The Scarlet Letter: Reputation (Chapters 10,12,15, 18-20)

As the novel continues, Hester realizes the opinions of others should not bother her as much as it is. Her reputation is in her own hands and nobody should be able to tell her otherwise. However, Dimmesdale still thinks his reputation is important. Pearl challenges him to hold her hand in front of the whole town, but he refuses to do so. He has been a good citizen for his whole life and he does not want to ruin his reputation in front of the people. Holding hands with Pearl would show everybody that he was the one who had an affair with Hester and he would have to walk around the town in shame with the scarlet "A". But, for the brief time that he did hold her hand at midnight, he felt a new source of life build up in him. He felt better as a person and this led him to be a better preacher. Then, he has the chance to hold both Hester's and Pearl's hands when Hester decides to introduce Pearl to Dimmesdale (even though they've already met). Again, he says is not going to because he has a reputation to keep. Hester then decides that she wants to move to England and start a new life with Pearl so she can change her reputation. Meanwhile, Dimmesdale is going to stay in town and he will continue preaching and act like the good citizen he is known to be.