society by Nathaniel Hawthorne: Society often has a distorted sense of reality. They speculate about the truth, but in reality society only sees what is presented to them. Hawthorne suggests that society thrives on witnessing personal destruction. Gossip and chatter circulated through the village regarding Hester's situation. Hawthorne suggests that one should attempt to escape the powerful influence of society. He demonstrates this through Hester, who has successfully transcended the harsh judgment of her society. Hester created her own identity by not allowing society to define her with the Scarlet Letter. F. revenge: the author conveys a message of forgiveness rather than revenge. Chillingworth dedicates his life to taking revenge on Dimmesdale. At the novel's conclusion, however, Hester and Dimmesdale recognize that Chillingworth's sin is worse than theirs. Hester and Dimmesdale perceive Chillingworth as the embodiment of Satan, as evil and hateful vengeance has corrupted him and transformed him into a harmful entity. 5. Explain the evolution of Hester's scarlet letter throughout the book and how that evolution corresponds to Hawthorne's