By: Isaac Venegas and
Chandler Berry
 The
Prison Door
The first scene of The Scarlet Letter
begins with a description of a dull, dusty,
dark prison. The description of the
people are dull and depressed
people. The only living and colorful
item described in the scene is a rosebush at the peak of it's growth; which
becomes an important symbol
throughout the book.
A
theme of chapter 1 is the prison door, a
"black flower," contrasts with the beautiful
rose bush, which grows naturally. The prison
punishes, Nature and the rose bush forgive.
 The Scarlet Letter's moral is that people
must accept and forgive their own and other
people's worst qualities. To deny those
qualities, as the Puritans do, is to deny one's
identity


Romantic- the chapter has a colorful rosebush in it
which is a part of romanticism. This would go with
glorifying nature. It also shows a mystery of remote
times which refers to the prison and why it is there or
how it got there.
Puritan- it talks about how the citizens are dressed
which is described as dull and dreary people. This is a
part of the Body of Laws of the puritan ideas. The prison
door is symbolic of life in Puritan times--restrictive and
punitive.
 No
main character in this chapter
 The
rosebush is an example of
symbolism. It represents forgiveness to
the prisoners who must go in and out of
that prison door.
 The Prison symbolizes sin and isolation.
That’s why the prisoners are stored there.

Hester Prynne, a young women who commits adultery, becomes
the center of attention by being publicly placed upon a scaffold
for all of the eyes of the town to view and criticize. Hester is a
beautiful lady with a magnificent complexion, but all of this has
been overlooked because of the baby upon her bosom. She has
been forced to wear a scarlet letter, A, which many townspeople use as an analogy to her shame and guilt that she must
feel. The A is embroiderd with gold thread. Mr. Dimmesdale, the
local head minister of the Purtian church, talks directly to Hester in
front of everybody in an attempt to pressure her into admitting
to the father of her baby, but Hester refuses. The guilt that Hester
feels brings her to realize that death would be better than being
publicly humiliated. Through this realization, in an attempt to
escape the hard reality and the shame she has brought upon
herself, Hester thinks back to her past.
 The
letter A would be a theme, By
embroidering the letter, Hester
transforms a badge of shame into a
symbol of individuality. The narrator
connects the letter to nature with the
word "fertile."
 Romantic-
How Hester tries to have
optimism, and individualism, and tries to
be strong even while they put her up in
front of everyone and judge her.
 Puritan- It talks about how they were very
public when it comes to crime and
criminals. In Hesters case by judging her,
it made all the other women feel better
about themselves.


Hester Prynne- Hester is the book’s protagonist and the wearer of the
scarlet letter that gives the book its title. The letter, a patch of fabric in
the shape of an “A,” signifies that Hester is an “adulterer.” While
waiting for him, she had an affair with a Puritan minister named
Dimmesdale, after which she gave birth to Pearl. Hester is passionate
but also strong-she endures years of shame and scorn. She equals
both her husband and her lover in her intelligence and
thoughtfulness. Her alienation puts her in the position to make acute
observations about her community, particularly about its treatment of
women.
Arthur Dimmesdale- Arthur Dimmesdale is the character portrayed as
the most weak and unnoble. Despite this portrayal Dimmesdale was a
stronger character than given credit for. His unbelievable amount of
control in his way of handling his burdens displays his great sense of
strength and intellect. We first see Dimmesdale portrayed as a
nervous and sensitive individual. Despite his outer appearance, inside
Dimmesdale is a very stable, strong person.
 The
Scaffold that she is brought up on to
represents a platform of judgment.
Because all the women and children
judge her for the adultery she
committed.
 The letter A that she wears to the people
represents a symbol of shame and guilt,
to her she embraces it, and it becomes
apart of who she is.
 How
are the towns people described?
 What does the rosebush represent?
 What does the prison represent?
 What was the letter A embroidered with?
 Who is the protagonist of the story?