In chapter seventeen, Dimmesdale and Hester finally meet. They tell each other about how their lives have been in the past seven years, and conclude that Chillingworth is the worst of the three sinners. An at first reluctant Dimmesdale finally agrees to run away from the town with Hester. When Hester proposed this plan, I started wondering why she stayed in the town all those years in the first place. She could have escaped long ago and lived a better life. After taking the scarlet letter off her bosom and throwing it to the ground, Hester pins it back on her dress in the end. I think that maybe Hester wants to be with Dimmesdale, but doesn't want to discard the scarlet letter because it represents Pearl. I think it is a good idea for Dimmesdale, Hester and Pearl to escape this town for a better life. However, before doing so, I think Dimmesdale should confess to the townspeople. Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle to their plan is Chillingworth. He previously told Hester that he will always be wherever she goes.