The use of mirrors in The Scarlet Letter"Life is for every man," says Eugene O'Neill, "a lonely cell whose walls are mirrors" . In other words, one can deceive oneself, but a mirror only reflects the truth. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, mirrors are used as a literary device to convey a message. Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, Hester, and Pearl each judge themselves with a mirror. Through the use of mirrors, The Scarlet Letter provides insight into the flaws, or lack thereof, of the four main characters. Arthur Dimmesdale's mirror serves as a window into his sin-obsessed mind. Dimmesdale practices secret vigils, such as whipping himself in front of a mirror, as an act of penance. After Hester's humiliation on the gallows, Dimmesdale becomes obsessed with absolving himself of sin, while not admitting sin to others. Thus begins a cycle of pain and sadness. Much to Roger Chillingworth's satisfaction, Dimmesdale could "torture, but not purify himself". For everyone else, from his fellow priests to church-going citizens, he may be leading a false life. Yet, when he looks in the mirror, Dimmesdale sees only the sin he committed with Hester. In fact, as the reader learns at the end of the book, Dimmesdale feels guilty for his ignominy to the point of carving an A on himself. His punishment in the mirror becomes a ritual with a bloody flail kept under lock and key in a secret closet. The only one to derive satisfaction from self-inflicted wounds is Chillingworth. When Dimmesdale sees a reflection of himself in a parallel universe, his saintly ways cause his self-tormenting downfall. Dimmesdale could have looked at himself in the mirror without magnifying... middle of paper... what one wants to see, but a reflection of what is really there. A man can deceive anyone, including himself, until, through his eyes, he finds a reflection of his true self. Professor's Comments: You have composed an excellent article, so most of my efforts have been spent in suggesting improvements in style. The opening is strong, the development logical and coherent, the examples well chosen. The ending is the weakest part of the article. You didn't need the title; “Hawthorne uses…” would start the paragraph well. You didn't need the second sentence, as your entire article did just that, and convincingly so. A comment about Pearl here is welcome, since your paper pointed towards her. The last two sentences are truly wonderful. Think of a garden: pull the weeds and the flowers will look even more beautiful. I would delete your concluding paragraph.