"In the name of Him, so terrible and so merciful, who gives me grace, at this last moment, to do what- for my own heavy sin and miserable agony- I withheld myself from doing seven years ago" (226).
Throughout the book, Dimmesdale was worried about the punishment God would give him. After seven painful years of suffering, he finally realizes that God is merciful. God will decide what should be done with Dimmesdale, not the crowd or the beatings he gave himself. Since Dimmesdale is a reverend, it is ironic how he did not know this at first. By keeping his sin inside of him, Dimmesdale associated himself with the Devil. After lifting his burden from his chest and letting society know of his lechery, he broke away from the Devil by letting God decide his fate. This also occurs in The Crucible. John Proctor tried to seek redemption from Elizabeth and the court, instead of letting God be his final judge. It was not until Rebecca Nurse opened his eyes that he realized he was making a mistake. Likewise, Dimmesdale opened his eyes after the conversation he had with Hester in the forest.
"Pearl kissed his lips. A spell was broken. [...] Pearl's errand as a messenger of anguish was all fulfilled" (229).
Pearl's job of reminding her parents of their sin was completed. Dimmesdale poured his heart out, confessing his lechery to his followers and died without a burden weighing him down. Dimmesdale and Hester were unified as both As were revealed in front of the town. Pearl stood by them as the "connecting link between th[e] two" (140). Once Dimmesdale and Hester were unified, Pearl conformed from her elfish behavior. Pearl kissed her father, which she refused to do earlier in the book, symbolizing the change within her.
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