Brown ambiguously explored and measured the
two and then denied what he had discovered: Although mankind
outwardly makes distinction between “saint and sinner”,
they all are innately joined in a “loathful brotherhood”
of sin. Joan Winslow elaborates on this contradiction by pointing to The
Scarlet Letter’s minister Dimmesdale:
“…Dimmesdale…finds it necessary to split his identity: to outward eyes he is the perfect spiritual leader, but underneath his
clerical garments the sign of sin is embedded on his breast.” (Winslow/p.263).
Dimmesdale dies in peace because not only is he aware of his split, he
eventually accepts it; on the contrary, Brown dies in “gloom” because he is aware of his
split and he will not accept it. (Hawthorne/p.946).
