... made a plaything of the sound, and were bandying it to and fro- (Hawthorne 136). Indeed, the townsfolk heard Dimmesdale's shouting, " drowsy slumberers mistook the cry either for something frightful in a dream, or for the noise of witches- (Hawthorne 136). They did not understand that this was his reconciliation. Both Governor Bellingham and Mistress Hibbens had awoken to the frightful sound and ... he was a sick man, Dimmesdale's struggle was not for life, but for repentance. In fact, his mental anguish of sin is what had caused his illness. Dimmesdale would spend some nights scourging...

• Word Count: 723
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School