gnawed and tortured by some black trouble of the soul..." (Hawthorne 212).
From this quote, this shows what what is happening to him for what he does to himself.
THIRD POINT: how affects Hester and Pearl
Dimmesdale's sin affects his relationship with Hester and Pearl.
In order to keep their secret safe, Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl must meet somewhere secret. They would love to be together out in the open but due to Dimmesdale's position, that cannot happen.
Pearl wants for Dimmesdale to acknowledge them in the daylight. Pearl asks Dimmesdale, ‘‘Wilt thou stand here with mother and me, to-morrow noontide?" (Hawthorne