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Scene 1
Hester stands trial for her sin of adultery and sets the stage for the rest of the story, and everyone that is to play a large part such as Hester Prynne, Pearl Prynne, Roger Chillingworth, and Arthur Dimmesdale. This scene would set the premise for the entire story and would see all the characters interact in one way or another.
Scene 2
The second scene is when Dimmesdale climbs the scaffold and begins to cry. It was at this moment when Hester and Pearl are returning from the Governors deathbed when they decided to climb the scaffold and hold hands. Chillingworth sees this and Dimmesdale asks Chillingworth's true identity, knowing her promise to him she remains silent. Once again all the characters that played a main role are here and all interact with one another furthering the story and creating more tension on all of them.
Scene 3
The Third and final scene is where the climax comes in the story. All main characters once again are all present and this time they are all dramatically effected. Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale all climb the scaffold and despite Chillingworth trying to stop him he confesses his sin to everyone and reveals the Scarlet Letter on his own chest, and in the end he dies. However Hester, Pearl, and Chillingworth are all present. Later we find out that Pearl is married and Hester returns and resumes the wearing of the Scarlet Letter after having left with her daughter. Thankfully Chillingworth dies a year after the third scaffold scene.

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Devout
From the beginning of the story Dimmesdale has been called the most holy man in the colony. At Hester's "trial" he was described by the Narrator how "his eloquent and religious fervor had already given the earnest of high eminence in his profession. This shows him being a devout Christian by demonstrating how the Reverend Wilson refers to his colleague (Dimmesdale) to speak at the trial.
Selfish
This is half a matter of opinion and half fact. Dimmesdale can be seen as selfish in the way that he does not confess to being the father of Pearl and having been an adulterer at Hester's trial. Years later when he actually confesses to being Hester's lover he says "I stand upon the spot where spot where seven years since I should have stood..." This shows the fact that he knew that it was a selfish act to not help Hester when she was being tried for her crime.
Honorable
Interestingly enough though Dimmesdale did not assist Hester when she was at her trial at the scaffold, he did assist her when the Governor and Mr. Wilson try to take Pearl away from Hester. He gives a sermon-like speech about how Pearl was a "pang, a sting, an ever-recurring agony in the midst of a troubled joy!" This shows that though in his own way he saved Pearl from the Governor and Mr. Wilson, which can be seen as honorable in its own way.

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Cruel
In the story Chillingworth tormented Dimmesdale by convincing him that the sickness that he notoriously suffered from was not a sickness of the mind but of the soul. This convinced Dimmesdale due to the fact that he saw Chillingworth as a friend and he was a Physician. This led to Dimmesdale going through a long line of self punishment from confession to chastisement "Oftentimes this Protestant and Puritan divine had plied it on his own shoulders laughing bitterly at himself the while, and smiting so much the more pitilessly because of that bitter laugh". This shows Chillingworth's capacity for cruelty in the way that he forces Dimmesdale to purge his soul of sin.
Secretive
This characteristic is not so apparent except for in the beginning of the story when he makes contact with Hester inside her cell. There he asks her to keep secret the fact that he is Hester's husband. He said to Hester "Thou hast kept the secret of thy paramour (lover) Keep likewise mine!" Chillingworth does not want his wife's shame upon himself and negotiates with Hester to keep his secret, secret.
Intelligent
Chillingworth is actually a very learned man having learned conventional Western medicine and having learned herbal remedies from the Native Americans that he had been captured by. "In his Indian captivity moreover he had gained much knowledge of the properties of native herbs and root; nor did he conceal from his patients that these simple medicines, Nature's boon to the untouched Savage had quite as large a share of his own confidence as the European pharmacopeia, which so many learned doctors had spent centuries in elaborating" This is a measure of his intelligence both in his doctoral ability and his traveling.

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Passionate
Hester in her exile from the rest of society takes up needlework as a profession, and is often praised for her intricate needlework and skill. Hester's artwork her artwork is described as something "of which the dames of a court might gladly have availed themselves" This shows that Hester has a passion and a very intricate skill.
Pious
Hester is not one to be thought to be pious, however as seen in the story she returns to Boston and resumes her wearing of the scarlet letter, even though she was not required to "for not the sternest magistrate would have imposed it" Meaning that even thought the symbol was originally seen as something to be shameful it "was yet to be her penitence" This shows her belief in penitence and in God revealing her piety.
Loyal
Throughout the course of the story Hester hid the identity of the man who she had adulterously lain with and bore her a child, had not herself revealed his identity, even though she had been offered the opportunity to save herself from public embarrassment, this would mean the removal of the Scarlet letter. She claimed herself that "It was too deeply branded. Ye cannot take it off. And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine." This shows her loyalty to her lover and her strength in doing so.

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The Rosebush is a symbol in the novel that is placed in front of the door of Hester Prynne's cell.

The Rosebush is meant to be a comforting symbol for those leaving the cell. Hawthorn suggests that perhaps a condemned person could see "the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him" (pg.46) Or in this case her as Hester Prynne was to be kept inside the same cell before she was to be publically humiliated. This shows the relationship between Hester and nature.

In relation to Pearl, later in the story the Rosebush plays another role in representing Pearl's relation to nature. Pearl after being asked by Mr. Wilson had said that she had not been made "but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison-door."
This illustrates Pearls connection to the Rosebush and by extension, to Nature, which is what the Rosebush itself symbolizes.

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Hester though she was able to leave the Puritan settlement and move back to Europe she is described as a ghost where she lingers around where "some great and colored event has given the color to their lifetime" (pg.73) That event being in her case the embroidering of the Scarlet Letter upon her chest. The reason for her staying was described as a chain made of iron links "and galling to her innermost soul but could never be broken" (pg.74) Hester believes that the severity of her sin has become her roots that she has now put into Boston, and that places such as her family farm are now "like garments put off long ago" (pg.74)

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Evolution in the Meaning of the Scarlet Letter 

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Evolution in the Meaning of the Scarlet Letter 

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The Scarlet Letter, meaning the letter form A embroidered on Hester's chest, was seen by the Puritan society of Boston as a symbol of Hester's shame never to be removed.
Later in the story as Hester appeals to Governor Bellingham about Pearl she sees her reflection in a suit of armor, "the Scarlet Letter was represented in an exaggerated and gigantic proportions so as to be greatly the most prominent feature of her appearance". This gives us an insight as to how Hester believes as of Chapter 7 how people see her sin of adultery and not the rest of her.
In Chapter 13 societies view of Hester had changed significantly. people had begun to describe the Scarlet Letter not meaning Adultery but "Able; so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman's strength." This represents the theme of individuality as it stand with Hester, and it shows societies capacity for forgiveness.
Ironically near the end of the novel Arthur Dimmesdale, the father of Pearl has more to do in representing the Scarlet Letter than Hester. In Chapter 23 Dimmesdale climbs to the scaffold and reveals his own Scarlet Letter. As he describes Hester's letter he turns attention towards his own "It is but the shadow of what he bears on his own breast" As Dimmesdale does this he reveals his own part of the whole story as the father of Pearl and in doing so revealing his own sin and shame.

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The character from the start of her appearance in the story has represented Nature is Pearl. In the beginning of the story when Hester goes to appeal to the Governor for Pearls custody, Mr. Wilson asks Pearl where she came from, and Pearl knew that she came from her mother but she said that she was not made "but had been plucked by her mother off the bush of wild roses that grew by the prison-door."
This shows Pearl and her close relationship to nature, and her belief that she came from nature. Another connection to Pearl and Nature is in Chapter 19 when Dimmesdale, Hester, and Pearl all come out of the woods, Pearl asks "Will he go back with us, hand in hand, we three together back into the town?" This shows the contrast between Puritanism and Nature and the connection between Pearl and Nature. Like Pearl Nature is wild, strange, and bound for error, but also like Pear Nature is beautiful, and rewarding. This has been mentioned many times by the author but the connection has never been made to Nature.         Hester also represents Nature in the way that she is often secluded off from the rest of society, this gives her the ability to be free to act the way that she wishes without scrutiny, however she still lives within the parameters of Puritan society and still practices her faith piously. However throughout in Chapter 8 she is enticed by Mistress Hibbins the, Governors sister to go into the woods and commit witchcraft, as described by Mistress Hibbins "There will be a merry company in the forest; and I well-nigh promised the Black Man that comely Hester Prynne should make one" Hester though she entertained this thought heavily she did not accept the offer. But later when speaking to Dimmesdale for the first time in years in Chapter 17 she said "Is there not shade enough in this boundless forest to hide from the gaze of Rodger Chillingworth?" Hester said this to Dimmesdale after she told him to think of a life beyond Boston. In the forest in Nature is where both Hester and Dimmesdale feel as though they can be free from the constraints of Puritan society and be themselves, showing the connection between Hester and Nature.

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Arthur Dimmesdale
Dimmesdale is hypocritical in the way that he professes his love to Hester yet he does not want to be seen in public with her. Hester tells Pearl that he "will be there, child. But he will not greet thee to-day". Further promoting his hypocrisy is the fact that he claims to love Hester and Pearl yet refuses to climb the scaffold and tell people as such.

Hester Prynne
Hester though she professes her love for Dimmesdale, agrees to keep the secret of Chillingworth, her husband. This is hypocritical of her due to the fact that Hester knew that Chillingworth told Hester of his plans to torment Dimmesdale. This shows Hester's hypocrisy due to the fact that she can profess love for Dimmesdale but at the same time became, though indirectly became the instrument of his torment.

Roger Chillingworth
Roger in all honesty is likely the most hypocritical of the three. The reason that he is the most hypocritical is because of the fact that he directly contradicts himself directly. He states "I seek no vengeance, plot no evil against thee. Between thee and me, the scale hangs fairly balanced" He states this meaning that he will not hold a grudge. Then he directly contradicts this later by stating "I have left thee to the scarlet letter. If that have not avenged me, I can do no more!" This is hypocritical and makes him a complete liar.