Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter Summarized by Zach Kozak
Chapter 21 Worksheet
The people of the colony were celebrating the election of a new
governor. The Puritans were dressed gloomily in dark colors, and they
showed little merriment. They seemed to have forgotten how to have a good
time.
Hester was dressed in much the same way, but she was feeling triumph,
which was not reflected on her face, because she would be leaving soon.
Pearl represented Hester’s emotions by being dressed extravagantly.
Pearl questioned whether Dimmesdale would greet them like he had on
the scaffold and in the forest. When Hester replied in the negative, Pearl
realized what a strange, two-faced, sad man the minister was.
Roger Chillingworth entered the market place with the commander of
the ship on which Hester, Dimmesdale and Pearl planned to sail. Through a
chat with the commander, Hester learned of the physician’s intent to travel on
the very same ship.
1. What were the people of the colony celebrating?
2. How did the Puritans celebrate?
3. Why was Hester feeling triumph?
4. Did Hester’s face reflect how she felt?
5. Who represented Hester’s emotions?
6. How did Pearl represent Hester’s emotions?
7. What did Pearl question?
8. What did Pearl realize when Hester said that Dimmesdale would not greet
her the way he had the other times he met her?
9. Which two people entered the marketplace?
10. What was Chillingworth’s intent?