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Scarlet Letter Study Guide

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Scarlet Letter Study Guide
Scarlet Letter Study Guide
1/6/12
1. Hester Prynne- Hester Prynne, the protagonist of the novel, is the mother of Pearl. She must wear the scarlet letter A on her body as punishment for her adulterous affair with Arthur Dimmesdale, the town minister.
Pearl- Hester's daughter.
Rev. Dimmesdale - Arthur Dimmesdale is a respected minister in Boston and the father of Pearl. While Hester waited for her husband to arrive from Amsterdam, she met Dimmesdale and had an adulterous affair with him, which led to the birth of their daughter.
Roger Chillingworth- Hester's husband from the Netherlands. Chillingworth arrives in Boston on the day that Hester is publicly shamed and forced to wear the scarlet letter. He vows revenge on the father of Pearl. 2. Hester was condemned to wear the "Scarlet Letter," as punishment for adultery. The scarlet letter was the letter "A" and is a symbol of shame. It was meant to single out the wearer for their sin and ostracize them from the community. Hester's pregnancy and Pearl's subsequent birth were the reason she was publicly shamed by the Puritan community. The scarlet letter is bright red with gold thread. The symbol symbolizes Hester being “able.” 3. Hester refused to tell them who the other adulterer is. 4. Hester and Chillingworth are married. 5. She promises not to reveal his identity (Roger Chillingworth is her husband), especially to the person whom she committed adultery, (which later turns out to be Reverend Dimmesdale). 6. Yes. Dimmesdale was very emotional and his reasons seemed very logical and fair. 1. She wants to prove people she is strong and able. 2. Hester was a super seamstress. Besides sewing for the poor, Hester's creations were all the rage with people who had money. Although shamed, people including the Govorner could not get enough of her stuff. Hester gave most of this money to the poor. 3. Pearl is a free spirit. She bucks the conformity of the Puritan ideology. She runs,

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