answers...maybe

The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne

"'Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together, into the town?'" (Hawthorne, 163). Pearl up to this time had been left in the dark about the situation between her mother and Dimmesdale, though she was aware of something. Not knowing who her father was related her to an unsolved mystery. The unsolved mystery of her own existence and the mystery of the town of who the man was. Dimmesdale reveals his secret right before his death. The mystery is therefore solved, but does that really provide all of the answers? Well, no. That part of the mystery is solved, but we do not know for sure what became of Pearl and Hester after the fact. However, this must not be relevant to the story considering it is not explained. The more important aspect of the story is the letter and the lessons taught. The story concludes with Hester's grave, but did her penance with the scarlet letter save her? Is God as merciful as Dimmesdale believed? Did Dimmesdale and Hester meet again in heaven?----The world may never know....