Conflict in the Scarlet Letter

Conflict in The Scarlet Letter

Human nature, while impressively complex, also has various poor qualities. Often these imperfections result in conflicts which are in turn depicted in works of literature. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, set in an old Puritan community, is centered on several conflicts of human nature that result from the adultery and punishment of Hester Prynne. There are three major conflicts each for which Hawthorne created a specific main character to illustrate: Pearl, Hester’s illegitimate daughter, depicts the conflict purity versus sin, Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s former husband, depicts good versus evil, and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, who sinned with Hester, depicts the conflict love versus hate. Each of these characters has distinct qualities and actions that Hawthorne uses to establish and elaborate conflicts of human nature in The Scarlet Letter.

Pearl, while an extremely pure at heart child, came into existence as the result of Hester’s impure and sinful act of adultery. Therefore, Hawthorne uses Pearl to depict the conflict sin versus purity. Pearl, on one hand, is the picture of innocence and purity. She is almost a part of nature, playing and finding company in the wild things of the woods. She also provides the only joy for Hester, while they live in isolation. Very perceptive, perhaps more so than her mother and other adults, Pearl asks innocent questions about the world around her, concerning herself especially with the scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom and her father. Pearl, while very innocent and pure at heart is also a living reminder of Hester’s adultery and sin. Consequently, Hester pays for her sin not only with the forced bearing of the scarlet letter but just by Pearl’s company. Pearl’s constant repetition of the questions, “What does the scarlet letter mean?” and “Why does the minister keep his hand over his heart?” cause Hester much concern (Hawthorne 178). Even when Hester attempts to get a lift from the burden of the scarlet letter by tearing it off in the woods, little Pearl’s reaction is stunned and almost scared. It is almost as if Pearl realizes the letter’s significance in their lives and ultimately how it affects her mother.

Pearl embodies the conflict of sin versus purity and even changes her behavior as the conflict comes to a close. During the seven years the father’s identity was kept a secret and the scarlet letter was a dominating force, Pearl acted and appeared otherworldly being described as “a wild and flighty little elf” by her mother, and considered strange by other adults in the community (Hawthorne 112). After the confession that resulted in Dimmesdale’s death, Pearl grew out of her elfish behavior signaling a resolve to the conflict sin versus purity.

Another major conflict is good versus evil, which Hawthorne portrays distinctly through Roger Chillingworth, whose actions against the other characters are the only truly evil ones in the novel. Chillingworth, Hester’s former husband, became enraged when he found out that Hester cheated on him with the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and their sin resulted in Pearl. His anger grew in to an all-consuming malevolent evil that dominated his life. He devoted his all his time to pursuing Dimmesdale as a scientist would, luring him in with his intelligence and an interest in learning that was appealing to the reverend. Chillingworth does not take into account the nature of Dimmesdale’s sin, love, and shows no human compassion. It is this that makes him diabolical and a greater sinner than Dimmesdale or Hester.

Their sin was unintentional and only came about because of love and passion. There love actually could have been considered good if it were not for the confines of strict Puritan society. After Hester was punished for her sin by the Puritan community, she and Pearl lived a peaceful life and were a benefit to society. Hester was especially noted for her beautiful needlework and never tried to gain revenge on the Puritan community for punishing her so harshly. Slowly, Hester grew out of her shame and became stronger and more independent, kindly caring for and raising Pearl. In fact, “Many people refused to interpret the scarlet letter by its original signification. They said it meant Able, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.”(Hawthorne 148) They did not recognize her for her faults but instead, her strength and courage.

Chillingworth, however, became more and more twisted and evil, his deformed shoulders