Scarlet Letter
Chapters 1-2
Notes
Chapter One - Summary
• This chapter is more to show the setting – we become
familiar with the viewpoint of the narrator and the
colony where our story takes place.
• Little action – introduces the symbols in the story
• We witness a crowd (describe this crowd) in front of
the prison. There is a piece of the prison the narrator
points out to us…what is it? (Describe it)
• We learn that no matter how optimistic the founders
of this colony were – the first two things they
established were what? What does this tell us about
them?
• One thing that sticks out against all the dark and drab
scenery and is one of the important symbols.
Chapter One - Analysis
• Introduces the concept of sin
• Symbols introduce the Puritan society and
also mocks it for its contradictions
• Points out that their “world”/”utopia” has
already fallen apart because they know
that sin and death cannot be avoided.
• Shows us the beliefs of the Puritans that
we are all born sinners (reference to Adam
and Eve)
Chapter One - Symbols
• Rosebush –represents Hester: wild and beautiful
• It was leftover from a time before when land was all
forests
• It sprang from Anne Hutchinson’s footsteps
• The language conveys:
•
-It is precious and valuable: its flowers are “gems”
• -It is “wild” – natural and not associated with man
(unlike the man-made Puritan landscape)
• -Nature is kind and sympathetic and has a heart –
opposite of the Puritans
• -The language also shows bias on the part of the
narrator:
• -Calls Anne Hutchinson “sainted” which is ironic (for the
puritans, the elect or the chosen were sainted and Anne
was considered a sinner) and shows his sympathies lie
with her, not the Puritans.
Chapter One – Characters
• No characters are introduced in this
chapter – the setting and scene is set up.
• The set is a Puritan settlement in Boston –
17th Century
Chapter One Answers
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What does Hawthorne mean when he calls the colony a “utopia”?
They believed that it would be their freedom – their own land
where they could celebrate their beliefs.
What structures are required? Why? They first thing they build is
a prison and a cemetery - shows that the community valued death
and sin over all else
Why does he point out the rose bush? The rose bush represents
Hester – wild and beautiful in all that is not good.
Who is Ann Hutchinson? Ann Hutchinson is a woman who pushed
against the Puritans beliefs that were being taught and used the
Bible to prove her points – she was before her time and was
banished from the community – eventually she, her servants, and
all her children (but one) were killed in an Indian attack.
Chapter 2 Summary
• As Hester makes her way to the scaffold
from the prison, we learn from “hearing”
bits of other conversations about Hester
having an illegitimate child from an affair.
• A = Adulterer
• We learn the “A” is stitched in gold and
scarlet
• We see a familiar face in the crowd…she
cries in disbelief!
Chapter 2 - Analysis
• We are shown the Puritan belief that sin is not just
something that needs to be dealt with between the
individual and God but in public. The belief that
sinners should be found and publicly charged.
• The smug-righteousness of this whole scene makes
the reader think there is more to this than the
villagers’ hope for virtue.
• It gives people the chance to fool themselves into
thinking that their sins are not as bad as HERS…
• The letter = too flashy? She accepts the sin like the
child…
Chapter 2 - Symbols
• Marketplace: represents the Puritan’s safe place where order
resides: center of town where nothing is hidden
•
-The town is gathered outside the prison door, waiting for
the sinner
• The community is messed up:
• -Society is very black and white: they have no distinction
between the degrees of sin and punishment
•
-Everyone is treated the same
• -They’re trying to legislate morality: merging moral issues
with civic laws
• -The whole town is gathered as if they’re waiting for a huge
criminal and were as serious as witnessing a hanging
• --The scaffold is part of a system of punishment to promote
good citizenship
• -The scaffold is a platform where people were usually hanged
Conveys conformity in a crowd
of women
Women:
• -gossips
• -hefty, rotund
• -“country women”
• -coarse: not refined
• -manly
• -harsh, cold, judgmental
• *associated with
darkness
• *Conformity
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•
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Hester
-lady-like
-elegant
-refined
-dainty
-looks saintly (like Anne
Hutchinson)
-creative: child is a product of love
*associated with light- she
radiates
*Individuality
Chapter Two Questions
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What do the women standing outside of the prison feel should be Hester Prynne’s
sentence? Why? To brand her with a hot iron so she would wince from the pain – pinning
something to her dress would do nothing really – it would be like wearing your sin as a
piece of jewelry.
What is the reaction of the women to Hester’s A? They can’t believe how beautiful it looks
– they think she is trying to flaunt her sin instead of hiding it – they believe it is over the
top and gaudy.
Do they all agree? (**Revisit in Chapter 22) Come back at chapter 22
EXPLAIN: “one token of her shame would but poorly serve to hide another” Hester
decides that one shameful thing will not cover another so she brings her baby out with
her not to hide her away like she is ashamed of her.
How does Hester look? Is this what the town expected? Why or Why not? She looks like
she is ladylike, beautiful, and radiate. The crowd is expecting her to be just diminished and
shriveled from the clouds of misfortune around her. They would have thought her sin was
weighing heavier on her than what it appears when she walks out of that prison.
What must she do during this short time out of prison? For how long? She must go
before the community on the scaffold until 1 o’clock so they can all she her scarlet letter
“A” and judge her for it. It is like the town has some public time to bash her for her sins.
What is Hester’s background (past)? She had a small town life growing up and what
sounds like a typical childhood with games, fights, sports, and everything else. She is also
married but it is believed that she lost her husband at sea – until she sees him in the
crowd. She has had an affair and from that comes Pearl.
Chapter Three - Summary
• In the crowd – Hester spots a familiar face
• His clothing vs. his body deformity – facial
expression?
• Shhh…
• Asks the crowd around him…
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–
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–
What does he find out?
How does he react?
What is Hester refusing to do? Her punishment?
What does the stranger say he has been? What does he
vow to do?
• Hester is questioned in public – eventually led back
the prison.
Chapter Three - Characters
• The three men who question her are the town
fathers…
– Governor Bellingham - Mature and fit for a community
with little imagination and hope, has no sympathy
– Reverend Wilson – At the end of the questioning, he
delivers a speech on sin – the “A” is used throughout the
sermon.
– Reverend Dimmesdale: Young minister who is well
known for being devote and intelligence. He does the
questioning – and puts all the blame on her.
Initial thoughts/feelings about the men? Notice where
they are at during this all going on…What does that
show us?
Chapter Four
• Hester and Pearl are agitated – call the doctor.
• Enter Roger Chillingworth – her husband…
• Offers her medicine – she thinks it is…??? He doesn’t
want to kill her: wants her to live so she can really
suffer in shame
• What do we learn about their marriage? What was it
like?
– It was her responsibility to bring him human warmth
• Describe Chillingworth – what kind of feelings or
impressions about this guy?
– seems as if he’s talking the blame for her sin, but he doesn’t
forgive her
• Wants to know the father – Hester refuses…why? This
is her husband – doesn’t he deserve the right to know?
They compromise.
In your Research section – Label it
The Scarlett Letter Scandal
• Pick some of the people on the list that you
have never heard of and some people you
have heard of…tonight – Google search each
person and write down a few things about this
person that has caused them to be “shunned”
in some way or another.
• You may also do someone else that you think
of not on the list.
• Make a few notes about this person is
similar or different to Hester
Martha Stewart
Miley Cyrus
Britney Spears
Naomi Campbell
Michael Vick
Barry Bonds
Mike Tyson
Monica Lewinsky
Marion Jones
Chris Brown
Kobe Bryant
Wynonna Ryder
John Edwards
Michael Phelps
Jamie Lynn Spears
Mel Gibson
Tiger Woods
Kurt Cobain
Drew Barrymore
Bill Clinton
Marilyn Manson
Richard Nixon
Tonya Harding
OJ Simpson
Fidel Castro (Cuba)
Camilla Parker Bowles
Al Capone
Marie Antoinette
Jack Ruby
John Gotti
Linda Tripp
Journal: Public Punishment - 2/21
• Hester is sentenced to wear the "A" on her
bosom for the rest of her life AND to stand
for three hours on the scaffold, subject to
the ridicule of the townspeople. Is public
humiliation an appropriate punishment for
Hester? Does it work? Does it work in the
modern day?
• ADD THIS TO YOUR TABLE OF
CONTENTS