In Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter, Hester and Dimmesdale are trapped in self-delusion because they are both caught up in a false interpretation of their respective sins and an opaque vision of a better life Hester is confused by his own interpretation of the Scarlet Letter, and Dimmesdale is captivated by Hester's inspiring words for a better life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Hester is disillusioned that she thinks her punishment and the weight of her punishment will evaporate along with the removal of the Scarlet Letter. He feels like he's done his share of penance. Hester asks Dimmesdale why they should "dwell on [the sin] now that "[she] could undo it all". She believes that they should not dwell on their sin and that the sin can be erased by literally tearing away the Letter. Hester also believes that being able to “undo everything” by removing the Letter from her chest. The situation stated here shows that her delusion gives way to deception on her part. After removing the Letter, Hester feels “exquisite relief,” a sensation she did not have “known the burden.” Hester feels as if a burden has been lifted from her shoulders; this is her freedom, more importantly, Hester overlooks the fact that the Scarlet Letter also burdens her conscience with punishment and. it can be removed from the body physically, but not mentally. The "other" form of penance, however, is physically intangible; therefore, his removal of the Scarlet Letter has forced Hester to believe that she can live without obligation of its punishment by removing it. And this self-delusion causes her not to think realistically and not fully understand that she cannot rid her sin or punishment from her conscience. It turns out that Dimmesdale is captivated by Hester's vision, reflected in his reaction to the release and cleansing of his sin and penance. He is grateful to Hester for helping him in his transmutation from sadness to happiness. After feeling forgiven by society according to Hester, Dimmesdale feels "a glow of strange enjoyment" that has had an "exhilarating effect" on him. He feels as if he is finally free from the torment of sin. Up front, Dimmesdale never experiences such euphoria; he had known only torment and anguish. But now a “free atmosphere” envelops Dimmesdale. He thinks that now he can live free from his penance; his reaction shows his childlike desire to be free from his penance. Dimmesdale describes the nature of the current situation by saying that God is “merciful.” Dimmesdale believes God has now forgiven him and given him "merciful" blessings. However, his evidence of joy only exists because of Hester's words of encouragement. Dimmesdale says that before he was "sick, stained with sin and blackened with sorrow", but now "[he] has risen all renewed". The words “stained by sin” and “renewed” show a stark contrast between “the beginning and the end” of his change. The resulting joy shows that Dimmesdale is taken by Hester's words. He directly gives Hester credit for the change in his ways and refers to her as "[his] better angel." The word "angel" personifies a savior or heroine. If it hadn't been for his words of encouragement, Dimmesdale would have thought about it for a moment and discovered that society would, in fact, not have forgiven him. In the forest he is free and innocent, but in society and his community the awareness of his sin would be devastating to his already tormented morale. Therefore, he is involved in a more positive and optimistic outlook and looks at Hester's words and.