Lesson On Good And Evil The Scarlet Letter
A delicate balance between forces that are good and those that are evil hangs within every beating heart. Any number of outside conflicts may force this balance towards evil, yet anger and revenge are the most powerful. In the gothic novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorn carefully interlaces the theme of good and evil throughout the complex characters of Chillingworth, Hester, and Pearl. Both the potential for good or evil dwells within each of these characters; however, it is their choice whether or not to give into the anger which will cause the evil within to grow. As the novel progresses, Roger Chillingworth is slowly consumed by evil through his pursuit of revenge on Arthur Dimmesdale. ... After a period of time, the evil within Chillingworth can be seen through his appearance as well. ... In attempt to set afire any life in Dimmesdale that guilt may have spared, Chillingworth allows the evil flame to spread throughout his body and infect his soul. Seeing the pain within Dimmesdale gives Chillingworth a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, fulling his evil fire. Evil has proven to be just as consuming as Dimmesdales sin, if not more. The evil within Chillingworth has transformed him into the being from which all evil is rooted: the Devil himself.