The Scarlet Letter · Chapter
XVI: A Forest Walk explained
Hester Prynne resolves to reveal Roger Chillingworth's true identity to Arthur Dimmesdale.
What happens
Hester Prynne resolves to reveal Roger Chillingworth's true identity to Arthur Dimmesdale. She takes Pearl into the forest, where they encounter the brook and discuss local superstitions about the Black Man. Pearl playfully notes that the sunshine avoids Hester because of the scarlet letter. When Dimmesdale approaches, Hester sends Pearl away to speak with him alone.
Themes in this chapter
Sin and Guilt
Hester's scarlet letter is interpreted by Pearl as the Black Man's mark, symbolizing the enduring guilt and sin associated with Hester's past.
Public Shame vs. Private Truth
Hester seeks a private meeting in the forest to reveal Chillingworth's identity, contrasting the public shame of the scarlet letter with hidden truths.
Nature vs. Society
The forest serves as a refuge from societal judgment, where Hester and Dimmesdale can speak openly, away from the constraints of the Puritan settlement.
Characters to notice
- Hester Prynne
Resolved to tell Dimmesdale the truth about Chillingworth; walks with Pearl in the forest; discusses the Black Man and the scarlet letter.
- Pearl
Accompanies Hester; plays in the forest, catches sunshine, questions her mother about the Black Man and the scarlet letter.
- Arthur Dimmesdale
Approaches through the forest, looking haggard and feeble, with his hand over his heart.
- Roger Chillingworth
Referenced as the man whose true character Hester plans to reveal.
- Mistress Hibbins
Mentioned by Pearl as one who met the Black Man.
- Satan
Referenced as the Black Man in local superstition; said to haunt the forest and mark people's bosoms.
Key passages
“But, mother, tell me now! Is there such a Black Man? And didst thou ever meet him? And is this his mark?”
Pearl asks Hester directly if the Black Man is real, if she has met him, and if the scarlet letter is his mark.
Pearl's persistent questioning reflects her curiosity about the connection between the scarlet letter and local superstitions.
“Once in my life I met the Black Man! ... This scarlet letter is his mark!”
Hester admits to having met the Black Man, equating the scarlet letter with his mark.
Hester's ambiguous confession plays into the superstition while hinting at her own sin and guilt.
“The sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom.”
Pearl observes that sunlight avoids Hester due to the scarlet letter on her chest.
This illustrates Pearl's intuitive understanding of the stigma attached to her mother.