The Scarlet Letter

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The Scarlet Letter
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HISTORY and BEYOND

• Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Salem Witch Trials
• Synopsis
• Character descriptions
• Discussion Questions
• Activities
• Suggested Readings

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NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

• One of the most complex and celebrated American
  writers in our history
• Was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1804
• A direct descendant of John Hathorne, a judge at
  the Salem witchcraft trials.
• In The Custom House, his introduction to the The
  Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne includes an appeal to
  remove any witches curses on his family.

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SALEM WITCHCRAFT TRIALS

• The newly settled Puritan town of Salem,
  Massachusetts, exploded in 1692 with accusations
  of witchcraft and deviltry.
• Before the fear and hysteria diminished, dozens
  of women had been tried and executed as witches.

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SYNOPSIS

• This is a story about Hester Prynnes adulterous
  relationship with a young minister, Arthur
  Dimmesdale.
• This novel explores the conflict between private
  truth and public appearances.
• It also explores the choice between sin and
  salvation.

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CHARACTERS

• Hester Prynne
• Reverend Dimmesdale
• Pearl
• Roger Chillingworth

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Hester Prynne

• Hester is one of the strongest and self-assured
  female characters in literature.
• The rose symbolizes Hester and her unsuppressable
  spirit.
• She brings goodness and morality into the story.

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Reverend Dimmesdale

• Rev. Dimmesdale has a white(good) brow,
  suggesting that he knows what is right.
• He has dark, melancholy eyes, which if viewed as
  the windows to Dimmesdales soul says something
  about his character.
• The darkness in his soul supercedes the goodness
  in his head.

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Pearl

• Pearl is often identified with the color red.
• The color red is associated with evil she is not
  an evil child in the true sense of the word, but
  she is a reflection of her parents immorality
  and love.
• Just like the red rose at the beginning, Pearl is
  meant to relieve the sorrow and misery.

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Roger Chillingworth

• Chillingworth seeks and is motivated by revenge
  and control.
• He acted like a trusted friend and confidant to
  Dimmesdale, but becomes the cause for the
  ultimate element of betrayal.
• Chillingworth has become a witch suggesting he is
  the devil himself.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• 1. Why was Hester Prynne perceived as a threat
  to her Puritan community?
• 2. Why is Hester sentenced to wear an A?
• 3. What is the setting of The Scarlet Letter?
• 4. Why did Puritans come to America?
• 5. What secrets do Hester and Chillingworth
  promise to keep?

• 6. What was the definition of a witch in
  17th-century Puritan society?
• 7. What horrifying sight did Chillingworth see
  on Dimmesdales chest?
• 8. What are some key symbols in the novel, and
  what do they represent?

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ACTIVITIES
Modern illustrated cartoon books and movies for
children have popularized many classic works of
literature. Here we are going to make The Scarlet
Letter into a cartoon, comic strip, or cartoon
book. Procedure Step 1 Select a main character
for your cartoon or comic strip. Step 2
Consider your audience. Will your cartoon or
comic strip be for adults or children? Submit a
one-paragraph proposal to me before proceeding
with your design. If your audience is primarily
adult, you may want to consider creating a
political cartoon, or retelling the story from
the point of view of a different character. For
example, what if Hester Prynne had written The
Scarlet Letter?
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ACTIVITIES (continued)
Step 3 Plan your story ideas. In your journal,
write ideas from the novel that you remember the
best or that made a lasting impression
on you. Recreate the incident using the language,
tone, or mood of the character you have selected
to feature in your cartoon. Once you have an
outline of your ideas, think of illustrations you
can apply to your text. Step 4 Create your
Great Cartoon. Here is one suggestion for
assembling your ideas into a cartoon or comic
strip. 1) ANIMATION Illustrate your story
through simple animation. Create your animated
story by drawing two images that appear to
move. Here is what to do Take two pieces of
paper (3 x 7 inches). Place one on top of the
other. On the top sheet draw the first image.
Then place it underneath. Now draw the second
image. Place it under the first one. Once your
two images are drawn, staple the two sheets
together on one end. Take a pencil and
roll the unstapled end of the top piece of paper
until you can see the image that you drew on the
paper underneath. Hold your papers in
place, and quickly roll the pencil
back and forth to create animated motion.

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SUGGESTED Further READINGS
The Blithedale Romance (Nathaniel Hawthorne,
Oxford, New York Oxford University Press,
1991) A novel about a socialist community in
Brook Farm, Roxbury. Nathaniel Hawthorne, New
Critical Essays (A. Robert Lee (Editor), London
Vision Press Totowa, N.J.
Barnes Noble, 1982) Book includes a collection
of critical essays of Hawthorne and his
works. Understanding the Scarlet
Letter A Student Casebook to Issues, Sources,
and Historical Documents (Claudia D. Johnson,
Greenwood Press, 1995)
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Source of this PP

• http//www.fsu.edu/CandI/ENGLISH/pow.htm