The Scarlet Letter: Chapters Why is Pearl upset with Dimmesdale's actions in the marketplace toward her and her

Transcription

1 The Scarlet Letter: Chapters Chapter Twenty-One 1. Why is Pearl upset with Dimmesdale's actions in the marketplace toward her and her mother, and how does her observation show Dimmesdale's weakness? Cve:od OeJaiM - A) Pearl is upset with Dimmesdale because he will not stand with her and her mother. She 1 notices that he will be with them at night or in the forest when nobody else can see them, but when they are in publi)he will not stand with them. This shows that Dimrnesdale is still a d i5 9 0 coward; he does not want to confess his sin yet. This hurts Pearl feelings because she knows that anall/s \~.1\. confessing is the best option. ~. B) Pearl is upset that Dimmesdale still refuses to publicly acknowledge her as his chil)...and his sin in adultery with Hester. She mentions the cowardice of Dimrnesdale holding their hands on the scaffold at night and in the forest, but refusing to do so in front of the assembly: "But here in the sunny day, and among all the people, he knows us not; nor must we know him!" (210). 2. Why is Hawthorne bringing us out of the woods and back to the market-place in the end? THIS Is HUGE, STRUCTURALLY. Consider: What do the woods symbolize? What does the market-place symbolize? -4< A) While Hester and Dimmesdale were in the woods, they made their evil plans to leave, showing that the forest is an evil place which brings out the darkest comers of the characters' 11'1 minds. Once they are in the sunlight and public, they make their most righteous decision, A

2 namel] telling the masses that Dimmesdale was the father of Hester's child. Not even the menacing Chillingworth can get them off the track to emptying their souls of their sinful secrets. B) The woods is a place of evil: Chillingworth emerges from the forest; Dimmesdale acts stange, even evil, in the forest; the forest is described as a dark and inscrutable place. The marketplace symoblizes order and civilization. ~ -tul..-~ 3. How does this chapter emphasize the fact that Hester is still excluded fro d. ~ ~ L. mis+a..tm (9tl mo.f::ea S+icJc wd1.., OY)Zl what message does this send? IV\, \:,.. O' o,.j1d A) When she walks throught the market, she ha1 an invisible bubble around he~ t*at no one would enter a certain distance from her. No one tries to talk to her, and most will not glance her direction. Nobody talked to her except for old Mistress Higgins. ~cj yv1)..matf do.tt(j -+iu.o..jt.rd ~ B) This chapter emphasizes Hester's exclusion from society by making her feel that whatever () decision she makes, society will still judge hejand she will always be exclude":'hester prynne,?. [... J felt a dreary influence come over her, but wherefore or whence she knew not; unless that he fhujm!a seemed so remote from her own sphere and utterly beyond her reach" (Hawthorne 219). Hester believes that Dimmesdale will no longer be in her own world, seeing as ~ D she hasn't fully cjoe5rq ~a.:ti fu7 confessed her sin. When and if Hester were to speak the truth about her side of the story, she ) would join Dimmesdale in this new world he has entered. 4. Why does this chapter bring Hester, the sailors, and the Native Americans into close proximitytthink about what message this sends. Consider: in what way(s) are connected or similar? A) The Native Americans are representative of the darkness of the forest where Dimmesdale and Hester made their plans to run away. The sailors represent the lawlessness of their previous decisions and the decisions they will make. 0Jidiv!)(Q + TVl h:t,pj. V~ {LV1Cl~ -fi1oifk

3 *' B) Hester, the sailors, and the Native Americans are all outcasts, Hawthorne writes, "As usually the case whenever Hester stood, a small, vacant area-a sort of magic circle-had formed about her into which, though the people were elbowing one another at a little distance, none ventured, or felt disposed to intrude," (Hawthorne 214), None of the townspeople want to interact with 1,.;0U0 ~ aj1a..u ZJ Hester. Even after seven years of being isolated from society, she is still ostracized, Like Hester, the sailors and Indians are isolated from society. Readers may see this when the,\od Ii sailors and Indians see Hester in the marketplace with the "brilliant" scarlet letter upon her ~'. ~ bosom, and they assume she holds great importance. 1ms shows that they see Hester as someone with great importance, when society thinks the exact opposite. Their high regard of Hester shows / 'Lr '- /-~ t'lj2j2cw i'\::> 0 that they are either of similar or lower social statuses. Therefore, Hester, t e sailors and the Cj1 -~ Native Americans are similar because they are all outcasts in the community. wy) Chapter Twenty-Two 1. Why does Hester feel distant from Dimmesdale in this chapter? Consider: Where are they standing? What positions do they hold in society? A) Hester is still seen as a bad person. Nobody even makes any attempt to come near her. The minister, on the other hand, is high up in the society of the town. Everyone sees Hester as a bad person in the society. Dimmesdale is seen as one of the most important people in the society. S Even though she loves him, there is a part of her that seems to not know who this man if- In the forest, they are in love. She says they seem to know each other so well in the forest. But when they are out in society, she feels as though she barely knows this man. In the evil of the forest, they are in love, but in the goodness of the daytime and society, they seem to barely know each other. A part of Hester is realizing that the minister and her are in love under evil circumstances. \. 7 V\OVJ SO. -Vf.p\o1Y1

4 ((' IYltet1esHIl~ CU1 a.lt{s'i S She does not recognize him because their love and connection is not pure or good in the light of.ttc the society.rester in among the people of the town. She is not anything special to the town. ) d~ Dimmesdale is actually in the procession. B) Hester feels distant from Dimmesdale because they are pretending like they have no relations with each other to protect their sec:f Readers may understand that they are distant when Pearl asks Hester if Dimmesdale was the same minister from the forest, and Hester replies -: with a sharp remark about how this matter shouldn't be discussed in the marketplace. This shows that Hester does not interact with Dimmesdale in public, and they are keeping their activities a ~ secret from the town. Since Hester does not speak to Dimmesdale in public, she is distant from him. /' crood C~,- A Dimmesdale holds a respected, well-known role in society, and Hester holds a lesser, isolated rot. One may understand Dimmesdale's position because he is a minister who's clergy consists of most of the town, and they all show up to support him on election dar.:ll of the people that make an appearance in the marketplace show that Dimmesdale is well-known and respected,./' since they are supporting him. Readers may understand Hester's position in society when she mentions that she is in her own sphere at the gathering in the marketpla~his shows that she is isolated from the rest of society, and she certainly has a role of lesser authority when compared to Dimmesdale.V' Oft1-oi ~ of C, f-a I E' - A rrn 2. How does Hester's physical position, standing at the foot of the scaffold to hear the sermon, illuminate the unfairness of her position when compared to Dimmesdale's? A) Standing at the foot of the scaffold, Hester is ~ inferior to Dimmesdale. The minister is seen as a hero, good guy, and a role model for Puritan life. Hester is seen as a lowly whore. She does not uphold the values of the Puritan society, and so she is an outcast. din

5 B) Whenever Hester is in the marketplace, no one talks to her or is anywhere near her. Hawthorne writes, "As usually the case whenever Hester stood, a small, vacant area-a sort of magic circle-had formed about her into which, though the people were elbowing one another at a little distance, none ventured, or felt disposed to intrude," (Hawthorne 214). Although it has been seven years since Hester's sin with Dimmesdale, Hester is still isolated from society and treated like an outcast. Everyone in the entire town has come to hear Dimmesdale's election day sermon. Throughout the entire novel, he is regarded by the townspeople as a good and holy man, when, in actuality, he is just as guilty of adultery as Hester is. Dimmesdale should be held accountable for his actions and it is unfair that the townspeople are venerating Dimmesdale as a holy, benevolent man, when he has commited Hester's sin with her, and they are ostracizing her for it. 3. ~ Slrte- C~{ y-~ froi'y'- It Why does the focus return to Hester's scarlet letter? Everyone is looking at it, and it is burning worse than ever. She was thinking she could just throw it away, but what does this show? A) The fact that everyone is still fixated on the scarlet letter shows that Hester's plans to throw away her sin won't work. She had previously thought that if she were to run away with Dimmesdale and Pearl, her sin would simply be gone. However, once she stands at the foot of the scaffold and listens alone to the sermon, she realizes otherwise. Hester realizes that her sentence for her sin will never be up; Hester will always be trapped and labeled as a sinner X B~CUS returns to Hester's scarlett le~ ecause Dimmesdale reveals his adulterous act ~\ c..~h AI.>' f)q){l) \W(r,', 1f'~O~ yv----~ ~0-.' C,' 1>1\ ~ C\)~\~ Hester. O~may tiffctersana-til1s-~hen the text questions how the two characters could be involved in same sin immediately after the townspeople's attention goes to Hester's chest.

6 Everyone glares at Hester's scarlet letter because it represents the sin that was suddenly revealed in his sermon. When everyone was staring at her, it was buming worse than ever. This proves that she still feels guilty and ashamed about her sin. The fact that she feels this way proves that she Chapter Twenty-Three 1. After Hester said they should run away, Dimmesdale stopped feeling sick and guilty, and he was full of energy. He went horne and wrote his sermon, and he walked through the town, full of health. However, after giving his speech, he is drained of energy. What did this energy represent, and why did he lose it? A) :Qim-Hl -sda4e's-ene-rgyrepresents his guilt-after-hester says they should run away, no ~ do~~ I Dimmesdal thinks.that his sins are absolved, so Dirnrnesdale's energy represents his ho \ e for 'Irs ~e. Dimmesdale lived in misery for seven years with no hope. When Hester offers him a ~~- way out of his sadness, he finally sees the future in a different light, even though that light is not On 'ti~ n.ecessarily ri.ght in a moral sense. Aft:~ D~~:ne_s~ale.~ives_his :~eech, ~~_realize~_~~,:t_.~~~,:de),, ". the wron~_~~~~~~~,yet again, to live in sin; his hope is gone once more, and he accepts the fact ~.. that his death is near. 2. Dimmesdale compares Chillingworth to the devil in this chapter. Why? What is the devil tempting Dimmesdale to do? Later, why does Chillingworth say, "Thou hast escaped me!" (234)..--- A) 'eimmesdale comprares Chillingworth to the devil because he finally realizes that Chillingworth Dirnrnesdale's has only been there for him in order to torture him. Chillingworth poses as friend ever since the day he arrives in New England. He acts as though he cares

7 +\i6 Jyviltsh ~ hi-,'s -for-/-uyi~ j)lrnljlllsd~ aa'loi Clf+ --ea v-wu\ 0ae- {b. P "~ about what is bothering Dimmesdale, but he is really only trying to figure what knaws at \\ \"'~ Dimmesdale from the inside. Chillingworth's intent is not of good nature because he seeks <S~ IJ};'. NO+ y-~}-' V.I".. cj revenge. His revenge is what bends him to the devil' s demand.:j~ce the devil works through ( B,n11(1-j bocurdjrvj~ Shl'() woujd. ~ a.. Mt-~vcud- rat: ~ ~ \,n - ~lm,he tei?ptsdimmesdale to go through with his plans of runmng away by volunteenng to,.~y\ 1 V i{l( 'vtvu-e. ;\I~t.&board the ship with himjevcntually, ~~~~Cllj)"S_p~~~ingworlh' s ~sp by admitting the.. lo\ \ si.n!hat he c?mmited seve~ears ago. By admitting that sin1.~~..ruins Chillingworth's "-""'- --< ~ - +- RLanof --. /~ revenge. l/, Does Dimmesdale consider himself saved or ~~and why does he feel the way he feels? <k A) Dimmesdale considered himself damned because when Hester asks him if they will be in / / Heaven together, he says no. He thinks that his sin is too great that God will not forgive him and he doesn't deserve to be in Heaven.v"'. II. )(\0 laa do.ean-r.~ Corifw.dlds B) Dimmesdale finally feels saved after he admits to his sin.ire realizes that he has put ~OUJ) ~ C C{C*IrY1 everything in Gods hands. When Dimmesdale talks to Hester, she asks him if they will stand together in heaven, Dimmesdale says that descision is ~ Dimmesdale does not know ifhe is not going to heavenjhe ~~ j shoulder when he finally confesses his sin. up to hirrl.e~~er~o god. Although feels a huge weight lifted off his 4. On the scaffold, Dimmesdale asks Hester, "<Isthis not better than what we dreamed of in the forest? '" (232), and she says, "'1 know not! Better? Yea,' so we may both die, and little Pearl die with us! '" (232). Hester thinks he is giving up - she wanted to run away with him. Explain both sides of the argument. Is he giving up, or is he right? In what ways is she right about what they should do, and in what ways is he right?

8 A) Dimmesdale makes the right choice by staying instead of going with Hester because he still CQ.Q(~. t"\ ~co needs to~ his sins; Hester epented, and now it is Dimmesdale' s turn. On the other hand, it is wrong for him to stay instead of going with Hester because Pearl deserves a father. f\o~ IlVOII.:::=t df-wp.. Dimmesdale is abandoning his child and his child's mother, which is not fair toward either of \5 '0(1['-1chC){)GL-to de ~ rifjht~jflc:j is fc, conf~ them. Dimmesdale -loses-ia.eithsr-situation. A B) Dimmesdale is giving up because he does not fight to stay on earth to save Hester and Pearl, Dimmesdale knows that his soul is not saved. Dimmesdale knows that this is the right descision for Hester and Pearl also. Hester thought that Dimmesdale was going to escape town with her -- -PrOm ~a+? and Pearl,~ecasue she thought this w~astheir.best option to protect them algdimmesdale knows. YIO. he is LUlSllre that he is slowly dying.lhe knows God will be merciful of their sin~dimmesd~le is also right t: no..shi4 \.Lp4e:tbecause he knows he will not be able to live with his guilt@ester is finally accepting his sham~ 2 5. When Pearl kisses Dimmesdale, the novel says "the spell is broken" (234). She is now finally free to grow up to be a normal woman. Why did she finally kiss him? What "curse" was she under - what role did she have to play? Why needn't she play this role anymore? A) Pearl was the result of a sin, and has grown up knowing that she was the price ~ that..fay- Mvl si'n Hester had to pay. She was fashioned after the scarlet letter, to be reminder of the sin that Hester J committed. Pearl has lived her entire life knowing she is different and is a burden to her mother. be-incr- Her purpose in life is described in the novel as, "errend-as a messenger of anguish was-over" ft'"lj! 1Ht- '})\m~&:t..le.:d CDV1f~-&n...i-J o o x h.0i,- (Hawthorne 234). She breaks her existence as she knows it by KIssing Dimmesllare,a:nd thus ~a!s c.uh,.s\tv. ~\ss~ him freeing herself from the burden of guilt and anguish that was placed on her by her parent~pearl rr:-:~b :J no longer has to play ~ ecause the secret of who her father is, is disclosed. \Y ' cbn-ha~~ vol~ ~ ~ kvi '(J ~ 1u O~n 0P.±? ~ SI(\S

9 ~ 0- bit optimisft B) Pearl finally kisses Dimmesdale becuase she feels as though he really loves her. Dimmesdale... S V\..Q.. d1a,v~ ~ ()6 7Y--- no longer carnes his guilt. Pearl n. w kno~ who her fatmr is,' and SIieWill forever have closure /}..»<:: -~~ Iou.,{- only L- Vl01 m lst(cclv WIth Iurn. earl can rnov~)and sh~ will know that Iier. a her loves her. \If P~!f'~;JfI 6. What does Dimmesdale's confession teach Hester? U\L~cC ~) BROil i'hiilling::cftir lege all "flid SaCnretlHflftif cricrgs "eclfmc lrio RHinn I It I utls * hi s wj ssjn cl f2jf2nw woo webb. '*'&2 $ 1; s}, n me idsl 6l add has POfhjns left *0 dq kg! rr-#wr pg his Enter (f{wtb?3u) e 1\ 58 RW e _,"lent!! I : 3 tl J 83 +stfiqq;th J@ftaHth&a@ W?f@ifWr&g* woo 52 mug mf 3]1 he hn. mtbjpshft to is hutto dwr p i* i 'c.,t _.LL J -to c?,<:1;r' Sll Jvrr '.. O~iml.jn,-- B) Dimmesdale's confession teaches Hester that if the truth is spoken, positive outcomes will lie C s ahead. He calls himself "the one sinner of the world." After Dimmesdale speaks his confession, he stands upright again, symbolizing that Chillingworth has no more control over his physical OY\.Q.. +e..u6 eflr..:. y.eciq..,los and emotional being. This teaches Hester that when fie401d the truth about).? > sin, ~1-t-him..sMt: LbV\~ro\ -agam. No one could negatively affect him, especially Chillingworth. Since the leech's bond was broken from Chillingworth to Dimmesdale, Chillingworth becomes weak, and Dimmesdale hob) his bcd.u t.cp becomes normal again, not having to rely on Hester. -(f.+\.q.+~ad1qa \/lqa +0 J.A~<2 ~<2.SPONS\B\L-\-rY for ~ S\~ 0\ ~?-' LLhoe hol.o wtji bad it- -}Y-t,U\} W~~! Chapter Twenty-Four l. Hawthorne says the moral of this "miserable experience" is "Be true! Be true! Be true! -::::=--::::: ::;--- Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!" (238) - How does the novel teach this lesson?

10 A) Throughout the novel, both Hester and Dimmesdale have kept their adultury a secret. Yet that caused them pain both internally and physically. Dimmesdale wants to confess and is eaten away by his guilt until he confesses to the market place. After the truth comes out he feels free of ~ ). that guilt. Hester, though more reluctant to being true, does see the good of being truej}he is A ~ N~~c:.e finally truthful with herself that she, and she alone, cause~ herself this pai~+kto do you. fqlouj; f2)j ~ his or ~ B) This novel teaches that if ~s always true with t~ word, only positive outcomes lie. " h;m~4. ahead. When the truth IS spoken, a perso eels better about ~@-l.- es, and to tell the whole ld ~~~. kes i. b...:.1_ h. ~ hcu>'. d bi~'~~'ll I. 1), /I ()o\jf! ~ra wor sins ma es It easier to ea~ ~ t e sins h=j committe.' WI on y get '""!IA..)C.-- +~ omqi) him hjfyi ls~'.o -.. someone so far before it overc~ jb.erfl, making tljei1l weak, as Dimmesdale was for not..-i-jhl+\v,",?-. II\~. r- ja~'~\l\r\... It sholes \r rv"1 b1lnct 5*-.Gt-cts at ke, ~,, It'd confessing his sm. 1_' ~"...J 1 _I a A '+ Sh" '".. --:J '". -L. '1'1 fi f rw?±s pe--...c.p\..q... + o~~n L.~ -'VlCL---I ~1'l3 ii{j2. 2. Why did Chillin;;Worth iose all of his strength and energy after Dimmesdale's death? ~~ A) Roger Chiillingworth lost all of his strength and energy because his life's one and only mission of revenge had come to an end. Roger Chillingworth spent all of his time and devotion I(~ to his mission of revenge, and now that it has come to an end, he has s'pe~t the last oj\b..lsenergy ~,; In (..Uhich ls'? c-rkq-:deui ) -0J\JQA~U( and has nothing left to do, but return to hiss (Hawthorne 238). All of Roger " Chillingworth's energy and strength left with the revenge that was no more, and now he has nothing left to do, but to die an evil man. r: ""flt ( B) Chillingworth has made it his life's final purpose to exact revenge, and, after Dimmesdale's tjreav,. - death, has no further purpose in life. His evil intentions had fueled him into spending years of his life slowly and meticulously tormenting the minister, which he succeeded in doing. Hawthorne describes his strength leaving him, saying, "All his strength and energy-all his vital and intellectual force-seemed to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shrivelled [sic] away, and almost vanished from mortal sight, like an uprooted weed that lies wilting in the

11 sun" (238). Chillingworth had become consumed by his pursuit of vengeance, and had nothing / left; "This unhappy man had made the very principle of his life to consist in the pursuit and systematic exercise of revenge; and when, by its completest triumph and consummation, that evil principle was left with no further material to support it, [... ] it only remained for the unhumanized mortal to betake himself whither his Master would find him tasks enough and pay py0.'i' 0 u...6l* him wages duly" (238). Chillingworth, described prim as a leech, has lost his source of vitality, d di. hi h./ r:iayl.ev idu1cq cf- LLf1n IJ I ISiS an res WIt III t e year. vovvv.. LA..A.A.-f 3. Why does Hester return to Salem and continue to wear the scarlet letter, and what does this teach? How does the way she chooses to live the rest of her life prove that she has finally learned to face her sin and her past? A) Hester returns to Salem and continues to wear the scarlet letter because she has finally "* accepted her sin as part of her and wants to do her penance at the site of her sin. Hawthorne explains: "Here had been her sin; here, her sorrow; and here was yet to be her penitence. She had returned, therefore, and resumed,-of her own free will, for not the sternest magistrate of that iron period would have imposed it,-resumed the symbol of which we have related so dark"../ (240). Hester is able to recognize her sin and accept the scarlet letter. Hester wants her ~ fu,repentance to occur in Salem to correspond with her sin. This teache:,~that accepting one's sins Y.A leads to greater things. Alter Hester accepts her sin and the scarlet letter, the VIew oi the letter, as / well as the view of Hester, changes greatly. People no longer look dow~on the letter, and Hester is seen as a wise individual who women often come to for advice9=he way she chooses to J'\ live the rest of her life prove that she has finally learned to face her sin because she stays in Salem and wears the scarlet letter by her own free will. Furthermore, she doesn't shy away from her sin at all. She uses...

12 B) Hester returns to Salem to live out the remainder of her life because she feels connected to the place. Hester continues to feel the need to serve out her punishment in the town, and she comes back because she still loves Dimmesdale. Hester wears her letter and resumes her shame. The letter, over time, became a sign deserving pity not shame. Hester and Dimmesdale are buried ~~s\t~~ther «fulfilling their emallo~ester truly earns forgiveness by devoting her life to charity. Hester learns that what she did was wrong, even though she was in love, and she devotes her life) ~ to others as an act of contrition. 4. Hester says that one day a woman will come and she will show that "sacred love should make us happy" (241). What does she mean? How did her both her marriage and her sin teach her this? A) When Hester says that sacred love should make us happ:jiester means that i rder to be happy marriage should be for lot'. Hester was in a loveless marrige and strayed to fi d lov~e ) :::= ::::= [laid 41'lCLt tjc:w a. (~6 10o. love she found with Dimmesdale was not sacred. Neither love was perfect, so i rder to perfect ~ vnwi1i.ecf 4 iv1 CO ;\ happiness, marry-fer-leve. ~ )I 5. How is Hester both a secret-keeper and a liar, and what is this story saying about secrets and lies? A) Hester is a secret-keeper in that she refuses to reveal both who Chillingworth was and who i<./. "..Rearl's father was. She lies to Pearl about the scarlet letter and lies to herself that she is not to,(\ I~S.~,./ I poilu blame for all that has happened. Through this}he story reveals that secrets and lies cause more --fttcd- wh,'ch -K harm and pain than they are meant to cover up. Hester, not meaning to, hurts Pearl, Dimmesdale,.Il and herself more with these lies than if she had confessed to them the first time she was asked. ;e S/tt. ji(" B) Hester keeps the secret of her lover and lies to herself Hester is proven as a secret-keeper ) -1 because she never admits who her adulterer was, how it happened, or any details that involved

13 the Si~%e also hid ChillingWort~identity for 7 year~e is proven a liar by i~o herself, A saying that she can take off this scarlet letter and become normal again. She also lies to Pearl, not telling her the truth of her conception, and never telling her that Dimmesdale was her partner.~ --HoW [i~crets and lies only added to the guilt and shame that Hester and Dimmesdale feldthe story so? teaches that lies will tear souls apart while the truth will set them free. NJ2J+irlV1 ~ hovj SUyI..iCf;!J ~ hw1ryl~'