Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter Summarized by Zach Kozak
Chapter 12 Worksheet
The minister went to and stood on the same scaffold as Hester Prynne.
He released a scream which, he thought would bring the people of the colony
to him so he could admit his guilt. However, it did not.
Later a laugh he sounded was returned by another—one from Pearl. He
asked Hester and Pearl to stand with him on the scaffold.
Chillingworth viewed this episode, then persuaded Dimmesdale to return
home.
The following day, Sunday, a sexton* met him at church. The sexton
said two things: he found the minister’s black glove on the scaffold—probably
placed there by Satan, and the A-like trail of the meteor must have
represented “Angel” because Winthrop had died last night.
1. Why did Dimmesdale release a scream during the night as he stood on the
scaffold?
2. When Dimmesdale let out a laugh, who laughed back?
3. Who ends up standing on the scaffold?
4. Name two things the sexton told Dimmesdale the following day:
1.
2.