"The Scarlet Letter" Reading Check: Part 1

Question 1

Where was Boston’s first prison house built?

Answer 1

Somewhere in the vicinity of Cornhill;
In Prison Lane

Question 2

Where was Boston’s first burial ground built?

Answer 2

On Isaac Johnson’s lot and around his grave

Question 3

What does Hawthorne refer prison to as?

Answer 3

“The black flower of civilized society”

Question 4

In what month is the beginning of this story set?

Answer 4

June

Question 5

Amidst the unsightly vegetation, what flower was there, offering hope and pity to the prisoners?

Answer 5

A wild rosebush

Question 6

What does “inauspicious” mean?

Answer 6

Unpromising

Question 7

What are the theories of how the rosebush came about?

Answer 7

1. Survived in the old wilderness
2. The sainted Anne Hutchinson caused it to bloom as she entered the prison

Question 8

According the Hawthorne, what is the “Scarlet Letter” supposed to be?

Answer 8

A tale of human fraility and sorrow

Question 9

What does “physiognomies” mean?

Answer 9

Faces

Question 10

What does “augur” mean?

Answer 10

Foreshadow

Question 11

What does “betoken” mean?

Answer 11

Indicate

Question 12

In the early severity of Puritan character, what did Hawthorne point out about the prison?

Answer 12

“The mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful”;
Puritans were incredibly strict and merciless

Question 13

According to Hawthorne, when does the story of the “Scarlet Letter” begin?

Answer 13

A summer morning

Question 14

According to Hawthorne, were the women of the present time less forceful and solid that those of the previous time, which is where the story takes place?

Answer 14

Yes

Question 15

What does “behoof” mean?

Answer 15

Benefit

Question 16

What does “malefactresses” mean?

Answer 16

Women who violate the law or do evil

Question 17

According to the Puritans, were law and religion the same?

Answer 17

Yes

Question 18

Who was Hester Prynne?

Answer 18

A malefactress

Question 19

What does “brooch” mean?

Answer 19

An ornamental pin

Question 20

What were the five self-constituted matron judges talking about?

Answer 20

About whether or not Hester Prynne should’ve been given the death sentence

Question 21

What was Prynne carrying with her as she was presented before the crowd?

Answer 21

A three-month-old baby

Question 22

What was Pyrnne wearing as she exited the prison?

Answer 22

A scarlet letter;
The letter “A” in fancy red

Question 23

When Pyrnne exited the prison, what aura did she radiate?

Answer 23

Her beauty shone out

Question 24

Describe Pyrenne’s appearance.

Answer 24

-Tall
-Perfect figure
-Dark and abundant gair
-Black eyes

Question 25

Did Pyrnne stitch the letter herself?

Answer 25

Yes

Question 26

What is the scarlet letter supposed to be symbol of?

Answer 26

Inquity;
Sin

Question 27

What does “scaffold” mean?

Answer 27

An elevated platform

Question 28

What is the penal machine supposed to represent?

Answer 28

The very ideal of ignominy

Question 29

How did the crowd react to Pyrnne being up on the scaffold?

Answer 29

They were a solemn and grave;
There wasn’t any laughter or insults being thrown at her

Question 30

What does “phantasmagoric” mean?

Answer 30

Having a fantastic or deceptive appearance, as something in a dream or created by the imagination

Question 31

Why was Pyrnne reminiscing as she stood before the crowd?

Answer 31

In order to relieve herself the weight of the unrelenting eyes upon her

Question 32

Describe the man Pyrnne envisioned as she was on the scaffold.

Answer 32

-Scholar-like
-Dim and bleared eyes
-Left shoulder higher than the right

Question 33

Where was the scarlet letter placed?

Answer 33

On Pyrnne’s bosom

Question 34

What did Pyrnne see in Chapter 3, The Recognition?

Answer 34

An Indian man;
Beside him was the man she was envisioning earlier

Question 35

What did the envisioned man do when he saw Pyrnne, at first?

Answer 35

He looked carelessly and then his look became keen and penetrative and then his expression grew convoluted;
Then he raised his finger, made a gesture in the air, and placed his finger to his lips

Question 36

What is the backstory behind Pyrnne?

Answer 36

She was the wife of an Englishman residing in Amsterdam;
The man wanted to go to Massachussetts, but because he had some affairs to look over, he sent his wife first to the Massacusettsl
In about two years, the woman became a dweller of Boston, and she committed adultery

Question 37

Who is the father of Pyrnne’s child?

Answer 37

Unknown;
Pyrnne refuses to expand on it

Question 38

What exactly is Pyrnne’s punishment?

Answer 38

To stand on the platform of the pillory for 3 hours and wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life

Question 39

Why wasn’t Pyrnne given a more intense punishment, like death?

Answer 39

Because she is youthful and fair and was strongly tempted to her sin

Question 40

What does “hearken” mean?

Answer 40

Listen

Question 41

Describe Governor Bellingham.

Answer 41

-Old
-Wore a dark feather on his hat
-Wore a border of embroidery on his cloak
-Wore a black velvet tunic

Question 42

Was Pyrnne scared of the Governor and his men?

Answer 42

Yes, because they were more merciless than the crowd;
She even grew pale and trembled

Question 43

Describe John Wilson, the voice that asked Pyrnne to listen to him.

Answer 43

-Eldest clergyman
-Great scholar
-A man of kind and geniel spirit (sometimes)

Question 44

Describe Brother Dimmesdale.

Answer 44

-The person who preaches in the Church that Pyrnne attends
-White, lofty, and impending brow
-Large, brown, melancholy eyes

Question 45

What was Dimmesdale asked to do?

Answer 45

Exhort Pyrnne and make her confess the truth;
Make her say who she cheated with

Question 46

What does “plaintive” mean?

Answer 46

Mournful

Question 47

Hhow did Dimmesdale speak?

Answer 47

Impactful, sweet, rich, deep, and broken

Question 48

Why didn’t Pyrnne say the name of the person she cheated with?

Answer 48

She believes the scarlet letter to be too deeply branded

Question 49

What does “impracticable” mean?

Answer 49

Unworkable

Question 50

What happened after Wilson realized that Pyrnne would not speak?

Answer 50

He delivered a sermon more than an hour long with many a reference to the scarlet letter