Chapter 16: A Forest Walk

-Hester was determined to tell Dimmesdale the truth.
~“Hester Prynne remained constant in her resolve to make known to Mr. Dimmesdale, at whatever risk of present pain or ulterior consequences, the true character of the man who had crept into his intimacy” (164).

-On their way to meet Dimmesdale, Pearl tried to catch the sun. There is no “sunshine” or happiness in Hester’s life, therefore, the sunshine hides from her.
~“the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom… It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!” (165)

-Pearl wanted to learn as much as she can about the “Black Man”. She fears her mother will be meeting him, but is informed it is only Reverend Dimmesdale.
~“And, mother, the old dame said that this scarlet letter was the Black Man’s mark on thee, and that it glows like a red flame when thou meetest him at midnight, here in the dark wood” (167).
~“Once in my life I met the Black Man!” “This scarlet letter is his mark!” (168)

-Characteristics of Pearl:
~“Pearl resembled the brook, inasmuch, as the current of her life gushed from a well-spring as mysterious, and had flowed through scenes shadowed as heavily with gloom. But, unlike the little stream, she danced and sparkled, and prattled airily along her course” (169).

-Characteristics of Dimmesdale:
~“He looked haggard and feeble, and betrayed a nerveless despondency in his air, which had never so remarkably characterized him in his walks about the settlement” (170).
~“Death was too definite an object to be wished for or avoided” (170).
~“Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale exhibited no symptom of positive and vivacious suffering, except that, as little Pearl had remarked, he kept his hand over his heart” (170).