Study Questions for The Scarlet Letter: Chapters 1-4, Summaries of English Literature

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STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS

SHORT ANSWER STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - The Scarlet Letter

Chapters 1-

1. Identify Hester Prynne, Pearl, Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth.
2. What emblem did Hester have to wear? Why was she sentenced to wear it?
3. What information did Hester refuse to tell the officials and Mr. Dimmesdale?
4. What was the relationship between Hester and Roger Chillingworth?
5. What did Hester promise to Roger Chillingworth?

Chapters 5-

1. Hester is released from prison. Why doesn't she run away to a different settlement?
2. How did Hester support herself and Pearl?
3. Describe Pearl.
4. Describe Hester's feelings towards Pearl.
5. Why did Hester go to see Governor Bellingham?
6. What did Hester and Pearl see in the breastplate of the armor? What is the significance of the exaggeration?

Chapters 8-

1. Mr. Wilson asks Pearl, "Canst thou tell me, my child, who made thee?" What is Pearl's answer? Why did she say that?
2. What convinced the Governor to let Hester keep Pearl?
3. How did Roger Chillingworth become Dimmesdale's medical advisor?
4. Who is the leech? Why is he called that in the title of the chapter?
5. Why did Mr. Dimmesdale rush from the room to end the conversation he had with Roger Chillingworth?

Chapters 11-

1. What does Rev. Dimmesdale's congregation think of him? Why is that ironic?
2. Where did Mr. Dimmesdale go at midnight? Why?
3. What did Pearl ask Mr. Dimmesdale?
4. What "sign" did the meteor make in the sky?
5. Where had Mr. Wilson, Hester, Pearl and Roger Chillingworth been that night, that they would all be walking by the scaffolding at midnight?
6. What was the other view of Hester?

Chapters 14-

1. What did Hester tell Roger Chillingworth when they met on the peninsula?
2. Why do Hester and Pearl go to the forest?
3. When Mr. Dimmesdale finds out that Roger Chillingworth is out for revenge, he knows his religious career in Boston will be at an end and his life will be miserable. What does Hester suggest?

ANSWER KEY: STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS - The Scarlet Letter

Chapters 1-

1. Identify Hester Prynne, Pearl, Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth. Hester Prynne is the main character of the novel. She is the one who has sinned and must wear a letter "A." The Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale talks to Hester on the scaffolding, asking her to reveal the name of the man who sinned with her. In this first section, he appears overly earnest in his questioning of Hester. We later find out that he is, in fact, the other sinner. Roger Chillingworth is Hester's former husband. He remains in Boston under this assumed name and practices medicine. Pearl is Hester's daughter, a result of her affair with Dimmesdale.
2. What emblem did Hester have to wear? Why was she sentenced to wear it? Hester had to wear the letter "A" to show that she is guilty of adultery.
3. What information did Hester refuse to tell the officials and Mr. Dimmesdale? Hester refused to name the man who sinned with her.
4. What was the relationship between Hester and Roger Chillingworth? Hester had married Roger Prynne prior to coming to America. He loved her, but she didn't love him. It was a marriage they both hoped would work out, but she was never satisfied with the relationship. They were separated on the way to the colony, and when he didn't show up for a year, she assumed he was dead. He appeared in Boston on the day of her public punishment and assumed the name Chillingworth.
5. What did Hester promise to Roger Chillingworth? Hester promised not to reveal Roger's true identity.

Chapters 5-

1. Hester is released from prison. Why doesn't she run away to a different settlement? "Here... had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment; and so, perchance, the torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul."
2. How did Hester support herself and Pearl? Hester did needlework.
3. Describe Pearl. Pearl was a physically beautiful child. Hester could "recognize her wild, desperate, defiant mood, the flightiness of her temper, and even some of the... gloom and despondency that brooded in her heart."

4. Describe Hester's feelings towards Pearl. Hester loved Pearl very much. She was always a little worried that, being the product of a sin, the child would exhibit some odd characteristics showing her as a child of the devil.
5. Why did Hester go to see Governor Bellingham? Hester went to see the governor because she had heard some people saying she should not have custody of Pearl. She wanted to talk to the governor to get him to let her keep the child.
6. What did Hester and Pearl see in the breastplate of the armor? What is the significance of the exaggeration? They see an enlarged, distorted letter "A" which symbolically shows the tremendous burden of Hester's sin. When people see her, they perhaps see her as she saw herself in the armor.

Chapters 8-

1. Mr. Wilson asks Pearl, "Canst thou tell me, my child, who made thee?" What is Pearl's answer? Why did she say that? She replies that she was plucked from the rose bush. She knew the correct answer but felt contrary.
2. What convinced the Governor to let Hester keep Pearl? Both Hester and Mr. Dimmesdale told the governor that Pearl was a constant reminder to Hester of her sin and that Hester was capable of being a good mother since she could pass along to Pearl the lessons she had learned since she had sinned.
3. How did Roger Chillingworth become Dimmesdale's medical advisor? The elder ministers of Boston and the deacons of the church "dealt with him" about the sin of rejecting medical help, so he saw Roger Chillingworth.
4. Who is the leech? Why is he called that in the title of the chapter? Roger Chillingworth is the leech. He is called that because he has latched on to Mr. Dimmesdale and is systematically not only sucking out information but also the life of Mr. Dimmesdale under the guise of being a helpful doctor.
5. Why did Mr. Dimmesdale rush from the room to end the conversation he had with Roger Chillingworth? Chillingworth suggested that Mr. Dimmesdale's illness was not just physical but rooted in some secret Mr. Dimmesdale held in his soul. Dimmesdale, recognizing Chillingworth's accuracy, does not wish to reveal his sin to anyone. He runs out of the room to avoid being trapped into a confession.

2. Mr. Dimmesdale kissed Pearl. What did she do in response? She ran to the brook and washed it off.
3. How did Rev. Mr. Dimmesdale's attitude change after he decided to leave Boston with Hester? He felt better and had more energy. He also has a real temptation to do some very bad things like "uttering certain blasphemous suggestions... regarding the communion supper" or teaching some wicked words to Puritan children.

Chapters 22-

1. What shocking news did the commander of the Bristol ship bring Hester? She learned that Chillingworth had also booked passage on the ship.
2. What did Mr. Dimmesdale tell the people of New England before he died? He confessed that he was the one who had sinned with Hester, that Pearl was his child.
3. What did the people see when Mr. Dimmesdale took off his ministerial band? Some say they saw a scarlet letter.
4. What happens to Hester, Pearl and Roger Chillingworth? Chillingworth died within a year, leaving his property to Pearl, who we are led to believe married and lived on that property in England. Hester vanished with Pearl, but later she supposedly returned to Boston to finish her penance sentence there. She supposedly died there years later and was buried, we assume next to Dimmesdale.

PREREADING VOCABULARY

WORKSHEETS

Vocabulary Worksheet Scarlet Letter Chapters 1-4 Continued

Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.

1. demeanor A. lessen; reduce in amount or degree
2. venerable B. unfortunate; ill-omened
3. ignominy C. manner; way in which a person conducts himself
4. inauspicious D. evil fame or reputation
5. impropriety E. worthy of reverence or respect
6. abate F. something improper, incorrect; not appropriate
7. irks G. dishonor; infamy; disgraceful conduct
8. infamy H. annoys

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 5-

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the underlined words mean in the space provided.

1. But there is a fatality, a feeling so irresistible and inevitable that it has the force of doom,....
2. It was as if a new birth... had converted the forest-land, still so uncongenial to every other pilgrim and wanderer, into Hester Prynne's wild and dreary, but life-long home.
3. She bore on her breast... a specimen of her delicate and imaginative skill, of which the dames of a court might gladly have availed themselves, to add the richer and more spiritual adornment of human ingenuity to their fabrics of silk and gold. 4.... even the silence of those with whom she came in contact, implied, and often expressed, that she was banished.... 5.... it seared Hester's bosom so deeply, that perhaps there was more truth in the rumor than our modern incredulity may be inclined to admit.
4. We have as yet hardly spoken of the infant; that little creature, whose innocent life had sprung, by the inscrutable decree of Providence, a lovely and immortal flower, out of the rank luxuriance of a guilty passion.
5. Pearl's aspect was imbued with a spell of infinite variety; in this one child there were many children....
6. It was a look so intelligent, yet inexplicable, so perverse, sometimes so malicious, but generally accompanied by a wild flow of spirits...
7. Another and far more important reason than the delivery of a pair of embroidered gloves impelled Hester, at this time, to seek an interview with a personage of so much power

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 8-

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the underlined words mean in the space provided.

1.... this badge hath taught me... lessons whereof my child may be the wiser and better, albeit they can profit nothing to myself.

2. The elders, the deacons, the motherly dames, and the young and fair maidens, of Mr. Dimmesdale's flock, were alike importunate that he should make trial of the physician's frankly offered skill. Mr. Dimmesdale gently repelled their entreaties.
3. Roger Chillingworth possessed all, or most, of the attributes above enumerated. 4.... it truly seemed that this sagacious, experienced, benevolent old physician... was the very man of all mankind to be constantly within reach of his voice.
4. He groped along as stealthily, with as cautious a tread, and as wary an outlook, as a thief entering a chamber where a man lies only half asleep.... 6.... Mr. Dimmesdale... would become vaguely aware that something inimical to his peace had thrust itself into relation with him.
5. Why should not the guilty ones sooner avail themselves of this unutterable solace?

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 8-10 Continued

Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.

18. albeit A. wise
19. importunate B. not conducive; harmful; adverse
20. entreaties C. stubbornly persistent in a request or demand
21. enumerated D. although
22. sagacious E. make use of; benefit
23. wary F. pleas; petitions; requests
24. inimical G. listed
25. avail H. cautious

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 11-13 Continued

Part II: Determining the Meaning -- Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions.

26. unamiable A. lowered in rank; humbled; humiliated
27. iniquity B. covering that darkens or obscures
28. pall C. not good natured; not agreeable
29. impute D. anticipated and disposed of effectively
30. abased E. sin; wickedness
31. benign F. to attribute
32. insurmountable G. of a kind disposition; gentle or mild
33. obviated H. not capable of being climbed or overcome

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 14-

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the underlined words mean in the space provided.

1. Yea, indeed!--he did not err!--there was a fiend at his elbow!
2. The unfortunate physician... lifted his hands with a look of horror, as if he had beheld some frightful shape, which he could not recognize, usurping the place of his own image in a glass. 3.... I shall stoop to implore thy mercy.
3. At first, as already told, she had flirted fancifully with her own image in a pool of water, beckoning the phantom forth, and... seeking a passage for herself into its sphere of impalpable earth and unattainable sky.
4. "And what reason is that?" asked Hester, half smiling at the absurd incongruity of the child's observation....
5. She possessed affections, too, though hitherto acrid and disagreeable, as are the richest flavors of unripe fruit.
6. Here they sat down on a luxuriant heap of moss, which, at some epoch of the preceding century, had been a gigantic pine....

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 18-

Part I: Using Prior Knowledge and Contextual Clues Below are the sentences in which the vocabulary words appear in the text. Read the sentence. Use any clues you can find in the sentence combined with your prior knowledge, and write what you think the underlined words mean.

1. "Hasten, Pearl; or I shall be angry with thee!" cried Hester Prynne, who, however inured to such behavior on the elf-child's part at other seasons, was naturally anxious for a more seemly deportment now.
2. But Pearl, not a whit startled at her mother's threats any more than mollified by her entreaties, now suddenly burst into a fit of passion.... 3.... the intervening space of a single day had operated on his consciousness like the lapse of years. 4.... my good word will go far towards gaining any strange gentleman a fair reception from yonder potentate you wot of!
3. I thank you, and can but requite your good deeds with my prayers.
4. Might there not be an irresistible desire to quaff a last, long, breathless draught of the cup of wormwood and aloes....
5. It might be, on this one day, that there was an expression unseen before, nor, indeed, vivid enough to be detected now; unless some preternaturally gifted observer should have first read the heart, and have afterwards sought a corresponding development in the countenance and mien.

Vocabulary - The Scarlet Letter Chapters 18-21 Continued

Part II: Determining the Meaning Match the vocabulary words to their dictionary definitions. If there are words for which you cannot figure out the definition by contextual clues and by process of elimination, look them up in a dictionary.

41. inured A. repay
42. intervening B. calmed; pacified
43. mollified C. to have become used to something undesirable
44. potentate D. one's bearing or manner; appearance
45. requite E. to drink heartily
46. quaff F. coming between so as to hinder or modify
47. mien G. monarch; one who holds power or position over others