a comparison and contrast in both as worn by hester and dimm

A Comparison and Contrast In Both A'sWorn By Hester and Dimmesdale
The two A's worn in the novel by both Hester and Dimmesdale are
dramaticallydifferent, yet they are born and made by the same identical
sins. These letters are alsodifferentiated by the infinitely changing
emotional state and physical well being of thecharacter, the towns views
of morality and natural order, and the affecting environment. The two
sins of most importance in the novel and that serve the greatest
beneficiality in theappearance of the A's are of course adultery and
hypocrisy. The separation in the appearance of both of the A's begins
with each charactersown personal interpretation of the extremity of their
sins. Where Hester's A is beautifuland artistically done ("fantastically
embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom; pg.37)her interpretation of
the extremity of her sins is one of self composure and nonchalantness.
She views her sins solely as a "violation in the natural order" of the
environment andtherefore cannot even perceive her sin as being evil
except through outside brainwashing. While Dimmesdale's personal
interpretation as to the extremity of his own sins is a"violation of God's
law," which is the law that he is totally dedicated to and supported by.
Dimmesdale's interpretation of his sin is much more severe than Hester's,
it is a breach anddirect contradiction of his own self consciousness and
physical existence. Therefore theappearance of his A, even though it is
never directly described in the novel, must be raw,jagged, and brutally
crooked ( a ghastly rapture; pg.95). Maybe Dimmesdale's self tortureis
so horrifying or inconceivable that it is either indescribable, ( too mighty
to beexpressed only by the eye of his figure; pg.95), or best left up to the
reader's imagination. Unlike Hester, Dimmesdale, because of self
interpretation, cannot in any way conceive hissins of being anything but
evil. Although the appearance of the A's are proportional to the
interpretation by eachcharacter; also the appearance of the A's is directly
correlated between the consequenceseach character receives because
of their sins, both Hester's and Dimmesdale's punishmentis introduced

through a new character and some sort of isolation. The new character's
area form of abstract contrasting where each new character is an
extension of the sinner's "A"itself. Where as Chillingworth is a doubled
extension of Dimmesdale's consciousness;Pearl is a contrast to Hester's
creativity, patience, and composure. Dimmesdale'spunishment through
Chillingworth is one of mental bombardment and spiritual torturewhich
supports the theory that Dimmesdale's A must be horrifically putrid
andindescribable. Pearl's punishment towards Hester is one of irritation
that attempts tocounter balance Hester's everlasting patience and
composure. Because Hester does not lether irritation get to her and
remains constantly tranquil, the A that she wears (ie. theextension of the
A she bears) is as beautiful and natural as she is. So the A's worn in
the novel, even though from the same origin, are the exactantithesis of
each other separated by personal interpretation and individual
consequences. Where one character's beauty and open mindedness to
her crime and punishment makesher A and her punishment (Pearl)
natural and beautiful. While the other character's tortureand self hatred
of himself and his crime make the burden that he carries much more
heavy. Dimmesdale's A and the extension to his A (Chillingworth) are
ugly, and brutal.