Chapters 13 and 14
Sara Torres, Brianna Ortiz, and Justin
Garcia

It’s been about seven years since Hester had to stand
on the scaffold in front of the whole town because of
her adultery. She has become more a part of society
by helping the sick and the poor. The towns people
still look down upon her every once in a while for
that day that she stood on the scaffold. But people
are also starting to interpret the “A” on her bosom as
“able” instead of “Adulteress.” She has changed a lot
compared to that day of her punishment. That
punishment took away the person that she used to be
and turned her “from passion and feeling, to
thought” (Hawthorne, 170). At the end of the chapter
Hester, feeling a bit of responsibility towards
Dimmesdale, worries that hiding Chillingworth’s true
identity is hurting him and sets out to find
Chillingworth.

Pearl and Hester were chillin’ at the beach when Hester noticed
Roger was there too. She engaged in a conversation with him and
noticed that he had changed over the past seven years as well.
He brings up that the town might let her take off the Scarlet
letter and Hester replies that it is not up to the people to decide
something like that. She then tells him that it is time to tell
Dimmesdale Roger’s true identity. He acts ignorant at first then
realizes that she knows that he was purposely torturing
Dimmesdale. She points that out to him and shows how he has
changed in a bad way. Once he sees that, his face changes
expressions realizing what he is, ugly. (Metaphorically speaking)
He starts to bring up his past when he was peaceful, and asks
how he has changed with an evil look on his face. Hester replies
that he was that and more. He tells her that he is a fiend and
asks why. Hester takes the blame for his addiction. Hester then
begs him to end his revenge and to become a human being again.
He said that he cant do it and to just let it be. After that, he just
turned around and started gathering herbs again.
 Revenge
makes you turn into something that
is not human, but pure evil. Roger has lost
his human side for his addiction of torturing
Dimmesdale out of revenge.
 Hester is making the scarlet letter who she is
by not letting the people decide whether or
not she can take it off. Hiding her past sin by
moving away or taking the scarlet letter off
would make her not be her complete self.
Nobody is perfect. We all mess up and she is
not afraid to show her mess up like everyone
else.
Puritan
ideas-
The
puritan doctrine holds
faith above good deeds.
Romantic

ideas-
Independent, strong
women.
 Roger
Chillingworth: Roger has change from
the person that he used to be before all of
this happened. He has transfigured into and
a non-human evil figure from the human he
once was.
 Hester: Hester has changed as well. She is
more active in the community and she is no
longer that heartfelt woman but instead
more serious.
 Irony:
The punishment did not change Hester
the way the people thought it would.
 Narrative Voice: Third person omniscient
narrator, ambiguity.
 Symbolism: Hester not letting the people
decide whether or not she may take off her
scarlet letter symbolizes that the people
have no control over who she is.
 Pauper-
a very poor person.
 Imbibed- to receive into the mind and retain.
 Obviated- To see beforehand and dispose of;
making unnecessary.
 Ethereal- celestial, heavenly.
 Lunacy- wild foolishness; insanity.
 Behest- an earnest request
 Usurp- to seize and hold (a position, power,
etc.) by force or without legal right
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How many years has it been since Hester
has stood in front of the town on the
scaffold?
At the end of chapter 13 who does Hester
plan to meet?
What does Chillingworth tell Hester that
the towns people are thinking about letting
her take off?
What does Hester tell Chillingworth she has
to do?
What is the definition of lunacy?