TSL

"'Truly do I!... It is for the same reason that the minister keeps his hand over his heart! ... Ask yonder old man... It may be he can tell"(161-162).

This is Pearl's insightfulness at its finest. She sees things that she does not even speak about until someone brings it up. She asks about the meaning behind the scarlet letter, and why Dimmesdale hides his heart. It's interesting that she says, "but why does he not wear it outside his bosom, as though dost, mother?" (169). This is another mention of Dimmesdale's hidden sin. When prodded, she answers she doesn't know, and to ask Roger. This is very strange, and it is interesting that this child sees things that the adults do not. She is strangely more like Roger Chillingworth than her mother or father. She, like Chillingworth's new attitude, is what was born out of Hester and Dimmesdale's sin. It is obvious they should be alike in some way.

"'I forgive you, Hester... I freely forgive you now. May God forgive us both! We are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world... That old man's revenge has been blacker than my sin" (176).

I find it strange that Dimmesdale seems to be pointing the finger all of a sudden. He always seems so trapped in self-loathing, and now it has switched. It's like Dimmesdale's hatred has been thrust off of himself and on to Chillingworth. That seems almost unfair, because he did wrong Chillingworth very deeply. Does he not want to notice it, or does it not matter to him?