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As the story opens, a throng is gathered. Who are they and why have they gathered in the market place?
Townspeople/ puritans/ women gathered to see the public shaming of Hester Prynne
According to Hawthorne, what are the first two places allotted for in any new community?
Jail and a cemetery
Judging form the conversations of the Puritan women, what are their conceptions about sin, morality, and punishment?
strict and no exceptions
punishment is necessary for sin
younger= more passion
older= mature
ironic because there is a lot of gossiping behind Hester's back which could also be considered a sin/ unholy
What suggestion does Hawthorne make with the rose bush?
compares it to the prisoners/prison
-good/evil in people
What hints do you get in Chapter 2 about Hester's crime
adultery, she cheated on her husband and is now pregnant= a big sin
Describe Hester Prynne
Tall, thin, emotional, public humiliation, very beautiful, wears scarlet A on chest, makes the A herself
what is the usual punishment for Hester's crime?
death
Briefly relate the first description of the "stranger in the crowd"?
Chillingworth is old, hunched over, is truly a scholar
cover is that he is a physician using natural herbs/ remedies
What important question related to Hester's shrine is still unanswered?
Who the father of pearl is
What attitude do you have toward Puritan society after reading the first 3 chapters
very strict
extremely religious
hypocritical
unfair
How did Puritan ideas about crime and punishment differ from our ideas today
crimes/ punishment were decided by religion, everything was based around the puritan religion
today we separate church and state
Why does the jailer bring Roger Chillingworth to see Hester?
because he is disguised a as a physician, he is sent to check on the health of both Hester and Pearl b/c Hester is not eating
the baby seems to be experiencing Hester's pain
What is Chillingworth's real purpose for the visit?
to find out who the father is
and that he desires to seek revenge on the man that cheated with Hester
We know that Chillingworth is an assumed name. What connotations does the name itself have? How is his behavior during the visit to Hester consistent with these connotations?
CHILLingworth=cold
he acts cold b/c he is unkind and rude during his visit
How does Hester see her position in town after the discovery of her crime?
she is an outcast but the example of sin
she is an example of what not to do and what the consequences can be if you do sin
Hester's needlework was done for many in the community, but not for a certain group. Who was she not asked to work for and why?
she cannot work for a bride
cannot make wedding dresses or veils
brides are pure while Hester is not because she cheated on her husband
How does Pearl's life differ from those of the other children in town?
she is also an outcast like her mother
she is bullied and does not have a lot of friends
she does not play normal children's games
she is different because she is the result of a sin
she also does not have a father
What is symbolic about the name Pearl?
she is her mother's "treasure"
Pearls are also very rare
but Pearls also come from a very dark and disgusting place
Hawthorne repeatedly uses the word imp and elf to describe Pearl. In what way are these words appropriate regarding her character and behavior?
she is happy/ bubbly like an elf
but she is also different
in puritan society it is supposed to be constant work with less fun, while she is very energetic and playful
What two purposes does Hester have for visiting the Governor's mansion?
she goes to deliver gloves to him
she also goes to claim her right to raising/keeping Pearl
At the end of Chapter 7, why is Pearl crying?
because she cannot have the rose she wanted from the governors garden
Who intercedes for Hester in the matter of Pearl's custody?
Dimmesdale
what does Mistress Hibbins ask Hester to do?
asks Hester to go to the forest for a witch meeting with the devil
A close association develops between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale. Why does Chillingworth seek this association?
Chillingworth lives with Dimmesdale b/c he is suspicious of Dimmesdale for being the father of Pearl
He covers as a physician there to take care of Dimmesdale and give him the medications
How had Chillingworth gained some of his knowledge of herbs?
After being with the native americans for 2 years being held captive, he gained knowledge about natural herb remedies
What conclusion regarding Dimmesdale does Chillingworth reach? (Ch.9)
Chillingworth knows that Dimmesdale is hiding something, but he is still unsure about what he is hiding
What do you think Chillingworth sees when he secretly enters the minister's room?
Sees the "A" on Dimmesdale's chest
What effect does this incident have on the physician?
told Hester he would be able to know her partner by reading his heart, when he opens the minister's shirt he sees the "A"
surprised/happy because he never fully suspected Dimmesdale to be Pearls father but now he knows for sure
What secret practices does the minister engage in as a result of the "immoral troubles" that beset him? Why do you think he was doing this?
He starves himself by not eating, he also whips himself
this is his way of punishing himself for what he has done
it is also his way to deal with his guilt
As Hester has once done, Dimmesdale ascended the scaffold. At what time of day does he do this? What compels his action?
Dimmesdale does it in the middle of the night
he does this because he is drowning in guilt and it is a way to ease the guilt because it feels like he is confessing, but he is also not suffering through the shame that Hester had to go through
Pearl now 7 beings to display the quality of intuition. Give examples
talks/ discusses about the letter A (almost as a rhetorical question, understanding the answer lies beneath the question itself)
she begins to understand things about the people in the rest of the town
What guess would you make about the sight that made Chillingworth throw up
Chillingworth is very happy that he finally found out Hester's secret of who Pearl's father is. He see's the scarlet letter on Dimmesdale's chest in the minister's room. He vowed at the beginning of the story to find out who the father was, because not only did Dimmesdale wrong Hester by not admitting his sins to the rest of the town, but he also wronged Chillingworth by having an affair with his wife and having a child with her.
How is Ch.11 significant to the theme of the novel
demonstrates the theme of owning up to something
take/own your guilt
How has the attitude of the townspeople toward Hester changed during the seven years since her "crime" was committed? Why has this change occurred?
townspeople used to hate/be disgusted towards Hester. Hester was an outcast and often ignored in town
now she is more present in the community (she does nice things for people in the community)
this is because the "A" has taken the new meaning or "able" rather than "adultery"
but, she is not completely forgiven
How does Chillingworth respond to Hester's plea that he change his course of action?
He refuses to stop tormenting Dimmesdale
he is unmoved by her attempts and says "let the black flower blossom as it may"
What does Pearl keep asking? Why does Hester reply the way she does?
Pearl keeps on asking what the "A" on Hester's chest truly means
And why Dimmesdale keeps his hand over his heart
Hester says that she wears the letter because of its golden thread
she is trying to keep Pearl as innocent as possible
what inner changes in Chillingworth's character are made evident to Hester from his outward appearance? In what sense has he undertaken the devil's office?
He looks almost demonic because he is overtaken by desire and revenge
looks like he is in the shell of a man while blackness is taking over him
red light glaring in his eyes
Hawthorne's use of color imagery often has symbolic importance. Three color references appear in these chapters. In chapter 14, find references to red. At the end of chapter 14, what is the "black flower"? What contrast to another flower is suggested? Pearl constructs and wear a letter of her own. What is suggested by the color and material of her "A"
Scarlet Letter= red, symbolizing passion and sin
red in Chillingworth's eyes
Black Flower= evil and fate, which contrasts the rose as hope good things
Pearl's Letter= It is green, and is made out of seaweed. Pearl sees the scarlet letter differently from everyone else in town
What is your opinion of Hester as a parent
Hester is a good parent, because she cares only for her child and wants to protect her from evil in the world
Why does Hester plan to meet with Dimmesdale
she plans to tell him that Chillingworth is her husband and she is going to ambush him in the woods for privacy
How does Pearl occupy herself while Hester speaks with Dimmesdale
She pretends she is a mermaid in the water, kills a jellyfish, breaks a birds wing, and makes a green A
she plays with animals and picks flowers
Explain the significance of sunshine in this chapter
Sunshine is "flitting cheerfulness"
happiness, truth, life, and god
Hester (sinned woman) has no light on her, but Pearl does because she is innocent
What effect does Hester's information about Chillingworth have on Dimmesdale? How does this reaction change
first he is angry and blames her for his suffering, then he forgives Hester realizing that Chillingworth is a worse sinner than them both
What is Chillingworth's worst sin according to Dimmesdale?
desiring revenge on Dimmesdale
he has violated the holiness of the human heart
What decision do Hester and Dimmesdale make?
They decide to run away with Pearl to Europe
only thing holding Dimmesdale back are his duties as a minister
What does Pearl refuse to do? What must Hester do to persuade her?
Pearl won't cross the brook.
So Hester has to put on the letter, put her hair back in her hat, and return to the way she was
At what event will Dimmesdale be making a speech
election day (a religious holiday that marks the opening of the year's legislative session)
Who displayed more strength of character during the forest meeting, Hester or Dimmesdale? Give evidence.
Hester
