ELA CCGPS American Literature (11th Grade)
areas shaded in grey are taught throughout the year
***** The Scarlet Letter and Ethan Frome standards are highlighted in pink.
READING
Literary
Informational
Primary Focus 1st and 3rd Nine Weeks
Primary Focus 2nd and 4th Nine Weeks
ELACC11-12RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
ELACC11-12RI1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves
uncertain.
matters uncertain.
ELACC11-12RL2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of
ELACC11-12RI2: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and
text and analyze their development over the course of the text,
analyze their development over the course of the text, including
including how they interact and build on one another to produce a
how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex
complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.
ELACC11-12RL3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding
ELACC11-12RI3: Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact
how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a
and develop over the course of the text.
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
ELACC11-12RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
ELACC11-12RI4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;
they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly
meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how
fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other
Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
authors.)
ELACC11-12RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
ELACC11-12RI5: Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or
structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument,
end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic
engaging.
impact.
ELACC11-12RL6: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
ELACC11-12RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is
a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how
really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or
beauty of the text.
Rev. 5-12
1
ELA CCGPS American Literature (11th Grade)
areas shaded in grey are taught throughout the year
ELACC11-12RL7: Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or
poem (e.g., recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or
poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.
(Include at least one play by Shakespeare as well as one play by an
American dramatist.)
ELACC11-12RL8: (Not applicable to literature)
ELACC11-12RI7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of
information presented indifferent media or formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or
solve a problem.
ELACC11-12RL10: By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend
literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11-CCR
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the
high end of the range.
ELACC11-12RI8: Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal
U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and
use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions
and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works
of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses.)
ELACC11-12RI9: Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenthcentury foundational U.S. documents of historical and literary
significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the
Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s
Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and
rhetorical features.
ELACC11-12RI10: By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend
literary nonfiction in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the
range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including
stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 11-CCR text complexity
band independently and proficiently.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in
the grades 11-CCR text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
ELACC11-12RL9: Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenthand early twentieth-century foundational works of American
literature, including how two or more texts from the same period
treat similar themes or topics.
WRITING
Recurring Throughout Year
ELACC11-12W1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
a) Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b) Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
Rev. 5-12
2
ELA CCGPS American Literature (11th Grade)
areas shaded in grey are taught throughout the year
c) Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships
between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
d) Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
e) Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
ELACC11-12W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
a) Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a
unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b) Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
c) Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
d) Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
e) Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f) Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications
or the significance of the topic).
ELACC11-12W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured
event sequences.
a) Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view,
and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
b) Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or
characters.
c) Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone
and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
d) Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or
characters.
e) Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.
ELACC11-12W4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
(Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
ELACC11-12W5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what
is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and
including grades 11-12.)
ELACC11-12W6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to ongoing
feedback, including new arguments or information.
Rev. 5-12
3
ELA CCGPS American Literature (11th Grade)
areas shaded in grey are taught throughout the year
ELACC11-12W7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem;
narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
ELACC11-12W8: Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the
strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of
ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.
ELACC11-12W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
a) Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century
foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics”).
b) Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the
application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents) and the
premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]”).
ELACC11-12W10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day
or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
WRITING
Argumentative
st
1 and 4th NINE WEEKS
ELACC11-12W1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
a) Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b) Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
c) Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships
between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
d) Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
e) Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
Informative/Explanatory
2nd and 3rd NINE WEEKS
ELACC11-12W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the
effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
a) Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a
unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b) Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
Rev. 5-12
4
ELA CCGPS American Literature (11th Grade)
areas shaded in grey are taught throughout the year
c) Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among
complex ideas and concepts.
d) Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
e) Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f) Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications
or the significance of the topic).
LANGUAGE
Recurring Throughout Year
ELACC11-12L1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a) Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.
b) Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, Garner’s Modern
American English) as needed.
ELACC11-12L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a) Observe hyphenation conventions.
b) Spell correctly.
c) Produces legible work that shows accurate spelling and correct use of the conventions of punctuation and capitalization.
ELACC11-12L3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style,
and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
a) Vary syntax for effect, consulting references (e.g., Tufte’s Artful Sentences) for guidance as needed; apply an understanding of syntax to the study
of complex texts when reading.
ELACC11-12L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11-12 reading and content,
choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a) Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a
word or phrase.
b) Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable).
c) Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of
a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology, or its standard usage.
d) Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
ELACC11-12L5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a) Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text.
b) Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
Rev. 5-12
5
ELA CCGPS American Literature (11th Grade)
areas shaded in grey are taught throughout the year
ELACC11-12L6: Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening
at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.
*Skills marked with an asterisk (*) are included on the Language Progressive Skills chart for CCGPS and are likely to require continued attention in higher grades
as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking.
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
Recurring Throughout Year
ELACC11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a) Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from
texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
b) Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.
c) Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a
topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.
d) Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions
when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.
ELACC11-12SL2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make
informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
ELACC11-12SL3: Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word
choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
ELACC11-12SL4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line
of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose,
audience, and a range or formal and informal tasks.
ELACC11-12SL5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance
understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
ELACC11-12SL6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grades
11–12 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific expectations.)
Rev. 5-12
6
Ethan Frome
Prepare an answer for each one of these discussion questions in preparation for a Socratic
Seminar that will count as your assessment.
1. Analyze one of the following themes in the novel by tracing its development throughout
the novel and by examining specific scenes that support and prove that theme.
a. Poverty and isolation can weaken the human spirit
b. Lack of education and money make it difficult to fulfill one’s dream.
c. People should feel a moral obligation to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.
d. Lack of decisive action can lead to misery.
2. Trace one of the following motifs that run throughout the novel and discuss
its significance to the story.
a. graveyard/gravestones
b. silence
c. night/darkness/light
d. money
3. Discuss several symbols in the novel and show how they add interest and/or meaning to
the story. (the cat, the color red, the pickle dish, hard lumpy cushion, Mattie’s lost gold
locket, Mattie’s hair, cold & heat)
4. Using barren, hostile images, Wharton creates a physical wasteland that serves as a
metaphor for the spiritual life of the main characters. Prove this statement with support
from the story.
5. The Prologue introduces the frame narrator. Why do you think Wharton chose
to employ this technique? What do we learn about him? What might be ironic about the
fact that he is an engineer? What similarities does he share with Ethan?
6. The Epilogue: How does it surprise us? What are its ironies?
7. This novel is full of odd names. Consider, Zenobia, Mattie
Silver, Harmon Gow, etc. What significance can be
attributed to names? What do they symbolize and reveal
about the novel?
8. What does the suicide attempt symbolize in the novel? What does it reflect about the
emotional states of the characters in the novel? Try to think beyond the obvious here.
9. Compare/Contrast the similarities and differences between Zeena and Mattie. You may
want to consider the following points:
a. Zeena's and Mattie's attitudes toward life
b. Their roles as woman of the late 19th century
c. Their age, appearance, and dress
d. Their treatment of Ethan and each other
Honors American Literature and Composition (11th Grade)
Summer Reading Assignment
The Scarlet Letter
Unless you have a moral objection to writing in books, I'd like you to do your annotations right on the
text if you've purchased it. It's very collegiate and good practice at marking-up the text - an important
skill for active reading (and test taking). If you don't want to write in your book, use post-its. Lots of
them.
Annotation Guidelines
Below you will find a quick guide to the purposes and practices of annotation. Use it as a guide to
annotating your text.
In order to focus your reading and annotation on key elements of the text, identify key details related
to themes, major arguments, social and historical contexts, universal ideas, character development,
elements of the authors’ styles, and other important components of the text.
There is no one correct way to annotate. Your work will be assessed on what it shows about the
carefulness of your reading, your attention to detail, your ability to identify key ideas, your attention to
new vocabulary, and your overall insight into the text.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you have an iPod Touch/iPhone, Kindle, etc.: There is a free audiobook app that you can
download to your device. With that app you can then download this book as a free audiobook. Then
you can take it on the road, listen at the gym, or the beach, or in the car on your way to visit colleges
(or family).
Just search “audiobook” in the application section of iTunes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------An Introduction to Annotation
The practice of annotating text, and the developing of an annotation system that works for you, can
be very beneficial to your studies as you move on through your academic career.
Annotation, as opposed to generic note taking, involves making notes right on the text you are
working with. One benefit of annotation then, is that you have your text and your notes in the same
place. In addition to forcing you to focus on what is on the page in front of you, annotating a text
results in you having a handy reference package to study from later.
You know that when you are working with a literary text there are certain things you can expect to be
asked about. When you read novels and plays you look for the basic elements of plot structure and
development, conflict, setting, theme, and characters. You might look for allusions, symbolism, and of
course literary and rhetorical devices and figurative language. Look for some exotic sounding
devices that are actually pretty common: zeugma, chiasmus, metonymy, and synecdoche. And of
course the more commonly discussed metaphor, simile, hyperbole, personification, and so on.
When you read poetry, you have the poetry-specific things in addition to other literary elements.
Things like rhyme, meter, sound devices, enjambment, stanza structure and poetic form are all details
you might want to make note of.
Likewise, drama has its own conventions to attend to: asides, soliloquies, and stage directions, for
example.
Non-fiction texts have main ideas, and present arguments with supporting details to identify, as well
as potential logical fallacies to be wary of.
All of these things are the kind of details you want to include when you annotate a text. Beyond these
basics, your own questions about the text, your thoughts on the material and the associations you
make with the text are all good things to jot down.
So how do you go about annotating a text?
The best annotators have their own system, usually combining underlining or highlighting, and
marginalia.
Marginalia is the material you write in the margins of the text- your notes about all of those
aforementioned elements.
Maybe your system includes writing a T or an asterisk in the margin to mark specific details related to
the theme. Maybe two asterisks for conflict. Or maybe you just write the words. That way, when
you’re looking back over the text for details that help convey the theme, or the speaker’s attitude
toward the subject of a poem, or the details that support an argument, your own markings will point
right to them.
In addition to writing in the margins of your text, the inside of the front and back covers offer lots of
space for you to fill. These are good places to keep lists of vocabulary words you want to remember,
examples of language you especially like, page numbers where you have found important quotations
to remember, or details that reveal the true nature of the characters in the text, or the arguments of its
author.
Good readers stop every so often and mentally recap the text they are working through. This recap is
also something you might want to include in your annotation. Jot down the gist of paragraphs in the
margin next to them, summarize pages in the space at the bottom, and give titles to sections or
chapters pointing to their main ideas. This will help you to process the material you are reading.
Writing your summary down will help you remember the material better, and it will give you a handy
plot guide to review later.
Lots of people like to use highlighters when they read. (Personally, I prefer yellow. The other colors
seem to disrupt the flow of the page.) The problem with highlighting, at least initially, people often
tend to highlight too much text, which ends up making your highlighted pages pretty and colorful, but
useless as a study tool. With practice concentrating on identifying key details and important passages
related to the important ideas of the text, fortunately, people tend to become more effective
highlighters, marking just the parts they want to focus on.
A combination of highlighting (or underlining) and margin notes that explain or point out the
significance of the highlighted passages generally is a good way to go.
And, let us not forget sticky-notes. These are especially useful for annotating a text that does not
belong to you. You can make your marginalia on sticky-notes and attach them to specific places in
the text where you would write them in the margin if you could. You can also use them to hold the
kind of lists you might make on the inside covers – vocabulary, language you like, page numbers of
key passages and details.
Practice annotating on any text you can. It will help you focus more actively on your reading, help you
practice and hone your skill in identifying significant details, and leave you with a handy-dandy study
reference – your own personal version of book notes.
Reading Journal
In addition to the annotations, you are going to use the summer reading assignment as an opportunity
to develop your close reading skills. As you read, you are going to keep a reading journal.
You can do this in any format you like, but you should include the following steps in your process.






You will have one entry for each chapter.
Choose one passage from each chapter and copy it (all of it) into your journal and provide a
page number citation in parentheses.
You may choose a passage because you find that it says something important about a theme,
character, idea, historical event or figure.
You may choose a passage that confuses you and that you need to focus more on to think
through.
You may focus on a passage that you really like and explore the author's use of language.
Respond to the passage. Do not summarize it. Analyze it. Think through it. Pick apart the
author's language and focus on how he uses specific words and what impact they have.
Responses to individual passages need not be long. But if your ideas take you someplace and you
want to keep writing, please feel free.
Our class is an academic community where our work will be done with integrity and we will treat each
other's ideas with respect. All forms of cheating, most especially plagiarism, are treated as a violation
of that compact and are dealt with according to the guidelines in the Student Handbook.
*****
Please also answer the following discussion questions to prepare for a Socratic Seminar
which will count as part of your assessment for the novel.
1. Critics are divided over Hawthorne’s attitude to Hester’s affair, and whether the novel ultimately
condemns or condones her actions. What do you think Hawthorne’s views are? What are your own?
2. Where Hawthorne does seem to uncritically hold Hester up for our admiration is in her steadfast
refusal to name Pearl’s father. Why do you think this is? Do you share his admiration for this action?
3. As noted in the biography section, Hawthorne changed his name in his early 20s, adding a W to
the original Hathorne. Some critics have suggested this was to distance himself from famous Puritan
ancestors, particularly one forebear who presided over the Salem Witch Trials. From your reading of
the book, do you think this could be true? How does Hawthorne depict the Puritan community and
their leaders?
4. The priest in the story, Dimmesdale, is a figure of hypocrisy who preaches virtue from the pulpit
and refuses to take his daughter’s hand in public—but pays a terrible personal price for his actions.
What points do you think Hawthorne is trying to make about organised religion? How far is
Dimmesdale responsible for his own actions and how much are the townsfolk responsible for forcing
him into his position?
5. The critic Kathryn Harrison has written that Hester is "the herald of the modern American heroine, a
mother of such strength and stature that she towers over her progeny much as she does the citizens
of Salem." Do you agree?
6. Because the novel is set before the time in which he is writing, Hawthorne deliberately uses an oldfashioned style with some archaic language. Do you find this effective or a distraction?
7. The novel contains hints, early on, that Hester is descended from an impoverished but formerly
noble family in England: "She saw again her native village, in Old England, and her paternal home: a
decayed house of gray stone, with a poverty-stricken aspect, but retaining a half obliterated shield of
arms over the portal, in token of antique gentility." There is a suggestion, toward the end, that Pearl
may have returned to these roots by marrying into a wealthy European family, possibly nobility. What
role, more generally, does class play in the novel?
8. How does Hawthorne describe the scarlet letter itself and in what different forms does it appear in
the novel?
9. "Roger Chillingworth was a striking evidence of man’s faculty of transforming himself into a devil."
What role does the character of Hester’s estranged husband, Roger Chillingworth play? Do you think
he is morally more degenerate than Hester and her lover, or do you have sympathy for his campaign
of revenge? Do you think he redeems himself at all with his bequest to Pearl at the end of the story?