ENG 2DP: The Scarlet Letter
Overview:
As you read the novel, read it as a study of imaginative fiction with a focus on how Nathaniel
Hawthorne’s style creates meaning in the text. You may choose to complete the content questions and
/ or annotate the novel making notes as you go along using the sub-topics below as a guide. This will
also help you prepare for your CPT and the final exam.
Theme
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.
The Scarlet Letter explores the effects of sin, guilt, punishment and revenge on individuals. Make notes
on these and other themes you may uncover as you read:
 The destructive effects of guilt on an individual – consider physical, social, psychological,
spiritual, emotional
 The destructive effects of revenge on both the perpetrator and victim
 Deception (secrets) and its destructive effects on an individual(s)
 People are capable of both good and evil; “Man is not altogether good or altogether bad”
 The nature of sin (Puritanism)
 Repentance must come from within
 Moral courage is needed to stay true to one’s self
 The importance of defining one’s self, not who or what society defines (identity / individuality)
 Learning from sins and weakness can lead to strength
Symbols and Motifs
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts. Motifs
are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s
major themes.
The Scarlet Letter is a highly symbolic novel. As you read, make note of the pages on which the symbols
appear as well as your interpretations of their significance to the meaning of the novel. Be sure to make
note of changes to any these as you proceed through the novel.
 The rose
 Colour (or lack of); red
 The prison
 Characters and their names – Hester
Prynne, Pearl, Dimmesdale,
 The scaffold
Chillingworth
 The scarlet letter itself
 Light vs dark (*sunlight*)
 The forest
 Society vs. the wilderness
 The Black Man
Rhetorical Devices
Make note of the following as you read. When you find examples of each, consider why Hawthorne
uses this and how. (What is his purpose, how does using these devices convey meaning to the reader?)
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Ambiguity
Allegory
Contrasts (see above – light/dark;
town/forest)
Description
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Duality
Irony
Symbolism (see above)
Word choice (diction)