Scarlet Letter review Flashcards
Who wrote The Scarlet Letter?
Nathaniel Hawthorne
When was The Scarlet Letter written?
the 1800’s
When is the setting of The Scarlet Letter?
The 1600’s
What is Hester’s last name?
Prynne
The Scarlet Letter primarily takes place in which town/city?
Boston
What word is Hester’s scarlet letter supposed to stand for?
A for adultery
What other concepts could Hester’s scarlet letter symbolize?
Love, sin, perseverance
Why does Hester stay in the colony instead of leaving and starting somewhere new when she is discovered to be pregnant out of wedlock?
So she can purify herself while having shame?
Hester’s community is a group of very strict, religious people in the American colonies who wanted a purified version of Christianity. What is the term for this group?
Puritans
Who is Pearl’s father?
Arthur Dimmesdale
Does Hester love her husband?
No, because she was probably forced to marrying Chillingworth and not out of love.
What does Hester do to show her charitable nature in the town?
She sews for the poor
What kind of garment is Hester not allowed to saw?
Wedding gowns
According to the Puritans, who is the ‘Dark man’ ?
Roger Chillingworth
What do the townspeople say about Pearl?
That she’s the devil’s child
What does the scarlet letter mean to Pearl?
She is fascinated by it, as it’s always been a part of her mother
Why does Pearl begin to scream when arriving at the governor’s mansion? What does she want?
She wants a rose from the rosebush outside of the governor’s window
What color dress is Pearl wearing when she visits the courthouse?
It’s red, the color of passion
As Hester leaves the governor’s mansion, Mistress Hibbins, the governor’s sister, poker her head out of the window to invite Hester to a witches gathering. What does Hester say to her?
That if they would have taken Pearl, she would have gladly joined
By the midpoint of the novel, Dimmesdale gets a new roommate. Who is this roommate?
Roger Chillingworth
Why does Dimmesdale need a roommate?
Dimmesdale is very ill and sick and needs someone to aid him
Why did our author change his last name? What letter did he add?
Nathaniel Hawthorne a ‘W’ to Hathorne because his ancestors sentenced innocent people to death
After his return to church, the main topic of Dimmesdale’s sermons is?
Sin
Arthur Dimmesdale tortures himself by?
Scourging himself with a whip, staying up all night, starving himself, standing on the scaffold at night.
