Opening Symbols
This structure, described as dull and weather-stained, is the first setting and symbolizes punishment and moral darkness.
Prison
The garment Hester is forced to wear as a public punishment for her sin.
Scarlet Letter A
The name of Hester's infant daughter.
Pearl
Chillingworth's former occupation, suggested by the fact he visits Hester in the prison and gives her medicine.
physician (or doctor/medical man)
The name of the author of The Scarlet Letter.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
This vibrant plant suggests hope and beauty amidst the despair of the Puritan world.
Rosebush
This is the primary skill Hester uses to support herself and her daughter after her release from prison in Chapter 5.
needlework (or being a seamstress)
Hester's husband was presumed to be WHERE before his sudden appearance in Chapter 3.
Lost at sea
This is the emotion Chillingworth seeks against Hester's secret lover.
Revenge
The use of the rosebush to represent hope is an example of this literary device.
symbolism
The color of the rosebush and the scarlet letter, which represents both passion and sin.
red (or crimson)
The quality Hester demonstrates by remaining "strong" and not shrinking in the face of the crowd's judgment.
strength (or courage/fortitude)
The emotional state Hester is in when she first catches sight of the mysterious man on the scaffold in Chapter 3.
Distress or agitation
A major theme of Chapter 4, besides sin and guilt, that is explored through Chillingworth's actions.
Revenge
In Chapter 5, Hester's skills as a seamstress allow her some of this despite her ostracism.
independence (or support/livelihood)
The prison-door is contrasted with the wild beauty of the rosebush, an example of this literary device.
Symbolism or (contradiction)
After her release, the town's changing perception of Hester's character is explored in this chapter. (What chapter?)
Chapter 5
This is the name Hester's husband goes by when he first appears in the crowd.
Roger Chillingworth
The secret Chillingworth demands Hester keep, vowing he will find the father of Pearl on his own.
identity of Pearl's father (or Hester's lover)
A term for the judgmental, morally strict community where the story takes place.
the Puritans (or Puritan settlement)
The townspeople gather at this central location to watch Hester's public shaming in Chapter 2.
market-place (or scaffold)
The sin for which Hester is being publicly shamed and forced to wear the letter.
adultery (or cheating)
Rather than revealing his true identity to the crowd when he first sees Hester, who disguises himself?
Chillingworth
Chillingworth's demeanor changes from calm to one of "evil" and a burning desire for this after revealing his identity.
Revenge or vengeance
The chapters' focus on Hester's internal turmoil and Chillingworth's hidden motives highlights the theme of this concept.
guilt (or sin/secrecy)