answersLogoWhite

0

When Hester is forced to stand upon the scaffold, she reminisces about her early

years, life in England before she moved to Boston and her mother and father.

For further insight, I recommend No Fear Literature-The Scarlet Letter produced by sparknotes.com or the shorter simpler summery and analysis also by sparknotes.com

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What things does Hester thing about while she is on the scaffold?

she thinks about her life before she moved to Boston


What is significant about the fact that Pearl will not bring her the scarlet letter but makes her pick it up for herself?

Pearl not bringing the scarlet letter symbolizes Hester's journey towards self-acceptance and taking responsibility for her actions. By making Hester pick up the letter herself, Pearl subtly forces her mother to confront her past and come to terms with the consequences of her actions. This action represents a turning point in Hester's character development and her willingness to bear the symbol of her sin with dignity.


How does the town feel about Hester?

In a Scarlet Letter, the town at first hated her, but grew to accept her a little bit more as the years go on, giving her things for her to sew for them (but never anything for a wedding).


What does hawthorne say about hester's looks in the scarlett letter?

In "The Scarlet Letter," Nathaniel Hawthorne describes Hester Prynne as being beautiful yet marked by the scarlet letter, which serves as a symbol of her sin. He portrays her as both captivating and tainted, highlighting the complex nature of her character.


In The Scarlet Letter describe Hesters home?

Hester's home was a nice little cottage with garden with weeds spewed about. Pine trees surrounded the cottage. Inside were various things such as sticks, rags and flowers that Pearl used as playthings. -nail


Who is Pearl from The Scarlet Letter?

She is the human form of Hester's sin. Just like the scarlet letter "A" is an example of Hester's sin, Pearl is as well. She walks alongside Hester as constant reminder of Hester's isolation and suffering. She also reminds Reverand Dimmsdale of his sin.


In what ways do you think people make up or atone for things they have done wrong in the Scarlet Letter?

In "The Scarlet Letter," characters make up for their wrongs by acknowledging their sins, seeking redemption through suffering and repentance, and ultimately striving for personal growth and moral transformation. The act of atonement involves grappling with guilt and shame, accepting consequences, and working towards reconciliation with oneself and others. Some characters find redemption through acts of selflessness and self-awareness, while others struggle to overcome the burden of their sins.


What are some open-ended questions about The Scarlet Letter?

Hester Prynne committed adultery with a colonial town's preacher, Dimmesdale. She was convicted and sentenced to wear a scarlet A on her chest for the rest of her days. She also had to stand upon the town's pillory the first day out of jail so everyone would know who she was. Hester also had a child by this adultery escapade, and her name was Pearl. Pearl helped her through with her deals of being an adulteress, but Hester often thought of her as someone else's child. Meanwhile, Dimmesdale is tortered mentally because Hester will not say who she commited adultery with and Dimmesdale will not come out and say it himself. Hester's husband came to her while she was in jail and spoke with her. He made her promise that she would not say that she was his wife, and he changed his name to Robert Chillingworth. During the story, Chillingworth tries to find out who she commited adultery with so he can take revenge. Eventually, Dimmesdale becomes so sick, Chillingworth takes him in and takes care of him. (Chillingworth is the town's doctor) He suspects that the town reverend is the one guilty of this crime, but is careful about what he does about it. Over time, Hester becomes more callous to the insults and takes a more active role in the community. Towards the end of the story, Chillingworth gave her permission to say who he was. Hester soon met with Dimmesdale in the woods and told him. They planned to escape back to England with Pearl on a ship that came in port. Dimmesdale's health became better and Hester continued with her plans. When the time came, Dimmesdale gave a sermon to the town, which the town considered to be his best. During his sermon, Hester learns that Chillingworth knows who Dimmesdale is and about their plans. Chillingworth had manage to make himself the doctor aboard their ship of escape. However, Dimmesdale also reveals his crime to the town and falls to the ground, ill. Pearl and Hester rush to see him, and Pearl finally gets to kiss her father. Dimmesdale dies at the end and Chillingworth becomes enraged. In the Epilogue, Hester had made it to another land and it is unknown what had happened to Pearl. It does mention that Pearl did send many sentimental things to her mother and things to take care of her, but Hester did nothing with them. Hester eventually moved back to that town that had sentenced her to her punishment and wore the scarlet letter once again. She was buried next to Dimmesdale, but with enough dirt to separate the two eternally. Her grave marker was marked a scarlet A.


What must hester do to make things right with dimmesdale?

Hester must confess his sins and repent in order to make things right with Dimmesdale.


How is life like for Hester and Pearl after Hester is punished?

The scarlet letter on her bosom is the reason why she was ridiculed, hated, and talked about by the other puritans in the town. She had to remain separated from the man she loved (dimmesdale) for 7 years, in order to preserve the secret. She also had to keep the secret that Chillingworth was her husband, and that he was torturing Dimmesdale. She had to raise Pearl all by herself, without a fatherly figure and live isolated from the community.


What were the first two things Puritans built upon arriving to the new colony in the scarlet letter?

Upon arriving at the new colony in "The Scarlet Letter," the Puritans built a jail and a cemetery. These structures reflected the strict and unforgiving nature of the Puritan society portrayed in the novel.


How does Dimmesdale try to purify his body in Scarlet Letter?

Dimmesdale, since he did commit adultery with Hester, saw himself as a failure. He thought that he had commited a great sin and the only way to make things any better in the light of God was for him to be exposed to the town. However, he couldn't bring himself to admit to it in front of the town until the end of the book. He wanted Hester to reveal him; to show him to the town. She promised him that she wouldn't. So he continued to torture himself, and to make himself pay for the wrong that he did until he admited to it before he died.