The Minister's Vigil

"She silently ascended the steps, and stood on the platform, holding little Pearl by the hand. The minister felt for the child's other hand, and took it. The moment that he did so, there came what seemed a tumultuous rush of new life, other life than his own, pouring like a torrent into his heart, and hurrying through all his veins, so if the mother and the child were communicating their vital warmth to his half-torpid system. The three formed an electric chain."

I found this line to be important because it is the first time that we are seeing Hester, Dimmsdale and Pearl all together. It stood out to me because when they were all standing up there on the platform it said that Dimmsdale felt that Hester and Pearl were making him feel alive again, so maybe his sickness is more guilt than anything else. At this point I was also wondering a few things. I'm not sure if they have already told us in the story, but does Pearl knows that Dimmsdale is her father or does she still not know?  Also what made Hester want to go up onto the platform with Dimmsdale? Was it to benefit herself too in some way or was it just for him?

Venerable

Venerable: He is a venerable father in the church.

the Interior of a Heart

I don't know who is really supposed to be blogging tonight, so I really wouldn't be offended if not everyone commented/this is super late again...


"There were others, again, true saintly fathers, whose faculties had been elaborated by weary toil among their books, and by patient thought, and etherealized, moreover, by spiritual communications with the better world, into which their purity of life had almost introduced these holy personages, with their garments of morality still clinging to them" (128).  I just found this interesting because of the fact that the word faculties came up again.

"It was his genuine impulse to adore the truth, and to reckon all things shadow-like, and utterly devoid of weight or value, that had not its divine essence as the life within their life.  Then, what was he? - a substance? - or the dimmest of all shadows?  He longed to speak out, from his own pulpit, at the full height of his voice, and tell the people what he was" (129).  I found this interesting, but also a little bit confusing.  I find it interesting, yet sad how conflicted Mr. Dimmesdale is, part of him wanting to come clean, another part wanting to cover himself and tell no one at all.  I just don't get why he doesn't come out and tell everyone the truth.  It seems to have gotten to the point where this secret is just eating him from the inside out, yet he still won't come clean.  Is there a reason for this that I missed or is everyone else wondering this too?

Imperious

Dwight Schrute is imperious as he gives himself titles such as "Assistant Regional Manager" and tries to boss around his co-workers

Ignominous

The boy's ignominious exposure was a result of the girl pointing and laughing at him. (Page 106)

Pearl = Scarlet Figure

"The Governor, in advance of his visitors, ascended one or two steps, and, throwing open the leaves of the great hall-window, found himself close to little Pearl... 'What have we here?' said Governor Bellingham, looking with surprise at the scarlet little figure before him" (98, in The Elf-Child and the Minister).  I found this line very interesting and almost suspenseful, because at first I had no idea what the phrase "scarlet little figure before him" was referring to.  At first, I thought it was just going to be Hester's scarlet letter, just laying alone on the floor.  When the paragraph continues and reveals that the "scarlet little figure" is referring to Pearl, and how red her face gets when she is most likely just blushing.  I thought the choice of words was just interesting, how the whole book is about Hester and the scarlet letter, and the Governor happens to describe Pearl as scarlet, the same as her mother's letter.  Does the Governor do this on purpose, in a way shunning Pearl because he actually knows who she is and is saying she is scarlet, saying how she is in a way, another scarlet letter that Hester must carry with her at all times?

My Area of interest was with the appearance of our characters and how they are looked at by their peers. The superior peers of the town change their minds about the Pearl and "the Leech". In the beginning, the elders were close to separating Pearl and Hester but by the end of the chapter they say, "Even thus early had the child saved her from Satan's snare" (105). People look down on Pearl in the beginning but can so easily change their minds about her as well. The town does the same with Chillingworth. At the beginning when he shows up to town, people value the foreign doctors opinion bur by the end of the chapter people are calling Chillingworth Satan himself. "To sum up the matter... Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, like many other personages.... was haunted either by Satan himself, or SAtan's emissary, in the guise of old Roger Chillingworth" (115) The peers in the town changed their opinions very fast about Pearl and Chillingworth so what interests me is if they are going to find out the connection between Hester Prynne, Pearl, and Chillingworth (Mr. Prynne). If they do what will the consequences be? They have already changed their opinion of that family so many times, what will happen if they find out the truth?