Which character is identified as the source of Dimmesdale's suffering and illness, as seen by Hester?

Which character is identified as the source of Dimmesdale's suffering and illness, as seen by Hester?

• A. Hester
• B. Pearl
• C. Chillingworth
• D. The community

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is recognizing who is exploiting someone’s suffering by posing as a healer. Hester identifies a single man as the source of Dimmesdale’s misery: Chillingworth. He arrives as Dimmesdale’s physician, yet his true aim is revenge. By staying close, studying Dimmesdale, and withholding relief, he fuels the minister’s internal torment, draining his vitality much like a leech. Hester sees that the minister’s illness isn’t just guilt or public shame; it’s the deliberate psychological torture produced by Chillingworth’s hidden vendetta. The other figures are involved in the story’s dynamics, but the direct, purposeful cause of Dimmesdale’s suffering, in Hester’s view, is Chillingworth.

The idea being tested is recognizing who is exploiting someone’s suffering by posing as a healer. Hester identifies a single man as the source of Dimmesdale’s misery: Chillingworth. He arrives as Dimmesdale’s physician, yet his true aim is revenge. By staying close, studying Dimmesdale, and withholding relief, he fuels the minister’s internal torment, draining his vitality much like a leech. Hester sees that the minister’s illness isn’t just guilt or public shame; it’s the deliberate psychological torture produced by Chillingworth’s hidden vendetta. The other figures are involved in the story’s dynamics, but the direct, purposeful cause of Dimmesdale’s suffering, in Hester’s view, is Chillingworth.