Why you should read The Scarlet Letter:
Letter:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Although written in 1850, the story remains compelling and
contemporary.
In addition to the thoughtthought-provoking ethical issues, the
characters are engaging and memorable.
Hawthorne’s rich use of symbolism resonates throughout
throughout the
narrative.
Many chapters end with cliffcliff-hangers that prompt the reader to
continue reading.
Hawthorne’s syntax is challenging at first, but ultimately
rewarding.
Why you may struggle with The Scarlet Letter:
Letter:
1.
2.
Initially the syntax requires a slower,
slower, more intentional pace that
demands the reader’s full attention.
Hawthorne’s description and direct address to the reader is a
product of his time and seems a little heavyheavy-handed at times.
Still interested? A few suggestions before you begin…
If you are crunched for time, you could skip the
introduction (The Custom House) and begin with
chapter 1.
Notice how suggestive the characters’ names are.
Allow your brain to adjust to Hawthorne’s writing – it
will get easier to read and is wellwell-worth the energy!
Here is the full text of the novel, onon-line, for FREE!
http://www.bartleby.net/83/index.html
Fast Facts – The Scarlet Letter
Pages – 235 (Bantam Classic Paperback Edition)
Author – Nathaniel Hawthorne
Date Published -- 1850
Setting – Salem and Boston, Massachusetts
Point of view – Third person
Genre – Drama
Issues/Conflicts – Judgment / Religion / Love / Redemption
Beyond the Basics…
Here is background on the introduction:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Custom_House
The Scarlet Letter -- Author Information
Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in Salem,
Massachusetts. After graduating from Bowdoin College,
Hawthorne embarked on a career in writing. He was appointed
to a Boston Custom House where he worked for a short time
before moving to Brook Farm, the transcendentalist utopian
community. He married Sophia Peabody and maintained
friendships with many intellectuals at the time, including Ralph
Waldo Emerson, Herman Melville, and Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow. Unable to support himself through his writing, he
returned to the Custom House. Political changes (alluded to in
the introduction of The Scarlet Letter) forced him to leave the
Custom House, and he then embarked on a prolific time of
writing that included The Scarlet Letter, The House of Seven
Gables, and The Blithedale Romance, in addition to other
works. He also lived in Europe for a number of years and
eventually died in 1864.
Further information on Hawthorne:
http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/hawthorne.html
http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/
http://www.nps.gov/archive/mima/wayside/index1.htm
http://www.transcendentalists.com/nathaniel_hawthorne.htm
Background on Brook Farm:
http://www.vcu.edu/engweb/transcendentalism/ideas/brhistory.
html
http://www.age-of-thesage.org/transcendentalism/brook_farm.html
Printable Bookmark! Please print and then cut to use as a reference as you read!!
Only basic information has been provided to avoid “spoilers.” The “Intro” column indicates
the chapter in which each character is first introduced. Enjoy!
Character
Narrator
Hester Prynne
Pearl
Description
Loosely
autobiographical
presence
Protagonist
Intro
Intro
Hester’s
illegitimate
daughter
2
Roger
Hester’s
Chillingsworth husband
Governor
Bellingham
Arthur
Dimmsdale
Governor of
the MA
colony
Beloved
preacher
Intro,
2
3
3
3
John Wilson
Leading
Puritan
minister
3
Mistress
Hibbins
Governor;
sister of
Gov.
Bellingham
Governor
who dies
8
Governor
Winthrop
12
Menu Ideas – The Scarlet Letter
Letter
The setting and time period of The Scarlet Letter lends itself particularly
well to traditional dishes, especially those from the New England region.
Here is a link to the Food Network’s New England cuisine page:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/ck_gc_new_england/0,1971,FOOD_9
809,00.html
A few recipes from the site to consider:
Stuffed Squash
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2004
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Stuff It
4 small acorn squash, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, completely thawed, drained and chopped
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Generous pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut 1-inch off the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. If necessary in order for the squash
to sit upright, cut off a small portion of the bottom. Put 1 of the 4 pieces of butter in the cavity of each
squash. Set squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, brown the ground pork until no longer pink. Remove the meat
from the pan, add the olive oil and saute the onion, celery, and carrot until they begin to soften,
approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
Return the pork to the pan along with the cooked rice, spinach, pine nuts, oregano and salt and pepper,
to taste. Stirring constantly, heat mixture thoroughly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the
heat. Divide the mixture evenly among the squash, top each squash with its lid and bake for 1 hour or
until the squash is tender. Serve immediately.
O'Brien Potatoes
Recipe courtesy Georgia Downard
Show: Cooking Live
Episode: American Classics
2/3 cup minced onion
1/3 cup minced green bell pepper
1/3 cup drained and minced bottled pimiento
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive or canola oil
4 Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a large skillet cook the onion, green pepper and pimiento in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate
heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. In the skillet
heat the remaining oil over moderately high heat until hot and add the potatoes. Saute, stirring
occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender and crisp. Stir in the vegetable mixture and correct
seasoning. Heat over moderately low heat until hot and serve.
Apple Baked Bean Casserole
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Show: Paula's Home Cooking
Episode: Bean Cuisine
1 cup diced onion
2 (15-ounce) cans Boston-style baked beans
1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 strips bacon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients
except the bacon and mix well. Pour into the baking dish and lay the raw strips of bacon on top. Cover
and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until thick and bubbly. Uncover and bake for 5 more
minutes.
Cranberry Walnut Crumb Cakes
Recipe courtesy Gale Gand, Gale Gand's Just A Bite by Gale Gand
and Julia Moskin: Clarkson N. Potter Publishers, 2001
Show: Sweet Dreams
Episode: Turkey Day Temptations: Thanksgiving Desserts
Notes about the recipe: These sunny, seductive little cakes are perfect mouthfuls of coffeecake from the golden
crumb to the zingy cranberry bits to the browned, chunky topping that crumbles apart in your mouth. A basket of
these is equally good for breakfast, teatime, or as an autumnal dessert for Thanksgiving. Cranberries are
indigenous to America and are harvested in the fall by flooding their fields with water. Each berry contains a bubble
of air which causes it to float, float right off the branches of their bush. The only step left is to skim all the glissening
garnet colored berries off the surface of the water--and they've already had their bath! All the old baking books in
my collection include page after page of coffeecake recipes. Back then, the midmorning coffee break a stimulating
cup and a bite of something sweet was a given. Don't we still deserve a little treat to get us through the rest of the
day? Everything about the recipe can be done in advance, right down to filling the cups with batter. Just don't
sprinkle on the topping (which you can make literally months in advance and keep in the freezer) until just before
you bake.
Cake:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature, plus more for the pans
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins
Topping:
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
Equipment: A few 4-ounce cup muffin pans; ribbed paper cupcake liners
Make the Cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the muffin tins with paper liners.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. While the mixer is running,
slowly add the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each to be incorporated before adding the next, and mix until light
and fluffy.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Working in batches, add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar
mixture, alternating with dollops of sour cream. Mix in the cranberries. Pour or spoon the batter into the prepared tins, filling
them no more than 3/4 full.
Make the Topping: Combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add the butter pieces and, using your
fingertips, pinch the ingredients together into a sandy, crumbly mixture. Add the walnuts and mix. Sprinkle the mixture over
the cakes.
Bake until risen and browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan.
Suitable Beverages:
Here a couple of recipes for Apple Cider recommended by Kim
Knox Beckius from the following web site:
http://gonewengland.about.com/cs/recipes/a/aaciderdrinks.htm
AllSpice Cider
Ingredients
Amount Ingredient
Preparation
1
tablespoon allspice
1
each
cinnamon stick about three inches
3
cups
apple cider
1
cup
orange juice
1/2 each
lemon
1
honey
teaspoon
1/4 cup
whole
sliced
brandy
Directions
Tie allspice in a piece of cheesecloth. Place in a medium
saucepan along with cinnamon stick, cider, orange juice,
lemon slices and honey. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer, covered, 5 minutes. Remove spice bag. Stir in
brandy. Serve with a cinnamon stick in each cup, if desired.
Makes 6 servings.
Cider Martini
1 1/2 oz Skyy Cinnamon Clove Infused Vodka
1/4 oz apple cider
ice
splash apple brandy
Rinse chilled martini glass with apple brandy and pour out. In shaker combine vodka, cider and ice. Strain
into glass and garnish with apple slice.
Submitted by the Belle Roux Louisiana Kitchen, The Cannery, San Francisco,
California.
Cinnamon Apple Spice Hot Cider
After a hard days work building the perfect snowman, this is a tasty alternative to hot
chocolate for your kids.
3 cups water
3 Cinnamon Apple Spice tea bags
2 cups apple juice
4 Tablespoons honey
Place the water and tea bags in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat
and simmer, steeping the tea bags for 4 minutes. Remove the bags and discard.
Add the juice and honey, and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve
warm.
Serves 4
From the Cooking With Tea Cookbook by
Jennifer and Mo Siegel.
MICROWAVE HOT MULLED CIDER
1/2 tsp. whole allspice
1/2 tsp. whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 c. cranberry juice
1 qt. apple cider
In a 2 quart casserole combine all
ingredients. Cover. Microwave on
high for 5-8 minutes or until hot.
Strain.
Ale (Consider Samuel Adams):
http://www.samueladams.com/promotions/foodandbeer/BeerChoi
ces.aspx
The Scarlet Letter – Creating the Mood!!
Here are some ideas to set the mood and get the conversation started to
help you appreciate Hawthorne’s classic. Enjoy!
Introductory Game Ideas:
This novel is a product of a specific time in history and addresses
a number of ethical issues, including the separation between
church and state. Since when we read a novel we “read
ourselves,” consider discussing members’ personal experience
with the issues Hawthorne addresses – religion’s place in
determining the law, illegitimate children, adultery, love vs.
responsibility – before discussing the novel itself.
Here are some questions to get the discussion started:
1. At the time of the novel, Hester’s punishment should have been
death, but the long absence of her husband was an extenuating
circumstance that lessened the punishment. Is either punishment
justified, considering the time period?
2. To what extent should the religious beliefs of a community dictate
the law? If not religion, then what standards should dictate the
law?
3. What in human nature encourages judgment of others? (Even
judgment of an illegitimate child, as in the case of Pearl).
This is also a particularly good novel to watch the film version
of and then compare and contrast with the movie (the 1995
version movie differs a great deal from the novel...).
Literary Terms – The Scarlet Letter
Exposition – the introduction of the setting, characters, conflict(s) at the
beginning of a novel. Our first impressions are so influential to our
enjoyment and impressions of the novel, so after finishing a novel, skim
the first chapter again to see how the author shaped and influenced your
first impressions. If you chose to read the introduction (The Custom
House), consider how this affected your first impressions of the novel.
Focus questions: 11, 12, 15
Diction – word choice. Notice Hawthorne’s word choice and how that
influences your reading speed as well as enjoyment level.
Syntax – the style of the sentence structure. Notice how the author’s
crafting of syntax affects your engagement as a reader. Complexity of
syntax does not determine literary merit; the pairing of syntax to
meaning does. Hawthorne’s syntax is a product of his time and can take
time to get used to -- especially how he does not necessarily begin his
sentences with the subject.
Tone – the author’s attitude toward subject.. Think “tone of voice.” Tone
is created through diction and can be very subtle, but is extremely
important. If you misinterpret the tone, you most likely misinterpret the
meaning or theme of the narrative. Hawthorne’s tone in the
introduction is very specific – we are easily able to ascertain how he
views his fellow Custom House employees!
Mood – the emotional atmosphere of novel. Mood is considered an
aspect of the setting (time, place, atmosphere). When we read a novel,
we “read ourselves,” so think about what type of mood your favorite
novels tend to have and how different moods may influence your
enjoyment level.
Theme – the main idea that runs throughout and unifies novel. Theme
should be stated as a complete thought and not one word, which would
instead be a topic of the novel: instead of “adultery” or “religion,”
consider what the author is saying about the nature of religion, especially
in relation to adultery. In classics, themes are frequently not “morals” of
the novel; they may or may not represent the ideal.
Focus questions: 3 – 8, 11-13, 16
Irony – the opposite of what it expected. Dramatic irony is when the
reader has more information than the character does, providing the
reader with an all-knowing perspective. Situational irony is when a
situation turns out differently than expected. Verbal irony is when the
speaker means the opposite of what is said, so correctly interpreting tone
becomes crucial to the reader’s understanding of the events and
particularly of the themes. Notice how Hawthorne, in setting up our first
impressions of the Custom House, compares its employees to the
occupants of an almshouse -- or recipients of welfare. Focus questions:7, 8
Imagery – the use of words that engage the senses. Notice how
Hawthorne’s use of imagery in the introduction expresses his political
views:
“Over the entrance hovers an enormous specimen of the American eagle, with
outspread wings, a shield before her breast, and… a bunch of intermingled
thunderbolts and barbed arrows in each claw. With the customary infirmity
of temper that characterizes
characterizes this unhappy fowl, she appears, by the fierceness
of her beak and eye, and the general truculency of her attitude, to threaten
mischief to the inoffensive community; and especially to warn all citizens,
careful of their safety, against intruding on the
the premises which she
overshadows with her wings… Nevertheless, vixenly as she looks, many
people are seeking, at this very moment, to shelter themselves under the wing
of the federal eagle; imagining, I presume, that her bosom has all the softness
and snugness
snugness of an eiderdown pillow. But she has no great tenderness, even in
her best of moods, and, sooner or later, -- oftener soon than late, -- is apt to
fling off her nestlings, with a scratch of her claw, a dab of her beak, or a
rankling wound from her barbed
barbed arrows.”
Symbolism – when an element of the story (object, character, color, etc.)
is both literally present in the novel and has significance or represents
something beyond itself. Hawthorne uses many symbols throughout the
novel, including his use of sunshine, the letter A, Pearl, and the rosebush
outside the prison. Focus questions: 7, 9, 10
Foil – when two characters contrast each other. The characters do not
need to be enemies – or even be aware of one another. Arthur
Dimmsdale and Roger Chillingsworth are foils in nature and
temperament. Focus question: 2
Foreshadowing – when the author provides hints to future events. Pearl
stretching her arms toward Dimmsdale when on the scaffold in chapter 2
foreshadows her paternity. Focus question: 1
The Scarlet Letter Discussion Questions
The following questions approach the novel from a number of
different angles, i.e., how the novel functions as a work of art,
how it reflects the time period, how it addresses fundamental
questions of humanity, and how it engages the reader. A good
discussion tends to start with our “heads” and end with our
“hearts.” So, you may want to save subjective opinions of taste
until after you have discussed the more objective elements of
why this work is considered a classic. It is tempting to begin
with, “What did everyone think?” But if a number of people
really didn’t like the novel, their opinions may derail a
discussion of the novel’s merits. On the other hand, I
recommend starting with a few accessible questions and asking
every member to respond to ensure that all voices are present
and heard from the beginning. Just a few suggestions! Enjoy…
Warm up questions
If you read the introduction (The Custom House), why do
you think Hawthorne wanted it to be your first
impression? Why do modern publishers still include it?
Is it still relevant to the novel itself?
Which character did you empathize with the most?
Which characters did you dislike the most and why?
Which images from the novel resonated the strongest for
you?
1. At what point in the novel did everyone realize
Dimmsdale was Hester’s lover and why?
2. Did you empathize more with Chillingsworth or
Dimmsdale? (why/not)
3. In chapter 10, Dimmsdale defends his failure to confess by
saying,
“…it may be that they are kept silent by the very constitution of their
nature. Or, -- can we not suppose it? – guilty as they [sinners] may be,
retaining, nevertheless, a zeal for God’s glory and man’s welfare, they
shrink from displaying themselves black and filthy in the view of men;
because, thenceforward, no good can be achieved by them; no evil of the
past be redeemed by better service. So, to their own unutterable torment,
they go about among their fellowfellow-creatures, looking pure as newnew-fallen
snow while their hearts are all speckled and spotted with iniquity of which
they cannot rid themselves.”
How do you respond to his rationale?
4. In chapter 23, Chillingsworth states, “Hadst thou sought
the whole world over…there was no one place so secret, -no high place nor lowly place, where thou couldst have
escaped me, -- save on this very scaffold!” Why is the
scaffold the only safe place for Hester and Dimmsdale?
Why does he leave his money to Pearl?
5. What is Hawthorne implying about the nature of guilt,
guilt
culpability, confession, etc.? Do you agree with his views?
6. Pearl was inescapable evidence of Hester’s affair. What do
you think would’ve happened if Hester had not gotten
pregnant?
pregnant
7. Why does Hawthorne choose to have Pearl torment her
mother? Is the portrayal of Pearl realistic (why/not)?
8. In chapter 13, Hawthorne states,
“It is to the credit of human nature, that, except where its selfishness is
brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates. Hatred, by a gradual
and quiet process,
process, will even be transformed to love, unless the change be
impeded by a continually new irritation of the original feeling of hostility.”
Then, in chapter 24,
“It is a curious subject of observation and inquiry, whether hatred and love
be not the same thing
thing at bottom. Each, in its utmost development,
supposes a high degree of intimacy and heartheart-knowledge; each renders
one individual dependent for the food of his affections and spiritual life
upon another; each leaves the passionate lover, or the no less passionate
passionate
hater, forlorn and desolate by the withdrawal of his subject.
Philosophically considered, therefore, the two passions seem essentially
the same, except that one happens to be seen in a celestial radiance, and
the other in a dusky and lurid glow.”
This is the rationale Hawthorne provides for why the
townspeople eventually accept Hester. Do you agree w/
Hawthorne’s beliefs?
9. There are many symbols throughout the novel, starting
with the rosebush outside the prison, the letter “A,” Pearl,
the “A” shaped meteor, etc. Which symbols resonated – or
“worked” for you and which did not?
10.The forest has great significance throughout the novel.
What does it seem to represent?
11.One of the primary ideas in the introduction is how “natal
natal
places”
places hold us throughout our lives. However, he also states
that “frequent transplantation is perhaps better for the
stock…” and that “Human nature will not flourish, any more
than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a
series of generations, in the same worn-out soil.” With which
belief do you agree?
12.In the introduction,
introduction Hawthorne states
“It contributes greatly towards a man’s moral and intellectual health, to be
brought into habits of companionship with individuals unlike himself, who
care little for his pursuits, and whose sphere and abilities he must go out of
himself to appreciate.”
Do you agree?
13.Throughout the novel, Hawthorne makes his distain for
the Puritan’s philosophy well known and at one point states,
“…[the children of] Puritans
Puritans,
itans being of the most intolerant
brood that ever lived.” Is Hawthorne too judgmental of the
Puritans? Does it matter that his own ancestors were Puritan?
14.Where do we see the legacy of Puritan values in society
today?
15.Why does Hawthorne frame his story as “factual”? Does it
matter to you whether the events actually happened?
16.Hawthorne firmly believes in the “modern” conception of
the mindmind-body connection.
connection Do you believe that secrets
“come out sideways” with physical manifestations?
WrapWrap-up Questions…
1. Which character did you like / dislike the most?
2. Which character did you relate to the most?
3. Would you recommend the book?
4. If you could change anything, what would it be?
5. Do you believe this should be considered a classic?
6. What adjective comes to mind when you reflect on the novel?
The Scarlet Letter – the film
Many film versions have been made of The Scarlet Letter, including an
excellent made-for-television miniseries in 1979. The most recent
version, made in 1995, starring Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, and Robert
Duvall, diverges from the novel in a number of significant ways,
including the ending. According to IMBd.com, Demi Moore thought it
was o.k. to change the ending since so few people had read the novel.
(The 1995 remake was nominated for seven “Razzie Awards,” and won
four). Your group could watch this version of the movie together and
discuss your impressions, or group members could watch the film before
the meeting and then discuss impressions as a group. Time permitting,
multiple versions could be viewed and then compared. Here are a few
possible movie questions:
While viewing the movie, which characters were most unlike
how you pictured them while reading the novel?
Which characters seemed “right on” in their portrayal?
What plot elements were left out or changed in the movie?
How was your enjoyment affected by what was left
out/changed?
If this movie were remade today, who would you cast as Hester?
Dimmsdale? Chillingsworth?
More information on the film(s):
film(s):
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078683/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114345/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0017350/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025747/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114345/awards
http://www.thescarletletter.com/home.html