This chapter and the four chapters that follow contain the longest section of continuous dramatic action in the book. Although the novel covers seven years, fully one-fifth of its total words are concentrated here, during the action of this single, crucial day. This particular chapter serves primarily to set the stage for the confession to follow. It is also rich in atmosphere and symbolism. The chilly gloom of the forest almost perfectly reflects Hester’s state of mind and the mood of the following scene. Nearly every element mentioned in the chapter carries some symbolic significance.
The narrow footpath through the dense forest is suggestive of the “moral wilderness” Hester has been forced to follow for the past seven years. The story of the Black Man and his mark is described as a “common superstition,” yet for Hester, the Black Man and his mark have a special, personal meaning. Here Hawthorne connects the letter with the Black Man and eventually with Dimmesdale’s burden, and he does so mainly through their conversations.
