<p>Chapter 1 “The Prison Door” 1. What colony is the setting for the novel? </p><p>2. Where in the colony does the opening chapter take place?</p><p>3. For what 2 “practical necessities” did the new colony set aside land?</p><p>4. The story is set about ______years after the town was settled. </p><p>5. What is located outside, by the prison door? What does it symbolize?</p><p>Chapter 2 “The Market-Place” 1. Name 3 crimes and the punishments that the Puritans might witness.</p><p>2. What is the relationship between religion and law in Puritan New England?</p><p>3. Describe the Puritan women. Use one quote from the book to support your answer.</p><p>4. What punishments would the Puritan women have given Hester Prynne if it were left to them?</p><p>5. Who is Dimmesdale?</p><p>6. Describe the appearance of Hester Prynne.</p><p>7. What is Hester’s sin? Punishment?</p><p>8. What is astonishing about the “A” on her bodice? Why do the women criticize Hester’s scarlet letter? </p><p>9. Why is Hester taken to the scaffold in the market-place?</p><p>10. What things does Hester think about while she is on the scaffold?</p><p>11. How old is her baby?</p><p>12. What detail is given to suggest the baby was born in jail? </p><p>13. Why does Hester’s infant to cry out when she is standing on the scaffold? </p><p>Chapter 3 “The Recognition” 1. Describer the man who is standing on the outskirts of the crowd.</p><p>2. What gesture does he make to Hester that suggests he knows her?</p><p>3. What does the stranger learn from the townsman next to him?</p><p>4. What is the usual punishment for adultery? Why is Hester’s punishment less severe?</p><p>5. What do Bellingham and Wilson want Hester to do? 6. Describe Dimmesdale.</p><p>7. What is his relationship to Hester? What does he ask her to reveal?</p><p>8. Why won’t Hester name the child’s father? Chapter 4 “The Interview” 1. How does Hester act when she returns to prison?</p><p>2. Why does the jailer call a doctor?</p><p>3. Where did the “doctor” learn his skill?</p><p>4. Quote 2 lines that indicate the doctor and Hester know each other before this meeting.</p><p>5. Why does Hester refuse to the medicine from the doctor?</p><p>6. Why does the doctor make Hester give the baby the medicine?</p><p>7. What is the relationship between the doctor and Hester?</p><p>8. Did Hester ever love her husband? Quote Hester to support your answer.</p><p>9. What does the doctor vow to do?</p><p>10. What secret does the doctor ask Hester to keep?</p><p>11. What is the doctor’s name?</p><p>12. What symbol is introduced for Chillingworth in Hester’s final lines in this chapter? </p><p>Chapter 5: “Hester at Her Needle” 1. What “general symbol” has Hester become? </p><p>2. Why doesn’t Hester leave the colony. </p><p>3. Describe Hester’s home. </p><p>4. What talent did Hester use to support herself and Pearl ? </p><p>5. What garments is Hester not allowed to sew? </p><p>6. Why type of dress did Hester wear? Pearl ? </p><p>7. What does Hester do that shows she has a charitable nature? </p><p>8. How did the poor, the ladies of Boston , the clergy, and the children treat Hester? </p><p>9. What did Hester do for her enemies?</p><p>10. What did Hester often hear when she entered a church? 11. What special knowledge does Hester feel the Scarlet Letter gives her? </p><p>Chapter 6: “ Pearl ” 1. Why did Hester name her child “ Pearl ” ? </p><p>2. Why did Hester have no faith that Pearl would be good? </p><p>3. What talent did Hester use to support herself and Pearl ?</p><p>4. Describe Pearl.</p><p>5. How would Pearl respond to the townspeople and children? </p><p>6. What was the first object of which Pearl seemed to become aware? </p><p>7. What did Pearl throw at her mother’s chest?</p><p>8. Who did Hester day sent Pearl? How did Pearl respond? </p><p>9. What did the townspeople say about Pearl ? </p><p>Chapter 7: “The Governor’s Hall” 1. Name 2 reasons Hester visits Governor Bellingham. </p><p>2. Pearl is said to be another form of ______.</p><p>3. Why did the townspeople think Pearl should be taken from Hester?</p><p>4. Who attacks Pearl and Hester on their way to the governor’s house?</p><p>5. What did Pearl do?</p><p>6. What does Pearl see in the breastplate hanging on the wall?</p><p>7. Why was Pearl crying?</p><p>8. What quiets Pearl?</p><p>Chapter 8: “The Elf and the Minister” 1. Who are the other visitors at the Governor’s house? </p><p>2. How much time has elapsed since the opening scene? </p><p>3. What has happened to Dimmesdale’s health?</p><p>4. With what creatures of fantasy is Pearl continually compared? </p><p>5. Why does John Wilson question Pearl? </p><p>6. What is her response to Wilson’s question “who made thee”? 7. How has Rev. Dimmesdale changed since Hester’s public humiliation? </p><p>8. How has Chillingworth changed since Hester last saw him? </p><p>9. What does Dimmesdale do “whenever his particular nervous temperament was thrown into agitation?”</p><p>10. Who pleads successfully for Hester to keep her child? </p><p>11. To which visitor does Pearl respond to lovingly? What does she do?</p><p>12. Who looked out the window at Hester and Pearl?</p><p>13. What does Mistress Hibbins ask Hester? How does Hester respond?</p><p>Chapter 9: “The Leech” 1. What new identity has Chillingworth assumed in Boston? Why is he successful? 2. To whom in the colony does Chillingworth attach himself as a medical advisor?</p><p>3. Describe Dimmesdale’s health. </p><p>4. What gesture has become Dimmesdale’s habit? </p><p>5. What was depicted on the tapestries of Dimmesdale’s house? </p><p>6. What two opposing views do the townspeople hold about Roger Chillingworth? </p><p>Chapter 10: “The Leech and His Patient” 1. What “investigation” consumes Chillingworth? </p><p>2. Why did Chillingworth say the weeds grew on a grave? </p><p>3. What does Chillingworth believe is buried in Dimmesdale’s heart? </p><p>4. Who od Chillingworth and Dimmesdale see walking and skipping in the graveyard?</p><p>5. What does Pearl do on the tombstone? </p><p>6. What did Pearl do with the burrs she picked up?</p><p>7. What did Pearl do when she saw Dimmesdale?</p><p>8. Why would Dimmesdale live with guilt and not confess his sin openly? </p><p>9. What reaction does Pearl have to Chillingworth when she sees him with Rev. Dimmesdale? </p><p>10. What discovery does Chillingworth make when Dimmesdale “fell into a deep, deep slumber”? </p><p>Chapter 11: “The Interior of a Heart” 1. What effect does Reverend Dimmesdale’s guilt have upon his popularity in the colony? </p><p>2. What vision/dream does Dimmesdale have? </p><p>3. What practices does Dimmesdale begin as a result of his guilt? </p><p>Chapter 12: “The Minister’s Vigil” 1. What is a vigil? </p><p>2. Where does Dimmesdale hold his vigil? </p><p>3. What was on Dimmesdale’s chest? </p><p>4. What did Dimmesdale cry out during his vigil?</p><p>5. Who heard Dimmesdale’s cry?</p><p>6. Why are Hester and Pearl out at midnight ?</p><p>7. What does Dimmesdale ask Hester and Pearl to do?</p><p>8. What promise does Dimmesdale refuse to make to Pearl ? </p><p>9. What is in the sky?</p><p>10. What is miraculous about the meteor (what does it make)?</p><p>11. Who does Pearl point to?</p><p>12. What does Dimmesdale ask Hester? How does she respond?</p><p>13. What does the sexton find at the scaffold?</p><p>14. What does the sexton say to Dimmesdale?</p><p>15. What do the townspeople think the meteor stands for?</p><p>Chapter 13: “Another View of Hester” 1. How old is Pearl in this chapter? </p><p>2. How has Hester become more active in society?</p><p>3. How has the townspeople’s view changed toward Hester? </p><p>4. How has Hester’s appearance changed? </p><p>5. What do the townspeople say the letter A stands for now? </p><p>6. What does Hester resolve to do? 7. What was Chillingworth doing when Hester found him?</p><p>Chapter 14: “Hester and the Physician” 1. What does Chillingworth tell Hester the magistrate is considering doing? How does Hester respond?</p><p>2. How has Roger Chillingworth changed in the past 7 years? </p><p>3. What does Hester want Chillingworth to do? </p><p>4. Why does Chillingworth refuse Hester’s request that he stop tormenting Dimmesdale?</p><p>5. What revelation is she going to make to Reverend Dimmesdale.?</p><p>Chapter 15: “Hester and Pearl ” 1. Read Hester’s description of Chillingworth carefully. How does she feel about him? </p><p>2. What was Pearl pretending to be?</p><p>3. What does she make and place on her chest?</p><p>4. What does Hester ask Pearl?</p><p>5. What connection does Pearl make concerning Dimmesdale?</p><p>6. What questions does Pearl ask her mother? Why does this trouble Hester? </p><p>7. What keeps Hester from explaining the meaning of the scarlet letter?</p><p>8. What reason does Hester give for wearing the scarlet letter?</p><p>Chapter 16: “A Forest Walk” 1. Where does Hester plan to meet Dimmesdale? Why? </p><p>2. Why does Pearl say the sunlight shines on her and not on Hester? </p><p>3. What does Pearl say to Hester bout the sunlight? </p><p>4. What story has Pearl heard about the “black man”? </p><p>5. What does Hester mean when she says, “Once in my life, I met the Black Man. This scarlet letter is his mark.”?</p><p>6. Why does Pearl think the minister holds his hand over his heart? How is there symbolic truth in what she says? </p><p>Chapter 17: “The Pastor and His Parishioner” 1. When Hester and Dimmesdale sat down, what did he ask her? </p><p>2. Hester follows up with the same question. How did he answer? </p><p>3. Where did Hester tell Dimmesdale he has an enemy? </p><p>4. What is Dimmesdale’s “secret poison his malignity, infecting all air about him?” </p><p>5. From what does Hester hope to save Dimmesdale by telling him the truth about Chillingworth? </p><p>5. Does Hester still love Dimmesdale? Use a quote to support your answer. Cite a page number.</p><p>6. What is Dimmesdale’s reaction to the truth? </p><p>7. How does Hester respond?</p><p>8. Does he forgive her? </p><p>9. What does Dimmesdale say about Chillingworth?</p><p>10. What future plans does Hester suggest to Dimmesdale as a way to escape Chillingworth? </p><p>Chapter 18: “A Flood of Sunshine” 1. What is Dimmesdale’s decision in response to Hester’s plea that they leave the colony? </p><p>2. What happens to Dimmesdale once he agrees to leave the colony? </p><p>3. What does Hester do that symbolizes putting the past behind them? </p><p>4. What else did Hester remove? </p><p>5. How is Hester transfigured</p><p>6. What happens to the forest? </p><p>7. What does the author say must always create sunshine? </p><p>8. What does Dimmesdale say about Pearl?</p><p>9. What happens with Pearl and the forest animals? </p><p>10. What did Pearl do with the flowers she picked in the forest? </p><p>Chapter 19: “The Child at the Brookside ” 1. What does Dimmesdale about how most children feel about him?</p><p>2. How many times does he say Pearl has been kind to him? </p><p>3. What is separating Pearl from Hester and Dimmesdale? 4. What does Dimmesdale do when Pearl looks at him? </p><p>5. What did Pearl point to? </p><p>6. What did Pearl start to do when Hester told her to leap across the brook? </p><p>7. What does Dimmesdale tell Hester to do?</p><p>8. What does Hester as Pearl to do? How does she respond? </p><p>9. What happens when Hester puts the letter back on her chest, and puts her hair back under the cap?</p><p>10. How did Pearl respond? </p><p>11. How does Pearl respond when Hester tells her that Dimmesdale loves them? </p><p>12. How did Pearl react to Dimmesdale?</p><p>13. What did Dimmesdale do to try and make Pearl like him? How did Pearl respond? </p><p>14. What does Pearl wash off his kiss? </p><p>Chapter 20: “The Minister in a Maze” 1. Where have Hester and Dimmesdale decided to go when they leave Boston ? </p><p>2. Why do they feel they have to leave the new world? </p><p>3. How is Hester acquainted with the ship’s captain? Why is this considered to be a good thing? </p><p>4. Why does Dimmesdale consider it fortunate that the ship is not to sail for 4 days?</p><p>5. How does Dimmesdale feel/react to the thought of running away with Hester and Pearl? </p><p>6. What does Dimmesdale want to do when he sees the church elder? The children?</p><p>7. What does Dimmesdale fear he has done? </p><p>8. What does Mistress Hibbins tell Dimmesdale she will do the next time he goes into the forest? </p><p>9. What does Dimmesdale tell Chillingworth? </p><p>10. What does Dimmedale do with the sermon he had previously written for Election Day</p><p>Chapter 21 “The New England Holiday ” 1. What question does Pearl ask Hester? </p><p>2. How does Hester respond to Pearl’s question? 3. What have the crowds of people gathered in the market-place to witness? </p><p>4. Who did Chillingworth enter the market-place talking to? </p><p>5. What piece of unwelcome news does the master of the ship on which, she, Pearl, and Dimmesdale are to sail have for Hester? </p><p>6. What does Chillingworth do after Hester receives this news?</p><p>Chapter 22 “The Procession”</p><p>1. What is particularly noticeable about Dimmesdale’s manner as he walks in the procession? </p><p>2. When Hester sees Dimmesdale, how does she feel? </p><p>3. What does Pearl ask her mother after Dimmesdale passes them?</p><p>4. When Hester tells Pearl to be quiet, how does Pearl respond? </p><p>5. Who came and spoke to Hester? What did she talk to Hester about? </p><p>6. Who does Mistress Hibbins tell Pearl her father is?</p><p>7. Where does Hester stand during the procession and during Dimmesdale’s sermon in the church?</p><p>8. What is Pearl doing during the sermon? </p><p>9. What does the shipmaster throw to Pearl? </p><p>10. What message does the shipmaster ask Pearl to give her mother? </p><p>11. What does the shipmaster call Pearl, and how does she respond? </p><p>12. What is everyone doing to Hester at the end of this chapter? </p><p>Chapter 23 “The Revelation of the Scarlet Letter” 1. What did the townspeople say about Dimmesdale’s election sermon? </p><p>2. What was the subject of Dimmesdale’s sermon? </p><p>3. What do the people believe is going to happen to Dimmesdale? </p><p>4. How does Dimmesdale appear as he leaves the church after his triumphant sermon? </p><p>5. As Dimmesdale walked (tottered), who tried to help him?</p><p>6. Who did Dimmesdale see standing by the scaffold? </p><p>7. What did Dimmesdale say when he turned to the scaffold? 8. How does Pearl react when Dimmesdale calls Hester and herself to mount the scaffold with him? </p><p>9. How does Hester react? </p><p>10. Who thrust himself forward? What was he trying to do? </p><p>11. What did Dimmesdale ask Hester? How did she respond? </p><p>12. What did Dimmesdale show everyone? </p><p>13. What did Dimmesdale say to Chillingworth? </p><p>14. What did Dimmesdale ask Pearl to do? </p><p>15. What did Hester ask Dimmesdale about eternity? How did he respond? </p><p>Chapter 24 “Conclusion”</p><p>1. What were some of the theories about where Dimmesdale’s “A” came from? </p><p>2. What happened to Chillingworth within a year? </p><p>3. What was in his last will and testament? </p><p>4. What happened to Pearl and Hester? </p><p>5. When the children were playing near the cottage, who did they see return? What was she wearing? </p><p>6. Was Pearl with Hester? What is believed to have happened to Pearl? </p><p>7. Where was Hester buried? </p><p>8. What was on their gravestone? </p>