The Scarlet Letter Study Questions KEY *CHAPTERS 1-15*

Chapters I-IV (1-4) 1. What is the setting of the story? Puritan colony of Salem, Massachusetts during 1640s; specificallyaction begins in the market place on morning of une 164! 2. What legend accounts for the existence of the rose bush by the prison door? "ose bush #as said to ha$e gro#n out of the footsteps of %nne &utchinson 'taught that personal faith #as superior to the force of moral la#(Puritans imprisoned her, then dro$e her from the colony 3. What is the mood of the crowd, and why is their attention focused on the door? Most are serious and somber as if about to #itness an e)ecution; some are *udgmental and are +gossiping, among themsel$es about the adulterer 'public humiliation about to #itness( 4. What reasons are given as to why ester !rynne was not executed for her crime? What would the !uritan women have done to her if given the power? -he men go$erning the colony feel that she is young and more likely than most to gi$e into temptation; moreo$er, her husband may be dead. -he ma*ority of #omen #ant her to be branded on her forehead or e$en put to death. ". What are ester#s specific actions as she wal$s from the prison to the scaffold? She shrugs off the beadle/s hand on her shoulder, pauses a moment outside the door, 0 looks around at the to#nspeople. She resists the urge to co$er the scarlet letter #ith the baby she is carrying, and #alks calmly and gracefully to the scaffold. %. What memories does ester review during her three&hour ordeal? % decaying ancestral home, parents #ho lo$ed her, her marriage to a pale, thin, misshapen scholar, and life in the capitals of 1urope #ith the guy '. (ell where each of the following are located while ester is on the scaffold) her daughter !earl, the *everend +r. ,immesdale, and her former husband, *oger -hillingworth. Pearl2in &ester/s arms; 3immesdale2abo$e &ester on a balcony of the meeting house; 4hilling#orth2on the edge of the cro#d gathered in the market2place .. What specifically is ,immesdale#s plea to ester? &e says &ester must reali5e the pressure he is under; if she feels it is the right thing to do, she should re$eal the name of the father. &e says doing so #ould be for his o#n good, e$en if he #ere to come do#n from a high place, since he probably does not ha$e the courage to do so himself. &e is greatly relie$ed #hen &ester refuses to ans#er. /. ,uring their interview, what is -hillingworth#s attitude toward ester and her act of infidelity? 4hilling#orth feels the scale is balanced bet#een them; she should not ha$e committed adultery, #hile he should not ha$e married so young and $ibrant a girl and left her alone. &e seeks no re$enge on &ester. 10. What promise does -hillingworth exact from ester? &ester promises to keep her husband/s identity a secret. Chapters V-VIII (5-8) 1. 1fter her ordeal, where did ester choose to live? Why? She remains in Salem, although she is free to go any#here, taking up residence in an abandoned cottage on the outskirts of the community. She does so because she feels connected to Salem by her sin and because she feels linked to the man #ho #as her lo$er. 2. What occupation does ester ta$e up?

Se#ing 'her ability is sho#n by her embroidering the scarlet letter itself(; this allo#s her to support herself. She se#s e$erything from funeral shrouds to fancy apparel for the upper class. 3. ,escribe ester#s appearance and mental state during this time period. 6n the outside, she e)hibits the somber manner the Puritans demand of her. She #ears drab and coarse clothing and interacts #ith the community only in her #ork and in her charitable acts. &er passionate nature is hidden and redirected into her embroidery. 7n#ardly, she feels isolated and lonely but accepts this as her lot. 4. 2ive at least three examples of ester#s treatment by the community. 1$eryone makes comments to her about her sin. 4lergymen preach sermons about her beha$ior. 4hildren, imitating their parents/ beha$ior, taunt her in the streets. Strangers, una#are of her situation, stare in pu55lement at her. ". ,escribe !earl#s personality and appearance. Pearl is #ild, defiant, moody, e)uberant, undisciplined, percepti$e, and per$erse. &ester dresses her in colorful outfits, beautifully embroidered, but is unable to control the actions of her young daughter #ho remains isolated from other children. %. What is !earl#s reaction to the scarlet letter? 1$en in her crib, she seemed fascinated #ith the scarlet letter; she grabbed it once and smiled, causing her mother considerable anguish. Pearl constantly smiles at the letter, rene#ing &ester/s anguish each time she obser$es her child/s sly smile. 6nce Pearl smilingly pelted the scarlet letter #ith flo#ers, an action her mother silently endured. '. Why does ester go to the 2overnor#s house? &ester has heard rumors that she is considered an unfit mother for so undisciplined a child. Since Pearl is the source of her *oy as #ell as her torment, &ester is determined to keep her. .. ,escribe the luxury of the 2overnor#s home, especially in contrast to an ordinary !uritan#s lifestyle. -he 8o$ernor/s mansion is described as large and airy #ith much sunshine coming through many #indo#s. -he outside, made of stucco mi)ed #ith glass, sparkles in the sunlight. -he mansion is furnished #ith curtains and #all decorations, fe# of #hich #ould please an ordinary Puritan #ho li$ed a simple and unadorned life. /. ow does !earl behave when 3uestioned by the men? She *umps up on the #indo# ledge, then puts her finger in her mouth, refusing to speak. She gi$es a seemingly nonsensical ans#er to a 9uestion from the interrogation though she kne# the e)pected response from &ester/s teaching. 10. ow does ester succeed in her mission, and how does this relate to her conversation with +istress ibbins? &ester demands that 3immesdale intercede for her. She implies that she #ill do anything to keep Pearl, including re$ealing that 3immesdale is the father of the child. &ester, in reply to &ibbins/ re9uest that she *oin the :lack Man in the ;orest that night, replies that she #ould ha$e done so if she had not #on the right to Pearl. Chapters IX-XII (9-12) 1. What are the townspeople#s reactions to -hillingworth#s lodging in the same house as ,immesdale? Many are happy that a doctor #ill be close at hand to tend to their belo$ed minister. 7t is seen as the ans#er to their prayers. 6thers begin to notice changes in 4hilling#orth/s appearance and personality, and rumors circulate that he might be in a league #ith the de$il. 7f there is any conflict bet#een 4hilling#orth and 3immesdale, they are sure the goodness in 3immesdale #ill #in out. 2. What changes have ta$en place in -hillingworth over the years? -here #as something ugly and e$il in his face; it #as #idely held that he #as the de$il or the de$il/s agent come to persecute 3immesdale.

3. What actions does ,immesdale ta$e to punish himself? 6$er the years 3immesdale has taken to #hipping his shoulders #ith a scourge, fasting until #eak #ith hunger, and staying a#ake in night2long $igils. 4. Why is -hillingworth called a 4leech,5 and why, at another point, does the narrator compare him to a miner? 3octors use leeches to dra# out bad blood, and the ironic use here is appropriate. 4hilling#orth is also presented as someone #ho #as entering into the interior of a heart and digging, like a miner, to take out something precious. ". What is the significance of -hillingworth#s examining ,immesdale#s chest? 3immesdale often clutches his chest and to this point has not allo#ed 4hilling#orth, his doctor, to e)amine him. Since 4hilling#orth suspects the minister has committed the same sin as &ester, it follo#s that he might be pained symbolically and literally in the same spot as she. %. What is the reaction of ,immesdale#s parishioners to his sermons? 7ronically, the more earnestly 3immesdale tells them that he is a sinner, the more po#erful his sermons are to those #ho see him as the model of $irtue. 7f this saintly man has sinned, they must be $ery un#orthy of 8od/s blessing. '. 6or what reasons are the ma7or characters at the scaffold during the night? 3immesdale feels he might ha$e more peace #ithin himself if he stands at the place of atonement e$en though it is under the co$er of night. -he others are passing by after lea$ing the deathbed of 8o$ernor <inthrop; &ester as a nurse and shroud maker, Pearl as her companion, and 4hilling#orth as his doctor. .. Why does ,immesdale cry out while on the scaffold? &e shrieks out in horror at the thought that his guilt is e)posed to the $ie# of the uni$erse. &e calls to <ilson out of a fatalistic or accepting impulse that tells him that he #ill soon be e)posed because he feels he cannot mo$e. /. Where is each ma7or character located when the meteor is seen? 3immesdale, &ester, and Pearl are on the scaffold #hile 4hilling#orth is approaching it. 10. What are the various interpretations the characters attribute to the shape of the meteor? 3immesdale interprets the shape to indicate that &ea$en has taken notice of his guilt. -he to#nspeople interpret the +%, to stand for +%ngel, for the taking into hea$en of 8o$ernor <inthrop. Chapters XIII-XV (13-15) 1. What are the effects of the letter on ester !rynne over this seven year interval? &er 9uiet acceptance of her status and her charity #ork ha$e #on her respect. -he scarlet letter is no# said to stand for +%ble, and is e$en said by some to ha$e a supernatural po#er to protect the #earer, but the letter and Pearl/s reaction to it are a source of continual pain. 6n the surface &ester is uncomplaining and somber, but her passions ha$e been redirected into thoughts about the indi$idual/s role in society. 2. What crime has ester committed which, if $nown to the !uritans, would have resulted in her death? &er free speculation about life and her abandonment of Puritan $alues, if kno#n, #ould ha$e been held a far deadlier crime than adultery. 3. What value does ester place upon her life? She sees little hope for impro$ement in her condition and, at times, considers killing both Pearl and herself and taking her chances in the afterlife. 4. What does ester see as necessary before women would be treated e3ually in society? &ester belie$es that the #hole of society must be torn do#n and the rules of conduct as proscribed by the Puritan leaders must be done a#ay #ith. Secondly, men must change their attitudes to#ards #omen and their capabilities. ;inally, #omen must change their images of themsel$es and take the means of po#er e9ually #ith men.

". What is the meaning of the line, 4the scarlet letter had not done its office5? +6ffice, means the *ob for #hich it #as intended. -he letter #as intended to make &ester remorseful of her sin and eager to keep in line #ith Puritan $alues. 7n fact, it has done the opposite, e$en bringing her to the point of considering murder and suicide. %. Why does ester feel responsible for ,immesdale#s physical condition? &ester feels her promise not to re$eal 4hilling#orth/s identity is allo#ing the doctor to torment the minister, causing his physical deterioration. '. What favors does -hillingworth feel he has done for ,immesdale? 4hilling#orth feels he has kept the minister from being imprisoned or e$en e)ecuted by keeping his part in the adultery secret. 7n fact, it has been the doctor/s continued care that has kept 3immesdale ali$e. .. Why is -hillingworth even more vengeful towards ,immesdale? -he doctor, no# a#are of the fiendish person he has become in his pursuit of re$enge, feels 3immesdale has done this to him and is therefore e$en more deser$ing of punishment. &e takes =6 responsibility for his actions. /. When is ester untrue to the scarlet letter? %lthough &ester has not been open #ith Pearl about the letter, this is the first time she has e$er lied to Pearl. Pearl kno#s &ester is lying. She cannot bring herself to tell the child about her illegitimacy and says she #ears the letter only for its $alue as a decoration. 10. What is the current relationship between ester and !earl? Pearl is beginning to sho# traits of affection for her mother and &ester considers confiding in her. %nother change is reflected in &ester/s stern #arning to Pearl to be 9uiet as she continues asking about the letter. :efore this time, she could not find it #ithin herself to be harsh #ith the child.