TheScarletLetter
Comprehension CheckQuestions-Entire Novel
Chapter 1
1.WhatdoesHawthornedescribe indetailin this first chapter?Writea shortdescriptionofitinyourownwords.
2.Whatwere thefirsttwothingsthePuritansbuiltuponarriving to thenewcolony?Whatdoesthisrevealabouttheneedsandviews ofPuritanculture?
3.Whatdoesthenarratorsayhe hopestherosebushwillsymbolize? Inyourownwords,what canyoupredictabouttheending ofthenovelbaseduponthisstatement?
Chapter 2
1.Whyare all thetownspeoplegathered inthe centeroftown?
2.Describe howthewomen in NewEngland aredifferentfromthegenerationsofwomenbeforethem.
3.Whatis HesterPrynne’srelationshiptoArthurDimmesdale?
4.Describe HesterPrynne.
5.Whatis Hester’scrime?WhatdoestheletterAstandfor?
6.Whywerethewomenupsetwhentheysaw Hester’sembroideredletter?
7.Whatis thescaffold?Whatis it usedfor?
8.Whatis onHester’smind assheserves outthefirst partofherpunishment?
Chapter 3
1.WhatdoesHesternoticeimmediatelyaboutthestrange manbeingaccompaniedbyan Indian?
2.WhatgesturedoesthestrangermaketoHesterwhen he realizesthatsherecognizes him?
3.Whatdoesthestranger telloneof thetownspeopleabouthimself?
4.Whatdoesthetownsmantell thestrangeraboutHester’s crime?What dowelearn aboutHester’shusband?
5.Describe ReverendDimmesdale.
6.Whatdothemagistratesandministers wantHester totell them?Whatdoesshedo?
7.WhatdoesDimmesdale doand sayafterHesterfirmlystates thatshewill notreveal the nameofherlover?
Chapter 4
1.Whywas Hesterplacedunderconstantwatchwhen shereturnedtotheprison?
2.Whatis thestranger’s nameandwhat ishis relationshiptoHester?
3.Chillingworthsays that heandHesterhavebothwrongedeachother.What is hisreasoning behindthis?
4.Whatdoesheask Hester to promisehim?Whydo you thinkheasks this of her?
5.Whatdoeshepromiseto doifHester doesnotfreelyreveal thenameofherlover?
6.Whatis Chillingworth’sresponsewhenHester asks himwhyhe won’t justannouncehimself andcast heroff?
Chapter 5
1.WhydoesHesterdecideto stayclosetohertown insteadofgoing back toEurope or joininganothercommunity?
2.Howdoes Hestermakemoney?(Whatis hergift?)
3.Whatis ironic aboutthetownspeople’swillingnesstopurchaseHester’screations?
4.Howdoes Hesterdress andact?
5.Howis she treated bythetownspeople?Whodoesshedreadthemost? Why?
6.WhathappenswhenHester looksinto theeyesof thetownspeoplewho stare atthescarletletter onherbosom?
Chapter 6
1.Whydid Hester nameher child “Pearl”?
2.Describe howPearlisdressed.Whatreasonis givenfor thewayPearlisdressed?
3.WhatthoughtsdoesHester haveaboutPearl? HowdoesPearlreact topunishment?
4.Whatis Pearl’srelationshipwith theotherchildrenofthetown?Whydo youbelieve this is so?
5.WhoarePearl’splaymates?Whatdoesshedo toentertainherself?
6.Do you think Hester isa martyr, or doyouthink her repentance is sincere?Explain.
Chapter 7
1.WhydoesHester gototheGovernor’shouse?
2.Whatdoestheauthorsayis remarkableaboutPearlandherclothes?
3.WhodoHesterandPearlencounter ontheirwayto theGovernor’shouse?Whatinteractiontakesplace?
4.BrieflydescribetheGovernor’s hall.
5.WhatdoesPearlwantfromtheGovernor’sgarden?Whatdoesshedo whenshe doesn’tget it?What stopsherbehavior?
Chapter 8
1.Whoiswith the Governorwhenhe meetswith Hester?
2.WhatdoesMr.Wilsonask Pearlandwhatdoes shesay?
3.WhospeaksonbehalfofHester at theGovernor’shouse?Whatdoes hesay?
4.WhatdoestheGovernordecideaboutlettingHester raisePearl?Explain.
5.WhoapproachesHesterwhen she leavestheGovernor’shouseandwhatdoesshe say?
Chapter 9
1.Whatis Chillingworth’sposition in thecommunity?
2.Howhas Dimmesdale’sphysicalappearancechanged?
3.TowhatdoesChillingworthdevoteallhisefforts?
4.Whatdoesthewindowat thehomethatChillingworth and Dimmesdalesharelook outover?
5.Whatphysicalchanges is Chillingworthgoingthrough?
6.Whatdothetownspeoplethink is happening toDimmesdale?
Chapter 10
1.Whatis thetopicoftheconversation betweenDimmesdaleandChillingworth thatstarts afightbetweenthem?
2.Whatis Dimmesdale’spositiononthetopic?
3.WhatdoesPearlinsinuate aboutChillingworthwhen sheplayfullytells Hesterthattheyshouldrunaway from thegraveyard?
4.At theendofthechapter,whatdoesChillingworth do to Dimmesdaleandwhat ishis reaction towhat hesees?
5.Whatdoyouthink hesees?
Chapter 11
1.Whatis Chillingworth’snewobsessionanddevotion?
2.WhatdothetownspeoplethinkofDimmesdale?
3.WhatdoesDimmesdaleresolve todo,butnever acts upon?
4.Aside fromChillingworth’sdeliberate torment,what causes Dimmesdale tobeinconstantagony?
5.WhatdoesDimmesdale doatnightwhenheis alone?
Chapter 12
1.WheredoesDimmesdalego atthe beginningofthechapter?Whatdoeshedothere?
2.Whyare theRev.Wilson, HesterandPearl,and Chillingworth out inthemiddleofthenight?
3.Whathappensthatmakes it seemlikemid-dayin the middleofthenight?
4.Whywon’tPearltellDimmesdalewhoChillingworth is?
5.WhatdothetownspeoplethinktheletterAinthepreviousnight’sskymeant?
Chapter 13
1.After Hester’sencounterwithDimmesdaleonthe scaffold,whatworries her andwhat does sheresolve to doabout it?
2.Whatdothetownspeoplebelieve thattheAonHester’schesthasbegun tostandfor?Why?
3.Howhas theattitudeof thetownspeoplechangedtoward Hester?
4.Whatphysical and psychologicalchangeshas Hester undergone?
5.Howdid Pearl’sbirthsave Hester?
Chapter 14
1.WhenHesterandChillingworth first meet,whatdoeshe tell herhehearsisbeingdiscussedamongthemembersofthecouncil?
2.Howdoes Hester respondtothis?
3.Whatphysicalchanges doesHesternoticeas she looksatChillingworth?
4.WhatdoesHester tellChillingworth she wants todo?
5.Whatis Chillingworth’sresponse?
6.Whatdoyouthink hemeansby,“Lettheblackflower blossomas itmay!”
Chapter 15
1.WhatdoesPearldowhile HesterandChillingworthspeak?
2.WhatdoesPearlsayaboutwhyHesterwears theA?What is theconnectionthatshemakes?
3.Whatis Hester’s dilemmaabouttelling Pearlthetruemeaning behindthescarletletter thatshewears?
4.WhydoesHester sayshe wears theA?What is significantaboutthis?
5.WhatdoesHesterdowhen Pearlcontinues topesterherabouttheletter?
Chapter 16
1.WhatdoesPearlsayis the reasonthatthesunshines onher,butnot hermother?
2.WhatdoesPearlbelieve aboutthescarletletter?
3.WhatdoesPearlask Hesterwhentheysit andtake abreak intheforest?
4.WhatresponsedoesHestergive?
5.WhatcommentdoesPearlmake abouttheBlack ManandDimmesdale?
Chapter 17
1.BrieflysummarizewhatDimmesdale tells Hesterwhen sheasks, “Istherenorealityin the penitencethus sealedandwitnessed bygoodworks?Andwhereforeshould itnotbringyoupeace?”
2.WhatdoesHesterreveal toDimmesdale?What ishis reaction?
3.Whatis thethreatthatloomsover Hester, Pearl, andDimmesdaleif theyrevealChillingworth’s trueidentity?
4.WhatdoesHestersuggest theydo?
5.Whatis Dimmesdale’sattitudeaboutlifeatthispoint? Howdoeshefeelemotionallyand physically?
Chapter 18
1.WhohavebeenHester’steachersintheselastsevenyears,accordingto thenarrator?
2.Howhas Dimmesdalelived the pastsevenyears?
3.WhatdoesHesterdoin the middleoftheforestthatallows the suntoshine onher?
4.Howdoes shefeelandlook afterdoing so?
5.Describe Pearl’s relationshipwithnature.
Chapter 19
1.WhydoesPearlhesitatetoreturntohermotherwhen she is called?
2.WhatdoesPearlwantHestertodobeforeshe comesback toher?
3.Describe Pearl’sactionsuponreturning tohermother.
4.WhatdoesHester tellPearlaboutDimmesdale?
5.WhatdoesPearldoafterDimmesdale kissesher?Whydo youthinkshedoesthis?
Chapter 20
1.Whathave Hester andDimmesdaledecidedto doabouttheirsituation?
2.As Dimmesdalewalks back throughtown, who doesheencounter?WhatdoesDimmesdaledoor gettheurge to dotoeachperson?Whydo youthinkDimmesdalefeelsthisway? Explain.
3.WhatdoesMistressHibbinstellDimmesdale?
4.WhatdoesDimmesdale tellChillingworthwhen hegetsbackhome?
5.WhatdoesDimmesdale dothatevening andall throughthenight?
Chapter 21
1.Describe Election Dayandhowit is celebrated.
2.WhatdoesPearlask HesteraboutDimmesdale?
3.WhatobservationdoesPearlmakeaboutDimmesdale’sinteractionwith them?
4.Whatnews does Hesterreceive just beforetheprocession starts?
5.Whoisstaringandsmiling at her ominously?
Chapter 22
1.Howhas Dimmesdale’sappearancechanged?
2.Describe theverbalinteraction betweenMistressHibbinsandHester.WhatdoesHibbonstell Pearl?
3.WheredoesHesterstandto listentothesermon?Why?
4.Whatnews does Hesterreceiveduringthesermon?
5.WhatdoesHesterrealizewhile she is standingbythescaffold?
Chapter 23
1.Whatdothetownspeople sayaboutDimmesdale’ssermon?
2.WhatdoesDimmesdale doinsteadoffollowing the procession out?Whathappens?
3.Whatis Chillingworth’sreactiontothescene?
4.WhatdoesPearldorightbeforeDimmesdaledies?Whathappensas aresult?
5.Howdo thetownspeopleinitiallyreact towhattheywitness?
Chapter 24
1.After afewdays,what are thetownspeople’sdifferentreactionstothescenethattookplaceonElectionDay?
2.WhatdoesChillingworth dofor Pearlafterhedies?
3.WhatdoPearlandHester do afterChillingworth dies?
4.WhydoesHester come backtoher cottageafterbeingawayfor so long?
5.Whatbecomesher newrole in the community?
6.Whatdopeopleassumehappened toPearl?Whatcluesprove this?
7.Whereis Hesterburied?
8.Whatis significantabouthowshe is buried inrelationtoherformerlover?