Scarlet Letter

Seeing Dimmesdale in this new light, rejuvenated and full of energy affected me. This sad and pathetic man suddenly, after a conversation with the woman that I believe he loves, embodies his former self and makes me feel happy and calls out to me that this scene is an important one. Upon further reading of this passage, not only did I choose this scene based on the good feeling that I got, but also because Hawthorne filled the scene with what I believe to be symbolism and deeper meaning. .
             Just "two days before," Dimmesdale "feebly, and with frequent pauses for breath toiled over the same ground," that the reader now sees him traveling over in this passage. However easily Dimmesdale accomplishes this feat, Hawthorne makes mention of the fact that path itself poses no easier a route, but rather a "wilder, more uncouth [path] with rude natural obstacles less trodden by the foot of man." The path, from my reading, symbolizes the road that the Reverend must now take to free himself from the guilt which has accompanied him for seven long years. He can no longer hide behind his secret guilt, but must make public what he did seven years ago. I believe that he was always going to do this, and Hester's motivation only accelerated the process. Whatever way he was going to go about this, no one knows, but this new plan, which involves leaving the country and starting anew, involves more obstacles. Though the road consists of more obstacles, Hester prepares Dimmesdale for it during their conversation, which allows him to cover the path with the ease that he does in this passage. During my reading, I spent much of my focus on this idea of the path and its difficulty.
             Reading about the joy of the Reverend in this passage hurts, in my opinion, because the reader knows what Arthur does not, that this will not work out.