"The Scarlet Letter" Reading Check: Part 1 Flashcards
Where was Boston’s first prison house built?
Somewhere in the vicinity of Cornhill;
In Prison Lane
Where was Boston’s first burial ground built?
On Isaac Johnson’s lot and around his grave
What does Hawthorne refer prison to as?
“The black flower of civilized society”
In what month is the beginning of this story set?
June
Amidst the unsightly vegetation, what flower was there, offering hope and pity to the prisoners?
A wild rosebush
What does “inauspicious” mean?
Unpromising
What are the theories of how the rosebush came about?
- Survived in the old wilderness
- The sainted Anne Hutchinson caused it to bloom as she entered the prison
According the Hawthorne, what is the “Scarlet Letter” supposed to be?
A tale of human fraility and sorrow
What does “physiognomies” mean?
Faces
What does “augur” mean?
Foreshadow
What does “betoken” mean?
Indicate
In the early severity of Puritan character, what did Hawthorne point out about the prison?
“The mildest and the severest acts of public discipline were alike made venerable and awful”;
Puritans were incredibly strict and merciless
According to Hawthorne, when does the story of the “Scarlet Letter” begin?
A summer morning
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?
Yes
What does “behoof” mean?
Benefit
What does “malefactresses” mean?
Women who violate the law or do evil
According to the Puritans, were law and religion the same?
Yes
Who was Hester Prynne?
A malefactress
What does “brooch” mean?
An ornamental pin
What were the five self-constituted matron judges talking about?
About whether or not Hester Prynne should’ve been given the death sentence
What was Prynne carrying with her as she was presented before the crowd?
A three-month-old baby
What was Pyrnne wearing as she exited the prison?
A scarlet letter;
The letter “A” in fancy red
When Pyrnne exited the prison, what aura did she radiate?
Her beauty shone out
Describe Pyrenne’s appearance.
-Tall
-Perfect figure
-Dark and abundant gair
-Black eyes
Did Pyrnne stitch the letter herself?
Yes
What is the scarlet letter supposed to be symbol of?
Inquity;
Sin
What does “scaffold” mean?
An elevated platform
What is the penal machine supposed to represent?
The very ideal of ignominy
How did the crowd react to Pyrnne being up on the scaffold?
They were a solemn and grave;
There wasn’t any laughter or insults being thrown at her
What does “phantasmagoric” mean?
Having a fantastic or deceptive appearance, as something in a dream or created by the imagination
Why was Pyrnne reminiscing as she stood before the crowd?
In order to relieve herself the weight of the unrelenting eyes upon her
Describe the man Pyrnne envisioned as she was on the scaffold.
-Scholar-like
-Dim and bleared eyes
-Left shoulder higher than the right
Where was the scarlet letter placed?
On Pyrnne’s bosom
What did Pyrnne see in Chapter 3, The Recognition?
An Indian man;
Beside him was the man she was envisioning earlier
What did the envisioned man do when he saw Pyrnne, at first?
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
What is the backstory behind Pyrnne?
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
Who is the father of Pyrnne’s child?
Unknown;
Pyrnne refuses to expand on it
What exactly is Pyrnne’s punishment?
To stand on the platform of the pillory for 3 hours and wear the scarlet letter for the rest of her life
Why wasn’t Pyrnne given a more intense punishment, like death?
Because she is youthful and fair and was strongly tempted to her sin
What does “hearken” mean?
Listen
Describe Governor Bellingham.
-Old
-Wore a dark feather on his hat
-Wore a border of embroidery on his cloak
-Wore a black velvet tunic
Was Pyrnne scared of the Governor and his men?
Yes, because they were more merciless than the crowd;
She even grew pale and trembled
Describe John Wilson, the voice that asked Pyrnne to listen to him.
-Eldest clergyman
-Great scholar
-A man of kind and geniel spirit (sometimes)
Describe Brother Dimmesdale.
-The person who preaches in the Church that Pyrnne attends
-White, lofty, and impending brow
-Large, brown, melancholy eyes
What was Dimmesdale asked to do?
Exhort Pyrnne and make her confess the truth;
Make her say who she cheated with
What does “plaintive” mean?
Mournful
Hhow did Dimmesdale speak?
Impactful, sweet, rich, deep, and broken
Why didn’t Pyrnne say the name of the person she cheated with?
She believes the scarlet letter to be too deeply branded
What does “impracticable” mean?
Unworkable
What happened after Wilson realized that Pyrnne would not speak?
He delivered a sermon more than an hour long with many a reference to the scarlet letter
