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In “The Scarlet Letter” there are four driving forces that separate the plot into four separate parts. For each of these parts, there is a separate catalyst, which is a person or thing that brings about some change or changes, without being directly affected itself. In Chapters one through eight, the catalysts are the puritans. In chapters nine through twelve, the catalyst is Chillingworth. In Chapters thirteen through nineteen, the catalyst is Hester. Finally in chapters twenty through twenty-four the catalyst is Dimmesdale. These four main characters are important to “The Scarlet Letter” because they affect the story in their own unique way. In their certain chapters, they may not be the main character or the character that is being concentrated on, but they are vital to the novel’s plot. If these characters were eliminated from the chapters, then the story of “The Scarlet Letter” would not be the same story today. In the first eight chapters, the puritans, who obviously act as not an individual, but as a group, are the driving force. They are always in the background talking and gossiping. Whether it is the Scarlet Letter they are fascinated with, or their beloved Dimmesdale, they are always in the background helping the story move on. In the first scaffold scene, the women of the market area all have their own opinion of what punishment Hester will receive. One of the gossips says that she should be punished according to the law, which is the punishment of death. Another gossip says that she will be punished enough on her own. It was puritan belief that one should be punished for the sin.
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