Ch+17+through+21-Plot,+character+development

Chapter 17 Hester and Dimmesdale meet, and Hester tells him Chillingworths real identity. He is made for keeping this a secret. She tells him to stay strong. Dimmesdale thinks Chillingworth committed the vilest sin for all the guilt he caused Dimmesdale. Hester told Dimmesdale that he can leave and start a new life, and if he leaves, Hester and Pearl will go with him

Chapter 18 Hester and Dimmesdale agree to leave together. Hester rips the A off of her clothes and throws it away, but it lands in the leaves instead of in the stream that can carry it away. This symbolically means that Hester can never get rid of or escape the A. She calls Pearl over, who was playing with the plants and animals in the forest. Pearl moves toward them slowly because she sees that Dimmesdale is there.

Chapter 19 Hester wants Dimmesdale to meet Pearl. Pearl freaks because Hester does no have the letter on her anymore. He dreads Pearl because she is a living reminder of his sin. Pearl does not want to meet him. She asks Hester if he loves them both enough to walk into town holding hands. He will not so when he kisses Hester, she wipes it off because she does not believe it to be true.

Chapter 20 Dimmesdale goes over the escape plan he and Hester created. She will book passage on a ship that is in port but is going to England. She tells him the ship will leave in four days, and Dimmesdale decides to confess his sin during the Election Day sermon in three days. He refuses to take medicines from Chillingworth when he returns to his study, and he works on his sermon with energy all night and into the morning.

Chapter 21 Everyone in the town is in a celebration. There is dancing and games going on with everyone. There are dirty sailors drinking and smoking. Chillingworth is chattign with a ship captain. Everyone is waiting for the new senator to be elected. This is the day when Hester, pearl and Dimmesdale are going to leave. But they do not know that Chillingworth is going on the same ship.