The Scarlet Letter
Chapters 15-21
Answer the following in your OWN WORDS—NOT by simply quoting
the text.
15
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Why does Hester freely say that she hates C.?
How does Hester no feel differently about her previous life with Ch.?
What strangely cruel acts does Pearl perform near the shore and in the woods?
What does Pearl make for herself out of grass?
What has Pearl noticed about the minister these past seven years that compares to her
mother’s letter?
6. What tortuous question does Pearl repeatedly ask Hester in this chapter? How does the
latter respond to it throughout?
16
1. Would there have been a scandal if Hester would have visited D. in his study? Why
doesn’t Hester see him there? Explain.
2. Explain how the forest path is an appropriate place for Hester to walk in.
3. Explain the use of pathetic fallacy in this chapter regarding the sun, Pearl, the scarlet
letter and Hester.
4. Why isn’t Pearl sensitive to other peoples feelings yet?
5. What story about the Black Man has Pearl heard? Where did she hear it?
6. Look closely at the description of the brook on pages 127-128. Why is the brook sad and
melancholy? How is its path and journey described?
7. How are Pearl and the brook similar? Different?
8. What does Dimmesdale look like to Hester at the end of this chapter? What does he
seem ready to do?
17
1. How does each feel about holding hands with the other?
2. What does Dimmesdale confess to Hester about what his life has been like?
3. Why does D. feel so bad about himself?(p. 131)
4. How have Hester’s feelings about D. changed since the night on the scaffold?
5. How does D. physically react to the news that Chillingworth is Hester’s husband?
6. How does D. emotionally react? What does he immediately say to Hester?
7. How does Hester quiet D. down and prevent him from “frowning” at her?
8. Who does D. think has committed the worst sin out of them all? Why does he believe this?
9. What are the two possible places of escape does Hester suggest to D.?
10. D. is afraid he wouldn’t make it in the world on his own. What does Hester tell him before
the end of this chapter?
18
1. In the opening of this chapter, what does the narrator say has been the advantage of
Hester’s scarlet letter over Dimmesdale’s lack of one?
2. How do D.’s feelings change as soon as he decides to follow along with Hester’s plan?
3. What does Hester do to with the letter? What does she do with her hair? What effect do
these actions have on her physique and aura?
4. Where do we again see pathetic fallacy in this chapter?
5. What animals approached Pearl in the woods? What is the message here?
6. How does Pearl behave differently in the woods this time?
19
1. What had Dimmesdale been frightened of as Pearl walked around the village?
2. Of what is Pearl the physical symbol?
3. There is more water imagery here. What is Hawthorne doing with Pearl and the brook in
this chapter?
4. What feeling does Dimmesdale have about the water?
5. Why does Pearl refuse to cross the brook?
6. What does Pearl do with D.’s kiss?
7. In the last paragraph, how does Nature seem to absorb what it witnessed here?
20
1. What is ironic about where D. and Hester are going to run for an escape? Apply what
you know about world and U.S. history.
2. Explain how the narrator feels about Dimmesdale wanting to preach the Election Sermon
(bottom of page 147). What does he think is wrong with Dimmesdale?
3. What physical change has overcome Dimmesdale as he walks through the woods towards
home?
4. What mental change has come over him?
5. Dimmesdale is enticed into bad behavior on his walk through the village.
A. What does he want to whisper to the old deacon?
B. What does he want to whisper to the old widowed woman?
C. What does he want to whisper to the young, “pure” maiden?
D. What does he want to teach the little Puritan boys?
Again, make sure you answer the above questions in YOUR OWN WORDS.
6. What does Mistress Hibbins say to Dimmesdale? What is his response?
7. What verbal game do Dimmesdale and Chillingworth play with one another after D.
returns home?
8. What does D. do with his previous sermon? How does he physically approach his new
one?
The Scarlet Letter
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Chapter 21
To be clear, what again are the people of Boston celebrating this day?
How does the throng of people reveal a frontier atmosphere?
Explain how Hester’s appearance is in every way symbolic of her status.
Take a close read and explain the end of the paragraph discussing the metaphor of what
Hester might “drink” this day.
How does Pearl’s behavior belie her mother’s feelings?
What does Pearl notice about—and think about—Dimmesdale?
What do you think about Hester’s line about how a “new-man” is to be celebrated
today? How does that work on many levels?
How is this New England/Puritan ceremony similar to and different from those in
England?
What did the beadle break up and why?
According to the narrator, how did this generation of Americans in 1650 stain the later
generations—even as late as today?
Describe the Indians’ dress and demeanor.
Do the same for the sailors.
What does the narrator say about sailors’ morality, both on land and on sea.
What do the Puritan leaders grant the seamen leniency?
Describe the captain of the ship.
What does Hester learn from him?