Which sentence from the chapter associates Chillingworth with evil?

Which sentence from the chapter associates Chillingworth with evil?

• A. Chillingworth is described as purely scientific, with no reference to the supernatural
• B. Chillingworth is described as being linked to the supernatural and evil
• C. Chillingworth is portrayed as a benevolent physician who seeks only healing
• D. Chillingworth's interest is limited to medical matters

Answer: (B)

In Hawthorne’s writing, Chillingworth is not just a skilled physician; he carries an aura of cold, calculated power that often feels linked to darker forces. The sentence that makes this connection explicitly ties him to evil by framing him with imagery or implications associated with the supernatural or diabolical. That portrayal reinforces the sense that his true influence extends beyond medicine and into manipulation, revenge, and a kind of moral darkness that invades the life of the other characters. The other descriptions—strictly scientific, benevolent, or limited to medical matters—do not fit the way Hawthorne presents him, which centers on an unsettling, almost supernatural quality to his presence and motives.

In Hawthorne’s writing, Chillingworth is not just a skilled physician; he carries an aura of cold, calculated power that often feels linked to darker forces. The sentence that makes this connection explicitly ties him to evil by framing him with imagery or implications associated with the supernatural or diabolical. That portrayal reinforces the sense that his true influence extends beyond medicine and into manipulation, revenge, and a kind of moral darkness that invades the life of the other characters. The other descriptions—strictly scientific, benevolent, or limited to medical matters—do not fit the way Hawthorne presents him, which centers on an unsettling, almost supernatural quality to his presence and motives.