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What happens at the conclusion of Reverend Williams' Sermon in "The Scarlet Letter"?

a) He announces a public shaming for Hester
b) He reveals the identity of Pearl's father
c) He collapses from exhaustion
d) He calls for Hester's immediate arrest

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Reverend Dimmesdale's sermon in 'The Scarlet Letter' ends without any of the listed events occurring immediately. Instead, he gives a powerful sermon and later reveals his own sin publicly.

Step-by-step explanation:

At the conclusion of Reverend Dimmesdale's sermon in The Scarlet Letter, none of the options listed (public shaming for Hester, revealing the identity of Pearl's father, collapsing from exhaustion, calling for Hester's immediate arrest) directly occur at that moment.

The sermon itself is depicted as a powerful address, and following that, Dimmesdale returns to the scaffold where, in a dramatic and public confession, he reveals his own guilt and sin, showing the community his own 'scarlet letter' carved into his chest. This act is his own form of public shaming, aligning with the novel's themes of sin, guilt, and redemption.

User Vegard Stikbakke
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