1. The title of Chapter 10 is “The Leech and His Patient.” Explain why ‘the leech” is a fitting allusion to Chillingworth.
2. Hester believes she is partly responsible for Chillingworth’s “ruin.” Who or what do you believe is most responsible for the doctor’s ruin?
2. Hester believes she is partly responsible for Chillingworth’s “ruin.” Who or what do you believe is most responsible for the doctor’s ruin?
1. Roger Chillingworth is the person physician for Reverend Dimmesdale during a period of time that leeches were used for medicinal purposes. As we all know leeches will penetrate the skin and consume the blood from the wound, but during that time period they saw that as getting rid of the "bad blood". In this instance with Roger being "the leech" and the "bad blood" being the sins of Reverend Dimmesdale he is slowly sucking all the sins out of Reverend Dimmesdale. He is trying to get to his biggest sin, the sin on his soul, that is causing him chest pains and while doing so subsequently sucking the life out of him. He is just trying to prolong his life that way he can get to his biggest sin, and by the end of the chapter he discovers it while Reverend Dimmesdale is sleeping which I theorize it being that he is the real father of Pearl because the sin is supposedly on his chest, so it might be the scarlet letter Hester is also wearing.
ReplyDelete2. I have found two types of people in this world, those who blame themselves for incidents and those who blame others. Hester happens to be among those who blame themselves for the slightest incidents because that's how she was raised in the Puritan society. Their ideology of humans being instinctively evil and therefore must be punished lead to her believing it was her fault that Chillingworth was no longer the man she knew. In all actuality Chillingworth is responsible for his own ruin because he made the chose to remain in the society and seek out whoever Hester had a relationship with. Once he determined who was the best target to get information out of, that is Reverend Dimmesdale, he continued "leeching" out information from him whilst preserving his life. He chose the Reverend because he knew that people would obviously confess their sins to the priest because he's such a "great leader" meanwhile in all actuality he went against their beliefs and instead of turning himself in continued living his life like a coward would. It just happened that Reverend Dimmesdale was the man that Chillingworth was looking for and him preserving the Reverend's life and pressuring him to become even more faint ended up torturing him with the guilt built up within him.
I think the way you addressed both the prompts in your blog was unique and well executed. I like your interpretation of the prompt and the ways in which you compared Chillingworth to the leech. It sparked my interest in the symbolism of the story. Also, I enjoyed the comparison of Reverend Dimmesdale’s sin to “bad blood”. Keep up the good work.
DeleteWithin “The Scarlet Letter” Nathaniel Hathorne sets aside the word “leech” to describe Roger Chillingworth. Chillingworth was marked with this I believe because he latched on to Reverend Dimmesdale for his sin. Chillingworth picks up on the fact that Dimmesdale is his wife’s daughter pretty early in the book. I believe that Reverend Dimmesdale hits his chest in the same area where the scarlet letter is on Hester because he is part of Hester’s sin as her paramour. Chillingworth is relentless in his attempts to get Dimmesdale to confess to his sin with Hester. Due to the stress added by these persistent attacks, Reverend Dimmesdale’s health is declining fast. Chillingworth has tried to leech onto Hester but she has already acknowledged that she did wrong against Puritan law, by what they all perceived to be the law of God. Chillingworth can not get to Hester in the same way Chillingworth can get to Dimmesdale. It seems for a split second that Dimmesdale is going to confess his sin but quickly fear corrupts him and he hides behind fear of sin again. Chillingworth is best compared to a leech because he is quite literally sucking the life and health out of Reverend Dimmesdale.
ReplyDeleteThe ruin of Chillingworth is not the fault of Hester or Dimmesdale or any other person—it is only the fault of Chillingworth himself. Chillingworth made himself a pathetic and inhuman person by his own doing. Hester feels responsible for all of Chillingworth’s hatred because Chillingworth is Hester’s husband. Chillingworth’s acceptance of his evil doings to Hester was shocking. He admits that in the past he was a kind and gentle soul, but now he allows evil to influence his behavior and inform his being. It is obviously hard for him to see that Hester has cheated on him, but that does not give him the right to make other people’s lives horrible and unbearable. There is no one to blame for Chillingworth’s sin except himself and his evil hatred.
I really like how you wrote this. I must add that Chillingworth is in the wrong with the way he is dealing with the situation. Yet, if this was to happen to you, would you completely think everything through before acting on others? I did enjoy reading your thoughts however. I’m glad you took one side. I struggled doing that, therefore it was a good read! Nice job!
DeleteA leech is the perfect was describe the way Chillingworth acts in this specific part of the book. While a leech literally attaches itself to a victim, Chillingworth figuratively attached himself to Dimmesdale. He tries to get the confessions of his sins from him, but as he does that he is burdening his health by putting an unbelievably high amount of stress on him. He also tried to “leech” onto Hester, but she already confessed her sin, so it does not go the way he planned.
ReplyDeleteIn no way shape or form is Hester responsible for Chillingworth’s ruin. Hester feels as though she is responsible because she was raised as a Puritan, who had taught their children to be kind to all respect others in their actions. She didn’t want Chillingworth to feel hurt and to have to take all of the pain of his sin, so she blamed herself.
I agree with you, Ellie! It was to the point and easy to understand. Nice job!
DeleteI agree with your first point and I take interest in your second point. It is a very interesting perspective. Well done.
DeleteI'm not quite sure by what you mean when you refer to Chillingworth leeching off of Lester, if you mean he's trying to pull all of the life out of her and he can't because the town has already done that for him I do agree with you. Yes, it is easy to blame oneself for someone else's actions when you're so closely related to them so I definitely see where you're coming from especially when you're raised with Puritan ideals.
Delete1. In the previous chapter, Chillingworth is welcomed to Boston as an admired and valued doctor. Despite knowing little to nothing about their new physician, the townspeople see him as a strong asset because of his extensive training, and the town’s previous limited access to quality medicinal care. As time goes on, they eventually describe him as a “leech,” which was not uncommon for doctors of the time. He is nicknamed so because it refers to the common practice of physicians putting leeches on the bodies of patients to drain their blood to release any sickness or ailment. As chapter ten is introduced, Chillingworth commits all of his time to finding the source of Dimmesdale’s suffering. He, symbolically, tries to drain all of the evil and sinfulness out of Dimmesdale’s body. While doing so, he finds an unknown plant near a nameless gravestone that he believes is related to the minister’s sins that he will not acknowledge or admit. The unidentified, dark weed represents that the person buried underneath it died with sins in which they never took the blame. Chillingworth lives up to the “leech” nickname given to him as he tries to pry out a confession from Dimmesdale using the plant.
ReplyDelete2. Throughout the story, it is very clear that Hester takes the blame for not only her own mistakes, but also for the other men involved. She remains silent when she could easily throw the blame onto the other men, which is a true embodiment of strength. Hester has nothing to do with Chillingworth’s self-ruin. Only he is responsible for changing from an affectionate, ardent husband, into an insensitive, cold-hearted being whose only focus is discovering the identity of his wife’s secret lover. He saw Dimmesdale as someone he could pry information out of considering he was the minister to whom the townspeople confessed their sins and wrongdoings. Lucky enough for Chillingworth, Dimmesdale just so happened to be the man he was looking for all along.
I agree with your information and really enjoyed your thoughts, keep up the good work!
Delete1. "The Leech" is an apt title for Chillingsworth because of his nature. His whole purpose is to absorb knowledge from the minister, both intellectual and emotional. One could also suggest that he "leeches" the life out of Dimmesdale. While this is quite the stretch, it stands to embody the actions Chillingsworth takes throughout the novel.
ReplyDelete2. Hester is wrong for thinking her actions are at fault for Chillingsworth's ruin. His true cause of ruin is his endless search for answers, both in science and his quest to find Hester's partner. This type of pursuit for power within knowledge almost always results in the complete opposite. This is a very common theme found in everything from Harry Potter to Doctor Faustus. Power is its own enemy.
I agree that Chillingsworth takes or “leeches” the life out of Dimmesdale.
Delete1. If you have ever wondered what a leech is, a good example would be Chillingworth in human form. Deep down he has a feeling that Hester has sinned with Dimmesdale. Like anyone else would do, he begins paying close attention to the words and actions. Therefore, Chillingworth is a leech to Dimmesdale. He’s trying to suck all the secrets out of Dimmesdale just like a leech would suck blood out of a person. Chillingworth refuses to let up on Dimmesdale. This is similar to how a leech will not quit sucking a persons blood unless it is physically removed. Chillingworth’s actions are actually doing more harm than good to Dimmesdale’s health. Like a real leech would. I believe the title fits well with this chapter.
ReplyDelete2. This question really made me think. Not the kind of thinking as if it was hard, more like putting myself in his or her situation. I can’t say it’s ALL Hesters fault. Yet, I can’t say it’s ALL Chillingworths either. I believe they both have a role in Chillingworths ruin. Hester obviously was in the wrong. If she was living in todays world, she would still be in the wrong. When you marry someone you are supposed to be with that person through everything, and that person ONLY! This situation then and now causes many hurt feelings within the couple themselves and the people around them. Yet, Chillingworth was all about revenge. He believed that was the only way to get back at whom ever. Therefore, he actually dwelled around the issue a lot more then normal. That is also why I believe he caused his own ruin. I was always told “The past should be left in the past, or else it will ruin your future.” Unfortunately, Chillingworth let it ruin his future.
ReplyDelete1. Chillingworth acts as a leech throughout this part of the book. A leech is a creature with suckers on each end that attaches itself to its victim. Throughout this chapter we see Chillingworth attaching himself to Dimmesdale. He tries to drain the sin out of Dimmesdale, just as a leech would drain the blood out of his prey. By doing this, his health is declined. Chillingworth acts as a leech trying to suck the secrets out of his patient, Dimmesdale in this chapter.
ReplyDelete2. All throughout the book we see that Hester blames herself for not only her own sins, but also the sins of Chillingworth. The only person to blame for Chillingworths sins is himself. Yes, I understand Hester was in the wrong and seeing that I can understand would be hard for Chillingworth. His search for power and Hester’s partner ruined him. He is his own worst enemy.
The title of chapter ten, The leech and his patient, fits perfectly in this portion of the story. Chillingsworth can be seen as a leech due to many of his characteristics. He gains a strong bond with Reverend Dimmesdale, almost latching onto him, and spends a multitude of time with him. He attempts to draw out Dimmesdale’s deepest secrets, similar to a leech drawing out blood from its victim. Calling Chillingsworth “The leech” is a perfect metaphor for the man.
ReplyDeleteHester’s belief that she partly caused Chillingsworth ruin is incorrect. As a woman of many sins, she sees the man as one more addition to her life sentence. She takes the blame upon herself because she believes herself that she deserves such a thing. Chillingsworth has only caused ruin for himself by himself and cannot lay blame on anyone else.
I really liked how you incorporated Dimmesdale into your response. I also liked that you took how Hester was dealing with this herself into consideration. Overall, I think your ideas here are very good and well written.
DeleteThe Leech” is a most fitting title for Chillingworth. In the practice of the day, leeches were used suck the bad blood out of the body, and to help cure people of their illnesses. The treatment ended up hastening the death of the patients. That is what Roger Chillingworth is trying to do to Arthur Dimmesdale, He is trying to suck the information out of Arthur, disguising it as finding out his medical information. This is greatly wreaking Dimmesdale, causing him to become sicker, have hallucinations, and slowly go insane. Roger believes that it he finds out his secret it will be better for everyone, just like medical professionals believed in using leeches for treatment. Roger is constantly pressuring Dimmesdale for information, and engaging him in conversations that imply for him to confess his sin. Chillingworth goes so far as to examine Arthur’s chest while sleeping. All of this is driving Dimmesdale into a weak physical and mental state, like the patients who have been “leeched”.
ReplyDeleteThe person who is responsible for the ruin of Chillingworth is Chillingworth himself. He alone made the decisions that caused his ruin, so he must accept responsibility for what he did and deal with the consequences of his actions. Hester is not some scapegoat who is responsible for everything that goes wrong in Boston. Roger chose to come back into Puritan society. He chose to pry into people private lives. Hester did not make him do those things. She did not hold a gun to his head and force him to do such things. She minded her own business and went on with her life, like you are supposed to do. He chose to question the Reverend She is no more responsible for his fall than, you or I. If Roger had, you know, minded his own business and been a normal, reasonable person, he wouldn’t be the mess he is in. But, he’s not a normal, responsible person. He is a person who cares little for the well-being of others and lets his obsession consume his entire being. The lesson we can take for this is: Accept the consequences of your actions.
I was really interested about what you said on how leeches use to be used to suck the bad blood out of body. I did not know that. I completely agree with you on the fact that Roger Chillingworth is responsible for his own ruin as well. No one was forcing him to do what he did. It was all out of his own free will.
DeleteI really like the points you make here. I really find your portrayal of the leech as used in the practice of the time. It was an interesting way to connect Chillingworth to the leech. I agree with and I also like the fact that you mention that Hester had accepted the consequences of her actions, but Chillingworth chose otherwise.
Delete1. As mentioned in many previous blogs from other classmates, leeches were used for extracting blood from patients in search of diseases. Chillingworth is seen as a "leech" because he is trying to break the surface of Dimmesdale's inner life. Trying to get Dimmesdale to confess to the sin he has committed, just like a leech gives blood which tells what is wrong with a person.
ReplyDelete2. I believe that Hester is right for taking the blame herself because if she hadn't done wrong to her husband who she promised to stay loyal to through marriage vows, none of this would be happening. I also think that Chillingworth is going over the top about the whole situation and harassing the poor man until he falls ill. I don't think it is right to put the blame on only one person in this situation because it depends which angle you look at it from.
I like the different perspectives that you used. You are right when you mentioned that it was not any one person’s fault. It all started with the sin of Hester, but Chillingworth is definitely going over the top with this situation. He is also making things much worse by investing so much of his time digging for the truth.
DeleteI do agree that Hester was right to admit her sin and be honest with her faults. However, I agree that Chillingworth has gone over the top by letting it control his life. I like how you included that it is not completely Chillingworth’s fault.
Delete“The Leech and His Patient” is a truly fitting title for Chapter 10 because of the way Chillingworth latches on to his sickly patient, Reverend Dimmesdale. It seemed as though Chillingworth had no other plans in his life other than to search deep into his patient’s heart to find the answers he was looking for. The physician even went as far as pretending to be Dimmesdale’s false friend to try to squeeze out any information that was kept in the dark. Although they became closer, the “leech” could not suck up all of Arthur’s secrets. After this frustration, Chillingworth could not bear to go through anymore blank conversations. He took a final desperate attempt to discover the secret that had been kept for so long. During the slumber of his patient, Chillingworth lifted the shirt of Dimmesdale and found the answer he had been yearning for.
ReplyDeleteHester believed she was the reason for the downfall of the man she had loved so long ago. This was what she believed, but I think differently. Although she might have planted the seed for his destruction by doing what inevitably made her the prisoner of the scarlet letter, she was not responsible for his ruin. He was the one who caused his collapse. Chillingworth even said it himself when he said it was his fate to become a fiend. “Let the black flower blossom as it may.” He obsessed over the puzzle of finding out who was Hester’s partner in mutual sin. The years passed, and his frustration grew. This caused him to grow fierce with a fire in his soul that could be seen through his eyes. Many might think that it was poor Hester Prynne who caused the downfall of Roger Chillingworth, but I think it was the physician himself who created his own problems.
I really took pleasure in reading what you had to say, Regis. I liked how you took a quote from the book and interpreted it into your answer. Overall, this was very well written. Nice job!
DeleteThis was extremely well written and flowed very nicely. I like how you were able to add a quote from the book. This was a very well written article.
Delete1.In chapter ten Hathorne does a great job of describing Chillingworth and the way he is attempting to obtain information from Dimmesdale. Chillingworth attaches to Dimmesdale and beginnings to “suck” the information out of him, this is exactly what a leech does. A leech attaches to the skin and sucks the blood from ones body. From the blood the leech can obtain its nutrients and live. This is exactly what Chillingworth is doing to Dimmesdale. He attaches to Dimmesdale and begins to “suck” the information from him. From this information Chillingworth seems filled and can move on with life. A leech also leaves an impression on its victim, as does Chillingworth. Chillingworth leaves Dimmesdale in a terrible state, almost at the point of death. The title “The Leech and His Patient” is a great title for this chapter and is a clever way of giving the reader a brief summary of the chapter.
ReplyDelete2.Throughout the book I have come to a greater understanding of Hester’s character. I have learned that Hester will willingly take the blame for almost anything, even if she is not at fault. This strong character is why she steps up and accepts part of the blame for Chillingworth. I believe it is not her fault at all and the situation should fall on Chillingworth shoulders. He knows this and states that he should be taking the full punishment. Due to Hester’s strong character she step up and takes the hit for Chillingworth, even though his downfall was not her fault.
Great job Jake. I liked how you directly related the leech to Chillingworth with the example of leaving an impression on both of their victims. I had never thought of it that way and it got me thinking.
DeleteA leech is more than just a blood sucking parasite. A leech is also known as someone who may call themselves a friend, however, this individual is actually just using the other person to get what they want. With this in mind, I think that Roger Chillingworth is a prime example of this. He is very fake with Mr. Dimmesdale from the start of their relationship. Roger is only trying to get Mr. Dimmesdale to talk about himself, so that Roger can know more in the hopes of Dimmesdale opening up even more to him. However, Roger Chillingworth reciprocates very little about his own life. He does not care about Dimmesdale's well being, even as he is acting as his physician. Chillingworth only sought revenge, as he continued to dig away at the clergyman's heart, insisting to not only know what was going on with the man physically, but also spiritually. This is because Roger Chillingworth wanted Mr. Dimmesdale to confess what he had done.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think that it was Roger Chillingworth's own self which was most responsible for his ruin. In the book, Roger is once described as a calm and quiet man with a desire for knowledge. However, as time goes on in his quest for revenge in the continuation of the story, he has now been referred to as having a type of quiet depth of malice, which has now been activated within him. Within a few years, he has become so infatuated with the idea of getting Mr. Dimmesdale to confess, that he is developing an inner darkness about himself. When Mr. Dimmesdale is on the stand with Hester Prynne and their daughter Pearl, Roger Chillingworth is described as not being careful to hide the malevolence with which he looked upon his victim, Mr. Dimmesdale. Roger Chillingworth brought about his own downfall because at the end of the day, he was the one that chose to do what he did. He had his own free will to blame in his choosing of revenge and hatred. I do not think that Hester Prynne should blame herself for Roger Chillingworth’s ruin.
I agree with your thoughts! I especially like how you mentioned that Chillingworth was developing an inner darkness about himself. This was written very well.
Delete1. There is great correspondence between a leech and Roger Chillingworth. By definition, a leech is someone who basically attaches themselves to someone or something in the result of gaining more knowledge, money, secrets, etc.. This allusion is very fitting to Chillingworth because Chapter 10 focuses on his infatuation with Dimmesdale's illness. Mr. Chillingworth stops at nothing in order to unleash the information he so obsessively desires. These features of his consuming passion with his client's private affairs are what relate him to those of a leech.
ReplyDelete2. At this point in "The Scarlet Letter" it becomes obvious to the reader that Roger Chillingworth is intensely focused on revenge and nothing else, for this was pointed out in the first chapter. He predominantly set himself up for his own "ruin." Hester should not be to blame for the physical destruction of her so called "husband" because of all of the things that she has done for him in order to insure security about his true identity and safety. All of the liability should fall on Mr. Chillingworth because he did this to himself. Perhaps, if he was not as busy swimming in his own pool of vengeance and hate, then some of the blame could be given to Miss Prynne. However, I believe that she does not deserve to accuse herself of yet another unfortunate event when she has done nothing but protect everyone.
Well said, she really does not deserve to be the bearer of all the guilt and responsibility. She has worn the scarlet letters for years and she has gone through enough. But Hester still wants to take the blame because that is just who she is. To be the bigger person even in dire scenarios is what makes her who she is and a good character. And I like your use of honorifics, it is kind of funny how I can know the name and state of the characters but still would refer to them as plainly Hester or Chillingworth, it was sort of refreshing to read of them with titles, to throw off some predetermined notion I had of their statures.
DeleteThe term “leech” is a fitting allusion to describe Chillingworth, as it was expressed throughout the chapter. Roger Chillingworth assumes that Dimmesdale is the one who was associated with Hester for committing the sin. Chillingworth soon takes note of Dimmesdale's health progressively getting worse because of his self-inflicted guilt. Chillingworth has become so deeply enthralled with the thought of seeking out Dimmesdale’s secrets, or illness so to speak. Chillingworth's method of finding vengeance is by intensifying Dimmesdale's burden which is draining the life right out of him, just as a leech attaches itself onto something. Chillingworth did not stop there, he dug deeper to find out more about the sin. So, while Dimmesdale was asleep, he moved his shirt to find the answer he was looking for that appeared on Dimmesdale’s chest. Just as a leech only stays attached until it gets its necessities, Chillingworth did the same.
ReplyDeleteThe complete ruin or fall of Chillingworth is none other than the fault of his own self. Hester tries to blame herself for the ruin of Chillingworth, but she did not contribute to its entirety. Chillingworth became obsessed with finding out the secrets to the sin, that he was breaking himself down along the way. The thought of power and knowledge overcame his way of original thought, which ended up changing his whole demeanor. Chillingworth was most responsible for the ruin of himself.
1) The leech is a fitting title for Chillingworth for a good few reasons. As his physician, he follows Dimmesdale around and sort of preys off him, like a leech. He lives with him and is almost like a pet that Dimmesdale carries around after him. That's what I like to imagine, anyway, that Chillingworth is a little pest that seems okay and appears to even be helpful to drain the bad blood, but is really rather dangerous and a bad presence. He has bad intentions in mind and follows his target like a bird circling its dinner.
ReplyDelete2) I do not think that Hester is directly responsible for his ruin. While she certainly may have been a factor in it, I believe that his downfall could only be done by his own hand. He is the one to transform himself into a bad person and become engulfed in the thought of revenge. He despises those who sinned but he lets the devil take form in him through his lack of self restraint and virtue. His ruin was his own fault.
Using the word leech is very fitting when describing Chillingworth in this chapter. Chillingworth is preying on Dimmesdale prying into his very soul to get him to confess his sin. This is just like a leech does when trying to get blood out of its victim. He resembles a leech because the more and more he is hounding Dimmesdale, the weaker it seems he is becoming. It is just like what a leech does to its victims. A hungry leech will do whatever it takes to get its next meal much like Chillingworth is doing whatever it takes to find answers. Like a leech, Chillingworth is persistent at getting what he wants and that is why the title is so fitting.
ReplyDeleteChillingworth is responsible for his own “ruin”. He has become too caught up in himself and in his plot to seek out revenge. While he is doing this, he is only focusing on finding his answers. Many might say he is obsessed with getting Dimmesdale to tell him the sins he has committed. All of this obsessing is causing him to break down mentally and physically like it would do to anyone. As a result, it is what lead to his own personal “ruin”. Hester has no responsibility for his obsession, actions or eventual downfall.
The book rightly describes Chillingworth as a leach. This is a fitting description because much like the animal leech latching on to its victim until it has had its fill of the victim’s blood and weakens the victim, Chillingworth latches on to Dimmesdale until he gets what he wants-Dimmesdale’s secret. Chillingworth makes himself out to be a trusted physician as well as a trusted friend, but in reality he is the exact opposite. Throughout the process, he ultimately makes Dimmesdale weaker and sicker rather than providing the healing aid Dimmesdale required. This doesn’t bother Chillingworth because he is so determined and intent on finding the secret, which he eventually does when Dimmesdale is weak enough. In the third chapter of the book, when Chillingworth visits Hester in prison, he tells her that another soul would be the focus of his malevolence instead of her’s. This promise is fulfilled with Chillingworth’s leech-like behavior and destruction of Dimmesdale.
ReplyDeleteHester wrongfully believes that she is partially to blame for Chillingworth’s ruin, when in fact, Chillingworth caused his own ruin. Yes, Hester’s adultery could have triggered it, but for the most part, Chillingworth caused his own ruin with his obsessively
malevolent actions that were directed at Dimmesdale. Hester recounts a memory of when she lived with Chillingworth. In this memory she recalls a fondness for his calm, quiet hunger for knowledge. Emphasizing on this last attribute, I think it was his desire for knowledge that eventually changed Chillingworth throughout the book. This can be seen in his personality change from the beginning of the book to where we are now. His character becomes more obsessive, rash, and cruel as compared to the quiet, observant man who had just arrived in Boston. This drastic personality change eventually drove Chillingworth mad trying to discover Dimmesdale’s secret, which I think he already knows and is just searching for confirmation. Why else would he drive himself crazy searching for this secret?I think this obsessiveness caused a darkness in his soul that could only lead him down from there. In choosing the path of manipulation, Chillingworth caused his own self-annihilation that Hester had no part of.
I strongly agree with your points in the second answer. Your description of why Chillingworth was the cause of his own ruin was very detailed and accurate.
DeleteThe title of “leech” is fitting for Chillingworth because he has latched onto Dimmesdale by following his every move from sunrise to sunset, taking much of Dimmesdale’s freedom and privacy away. His constant prying at Dimmesdale has only made his condition worse, causing him to have hallucinations and lose his mind. In addition, he has “sucked” the life out of Dimmesdale in a sense, similarly to how a leech takes blood from its victim. Chillingworth has been trying to draw the truth from Dimmesdale and get him to confess his sin.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Chillingworth is responsible for his own ruin. While he had every right to be upset and hurt by what happened, he had the power to become stronger from it. He became obsessed with the situation and it caused his own downfall. Hester is not to blame because she professed her sin publicly and became a better person from the situation. She has taken enough shame for her sin. Therefore, I believe Chillingworth is at fault for his ruin.
I completely agree with every aspect of both of your essays. I like how you directly related Chillingworth to a leach by explaining how he “sucks” the life out of Dimmesdale. Also, I agree with your statement regaurding Chillingworth and how he is responsible for his own ruin. Very well written!
Delete1. The first reason Chillingsworth is worthy of the title “leech” is because doctors of the time period used leeches in their practice. A leech will attach itself to a person until it receives the nutrients it requires. Chillingworth has attached himself to Dimmesdale and will continue to suck the information out of him until he gets what he needs. The analogy of a leech has come to explain the character of Chillingsworth further, and help determine the morals of his actions.
ReplyDelete2. Hester partly blames herself for the ruin of Chillingsworth because of her sins. But the overall “fall” of Chillingsworth comes from his own doing. Despite being present during Dimmesdale’s mercy towards Hester in the case of custody of her child, Chillingsworth still seeks revenge and does not consider being merciful or dropping the idea. He has attempted to play the role of God by seeking revenge. These factors, all of which are self inflicted, play into the ruin of Chillingsworth’s character.
1. The leech is a very fitting name for Chillingworth as he is trying to learn as much as possible from Dimmesdale, sucking ever little bit of knowledge from him possible about him, and then, he eventually does figure out everything about him, and starts to be an evil person, torturing him in the next few chapters. But as a leech does, sucking as much blood from you, it is hard to get them away or off, as now Chillingworth now lives with Dimmesdale, being evil right in his house, as close as possible.
ReplyDelete2. In my opinion, Chillingworth is the source of ruin for Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale was being fine before the torturing happened. Yes, Hester is thr original source to blame for Dimmesdale sickness, Chillingworth multiplied by then giving him wierd and unethical medicines and trying new, evil, way of medicine on him. This drives Dimmesdale to insanity and that makes him go up on the scaffolding where Hester was, trying to make ameneds for himself, but obviously that doesn't work.
“The Leech and His Patient” is the best fitting title for Chapter 10. This is because in this particular chapter, the reader is introduced to Chillingworth’s habit of pestering Dimmesdale simply by observing his every move. In a sense, this sort of behavior compromises Dimmesdale’s privacy. As for a leach, when it finds a victim it first releases an anaesthetic, which is able to almost numb the victim. Then the leach is able to take in its victims blood. Similarly, Chillingworth doesn’t make it noticeable that he is undermining Dinnesdale’s privacy or that he is acquiring his knowledge.
ReplyDeleteChillingworth’s “ruin” was initially provoked by Hester. However, it is absurd to put the blame solely on Hester. Hester may have begun the potential downfall of Chillingworth, but Chillingworth could have stopped it on his own. Chillingworth becomes obsessed with revenge, this could easily lead to anyone’s downfall. If Chillingworth would have seeked out the word of God or simply prayed for strength, he may have forgiven instead of hated. Therefore, Chillingworth is the only one responsible for his ruin and downfall.
1. The leech is a fitting allusion for Chillingworth because he is sucking the sins out of Dimmesdale. Leeches were a common medical practice during this time; they would suck the blood out of a patient to drain the infection. Chillingworth is trying to suck the truth out of Dimmesdale. However, he is not able to make Dimmesdale reveal all of his sins. The analogy of the leech helps the reader further understand Chillingworth’s character.
ReplyDelete2. Hester is definitely not responsible for Chillingworth’s ruin. The man responsible for Chillingworth’s ruin is himself. Even though Hester would not reveal the men’s names, she did not cause Chillingworth to become evil. He wanted revenge instead of forgiving Hester, which results in him playing God and forcing things. Chillingworth should have never tried to play God, but he ends up ruining himself.
A leech is a parasite which has the main purpose of sucking the blood from humans. Chillingsworth especially begins to mimic this as he grows closer to Dimmsdale. He essentially begins to attach on to him and suck more in more trying to achieve what he wants from him. Roger Chillingsworth is attempting to discover his sins. Once Dimmsdale becomes weaker of guilt he uses that to get more information. Chillingsworth becomes an annoying pesky leech as he tries to gain information for his own personal gain.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the novel it is reiterated that Hester shows many signs of people selfless. She tends to put others in front of her although it is not always what is right for her. Chillingsworth ultimately ruined himself. Although Hester could have triggered his actions he is the one who caused it. Chillingsworth became beyond obsessed. He became obsessed with seeking revenge. He changed anything and everything he cared about in order to reach full revenge.
A leech is a fitting term to describe the way Chillingsworth acted. Chillingsworth was getting closer to Dimmesdale so he could attach to him, as a leech would. He would then be able to get what he wants from Dimmesdale. He is trying to extract the sins that Dimmesdale commited for himself to have and use against him. However he was unable to get all of he sins out of him.
ReplyDeleteHester can’t help but think she is partly to blame for the ruin of Chillingsworth. I think its natural to think that, and most would feel guilty. But in reality nobody is to blame but Chillingsworth himself. Chillingsworth allowed the devil to come to him, and become evil, he played with God, and lost. Yes, Hester may have provoked his action, but Chillingsworth is in control of his own actions, and always seeking revenge ultimately led to him fall.
1.) “The leech” is a very fitting allusion to Chillingworth for multiple reasons. The first reason could be that he was a doctor and the use of leeches in medicine was not unheard of at the time. Also, both leeches and Chillingworth are determined and after one main goal. The leeches are after blood and once they latch onto a victim they will not give up until they are satisfied. Chillingworth is the same way. He latched onto people in the hopes of gaining information and he does not give up until he is satisfied. Another way it is accurate to compare Chillingworth to a leech would be the fact that he is sucking the life out of himself the way a leech would a person.
ReplyDelete2.) Chillingworth is responsible for his own ruin. He let himself become consumed by his own hatred for himself due to his wife leaving him. Chillingworth let his obsession get the best of him and ultimately it was his downfall. He was changing himself into a completely different man until one day he was basically evil. He put his emotional pain on the back burner and did not acknowledge it until it was too late.
A leech is a very accurate term in regards to Chillingworth and his actions. As a doctor, he is obligated to get to know his patients. However, the way he became attached to certain people and to Dimmesdale in particular was way past the standards of a doctor. He acted as a leech and tried to become attached to Dimmesdale in order to learn more about his personal life, and he took it too far. He was relentless and was completely in the wrong for doing this.
ReplyDeleteWe live in a world where people instantly look to blame others for their wrongdoings instead of themselves. I believe that Chillingworth was the sole reason in his ruin. He was the one who went over the top with his work and tried become to attached to his patients. In my opinion, Chillingworth had no one to blame for his ruin but himself.