BUSINES S NA ME
The Scarlet Letter
Created by: Ariel Dornisch
Sources: ttp://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/s/the-scarlet-letter/ ~ http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/scarlet ~ http://www.shmoop.com/scarlet-letter
By Nathanial Hawthorne
Plot
I. Set in frame of a surveyor coming across a
manuscript of events from the past
II. Hester released from town prison with Pearl
(who’s father she refuses to name) and a red A
on her clothing, Hester’s husband never arrived with her from England
III. Onlooker was actually Chillingworth (H’s husband) in disguise, only tells Hester
IV. Years later, Hester a seamstress, Pearl a troublesome child. Dimmesdale assists Hester in
keeping Pearl from the people who wanted to
take her
V. Dimmesdale getting more and more sick
(guilt), “Dr.”Chillingworth offers services with
his own agenda (suspects D is father of P)
VI. C confirms suspicions when he sees a presumed hidden red A on D’s person
VII.D’s psychological anguish depends but thins
get better for H. Scene where D, H and P stand
on scaffold and meteor happens
VIII. C refuses to stop tormenting D so H plans to
reveal his identity to D
IX. Dimmesdale and Hester plan to go Europe to
escape, H lets down hair and takes off letter, P
doesn’t recognize H w/o letter
X. Day of sailing, realization C is on same ship,
so D, H and P stand on scaffold in public together and confess, D dies after showing A on
chest
XI. C dies years later, H and P leave Boston. Later
H returns and does charitable work, P is in Europe married to aristocrat
XII. H and D share tombstone with scarlet A on it
Basic Information
Published: 1850
Setting: 17th century Massachusetts Bay Colony
(Boston)
Point of View: Third Person Omniscient
Themes: Revenge (Chillingworth/Dimmesdale), Sin
(Adultery and murder), The Nature of Evil (Pearl,
Dimmesdale etc.), Identity and Society (Hester)
Irony: Dimmesdale (A minister) committed a sin with
Hester, no one knows and the townspeople hold
him in high esteem;; Pearl’s name; The Scarlet Letter gains Hester respect from the community
Symbols: The Scarlet Letter, The Meteor (traces an A in
sky)
Characters
 Hester Prynne- Protagonist and adulterer, wears a
red A on clothing because she cheated on Chillingworth with the Puritan Minister Dimmesdale. Pearl
is the result of this affair who Hester looks after
alone.
 Pearl: Daughter of Hester and Dimmesdale, thought
to be a Devil’s Child, moody and mischievous
 Roger Chillingworth: Hester’s husband in disguise,
is the town doctor and seeks revenge on who Hester
had an affair with, self-absorbed and monstrous
 Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale: Was Hester’s lover for a brief period, torments himself because of
this, intelligent and emotional
 Governor Bellingham: Old gentleman in town who
sticks to rules but can be persuaded by Dimmesdale,
his sister is Mistress Hibbins
 Mistress Hibbins: Widow, thought to be a witch,
reveals hypocrisy and hidden evil in Puritan society
Quotations
 "'People say,' said another, 'that the Reverend Master Dimmesdale, her godly pastor, takes it very grievously to his heart
that such a scandal has come upon his congregation." Chapter II, 'The Market-Place'
 Ah, but let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart." Chapter II, 'The Market-Place'
 ""But she named the infant 'Pearl,' as being of great price- purchased with all she had- her mother's only pleasure."
Chapter VI, 'Pearl'
 “Mother,” said little Pearl, “the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. . . . It will not flee from me, for I wear nothing on my bosom yet!”
“Nor ever will, my child, I hope,” said Hester.
“And why not, mother?” asked Pearl, stopping short. . . . “Will it not come of its own accord, when I am a woman
grown?” Chapter XVI, “A Forest Walk”