Characters
Who is Hester Prynne?
The young woman who bears the scarlet letter.
Where town does the story take place?
Massachusetts Bay Colony, Boston, Massachusetts
What happens when Dimmesdale is asleep and Chillingworth is in his home?
Chillingworth peeks at his chest and sees the imprinted scarlet letter.
What does the scarlet letter symbolize?
adultery, penance, and penitence.
Who says “But he shall be known!-- he shall be known!” and why.
Chillingworth. He wants to know who the father of Pearl is so they can be publicly shamed.
Who is Chillingworth?
The husband of Hester who disguises himself as a doctor in order to learn more about the other characters in the story.
What time period does the story take place?
1642-1649
What does Pearl do to Dimmesdale at the end of the story?
She kisses him to relieve him of his guilty conscience.
What does Pearl symbolize?
the physical consequence of sexual sin (the physical emodiememnt of the Scarlet Letter)
Why did Hester go to visit Governor Bellinghham?
To plead her case on why she should keep Pearl.
Why does Hester name her daughter Pearl?
Pearl represents a treasure Hester gave all to have.
What was located outside of the prison door and also found in the governor's garden?
A rose bush.
What appears in the sky while Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale stood on the scaffold. What two ways was this interpreted?
A meteor in the shape of an A. this was interpreted as Angel by the townsfolk, showing that governor winthrop ascended. However, Hester and Dimmesdale thought it was a symbol for their sin.
What does the rose-bush symbolize?
freedom, romantic aspiration, and all the things that Puritan society is not
What color is Pearl always wearing?
She wears scarlet gowns with gold embroidery, like the scarlet letter.
Who is Reverend Dimmesdale?
The minister of the town, the father of Pearl, and Hester’s lover.
What religion were the townspeople?
Puritan
What does Hester ask Chillingworth permission to do for Dimmesdale?
She asks Chillingworth if she can reveal his identity to Dimmesdale.
What is the general theme in Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter?
The major theme of The Scarlet Letter is shaming and social stigma
Where did Hester and DimmesdaleDimmesdale plan to go after Election Day?
They planned to sail to Europe.
Who is Mistress Hibbins?
She is a witch who was hanged publicly years after the book. She is also based on a real person. She is the devil's advocate many times within the novel.
Where does Chillingworth first appear in the story?
He appears during the first scaffold scene in the crowd of people.
What does Mistress Hibbins discover at the end of the story?
She knows that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearl and that Hester cheated on Chillingworth with him.
How does Hawthorne show the theme of crime and punishment?
He represented/showed this through Hester and her life with the scarlet letter.
What was significant about the burial of Hester and Dimmesdale?
It was a symbol of their relationship they shared, and how the scarlet letter brought them together