The Scarlet Letter

“Out of the mouths of babes…”- What does Pearl say about Chillingworth? Is she correct in associating him with the devil?

....

Asked by
Last updated by Aslan
Answers 1
Add Yours

When Hester meets Chillingworth in the forest, he has a blackness about him and a red light showing out of his eyes, as if "the old man's soul were on fire, and kept on smoldering duskily within his breast. Pearl calls Chillingworth the "black man" or Devil. Chillingworth certainly evolves into a devil-like person. He becomes fixated on extracting revenge on people, especially Dimmesdale and Hester, who he feels have wronged him. He has few redeeming qualities to his character. He succumbs to his evil instincts and desires.