The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Paper Outline
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Introduction
Body Paragraph One
Body Paragraph Two
Conclusion
Introduction
Broad to narrow format should be
followed
 Author’s full name and novel’s title should
appear in the introduction.
 The final line of the introduction should
be a thesis statement that includes at
least two divisions.

Body paragraphs
Each body paragraph must
have:
A.
Topic sentence (includes 2 sub divisions)
1. Sub topic sentence 1
2. Evidence (example or direct quote)
3. Argument
Transition Sentence
1. Sub topic sentence 2
2. Evidence
3. Argument
Thesis Example
Nathaniel Hawthorne explores the cyclical
nature of sin and the quest for redemption
through the main characters in his story.
Paragraph Example
Topic:
The theme of sin is manifests itself in Hester who sins against
human law and Chillingworth who sins against natural law.
Sub Topic:
Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery; however, her
greatest sin is in initially marrying a man she did not love.
Evidence:
“She marveled how she could ever have been wrought upon
to marry him! She deemed it her crime most to be repented
of, that she had ever endured and reciprocated the lukewarm
grasp of his hand, and had suffered the smile of her lips and
eyes to mingle and melt into his own.”
Argument:
Hester was once able to conceive that she loved
Chillingworth, she now realizes that it was only because she
did not know true love. When she did this, she precluded the
possibility of (legitimately) falling in love.
Transition:
Hester’s sin is against herself, but Chillingworth sins against
others.
Paragraph Example, cont.
Remember this is half of a paragraph, the other half would
discuss Chillingworth’s sin.
The theme of sin is manifests itself in Hester who sins against
human law and Chillingworth who sins against natural law.
Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery; however, her greatest
sin was in initially marrying a man she did not love. Hester
reminisces “how she could ever have been wrought upon to
marry him! She deemed it her crime most to be repented of, that
she had ever endured and reciprocated the lukewarm grasp of his
hand, and had suffered the smile of her lips and eyes to mingle
and melt into his own.” Hester was once able to conceive that
she loved Chillingworth, she now realizes that it was only
because she did not know true love. While she used to think of
this domestic scene as happy long ago, she now sees how dismal
it was and counts it among "her ugliest remembrances.” When
she did this, she precluded the possibility of (legitimately) falling
in love. Hester’s sin is against herself, but Chillingworth sins
against others.
The theme of sin is manifests itself in Hester who sins against
human law and Chillingworth who sins against natural law.
Hester Prynne commits the sin of adultery; however, her greatest
sin was in initially marrying a man she did not love. Hester
reminisces “how she could ever have been wrought upon to marry
him! She deemed it her crime most to be repented of, that she had
ever endured and reciprocated the lukewarm grasp of his hand, and
had suffered the smile of her lips and eyes to mingle and melt into
his own.” Hester was once able to conceive that she loved
Chillingworth, she now realizes that it was only because she did
not know true love. While she used to think of this domestic scene
as happy long ago, she now sees how dismal it was and counts it
among "her ugliest remembrances.” When she did this, she
precluded the possibility of (legitimately) falling in love. Hester’s
sin is against herself, but Chillingworth sins against others.
The theme of sin is manifests itself in Hester who sins against human law
and Chillingworth who sins against natural law. Hester Prynne commits
the sin of adultery; however, her greatest sin was in initially marrying a
man she did not love. Hester reminisces “how she could ever have been
wrought upon to marry him! She deemed it her crime most to be repented
of, that she had ever endured and reciprocated the lukewarm grasp of his
hand, and had suffered the smile of her lips and eyes to mingle and melt
into his own” (Hawthorne 167). Hester was once able to conceive that
she loved Chillingworth, she now realizes that it was only because she did
not know true love. While she used to think of this domestic scene as
happy long ago, she now sees how dismal it was and counts it among "her
ugliest remembrances” (Hawthorne 201).When she did this, she
precluded the possibility of (legitimately) falling in love. Hester’s sin is
against herself, but Chillingworth sins against others.