Chapter 13 gives us a new definition of Hester in society. She is viewed less as a villainous sinner, and more of a reformed citizen. There are those who still scorn her, as there always will be, but many see her in a different light. Officially she is still a poor outcast, destined to be alone; The townspeople, however, see her as a good person. She helps the poor, cares for the sick, and is an all around good person.
Dimmesdale is also becoming a bit of an issue to Hester. He is approaching insanity because of this secret that he is holding in, and it worries Hester. I think that she is also realizing that there are going to be some issues with Pearl as she grows up too. She will eventually inherent some of her mother's isolation.
I think that's all. This was mostly a speculative chapter that was just analyzing the current state of the characters, so I don't think there is a whole lot more to talk about.
As I tried to explain in class, I think that Hawthorne is wrestling with himself in this chapter. It is clear that Hester has not repented of her sin. She has made herself comply with almost every nuance of the Puritan rules, but her heart seems far away. She has become a model Puritan, but, to say it another way, she seems to be doing it with a spirit of rebellion instead of a spirit of cooperation. The question, for me, is whether the Puritan methods have made Hester a better person. It seems clear that she has all of the external attributes of a better person; Hawthorne notes, however, that she seems to have had all of her womanly compassion burned away. All of these things seem contradictory, so what is Hawthorne trying to get the reader to understand? I lean toward the idea that the Puritan methods have done all that human laws can do, and that is to force decent behavior. We can never know if we have changed a person from the inside out even though this goal is probably what we always hope for. Perhaps this chapter shows us the limits of 'legalism' in this endeavor to improve ourselves.
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