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The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne

Assessment Manual

THE EMC MASTERPIECE SERIES

Access Editions

SERIES EDITOR

Robert D. Shepherd

EMC/Paradigm PublishingSt. Paul, Minnesota

Staff Credits:

For EMC/Paradigm Publishing, St. Paul, Minnesota

For Penobscot School Publishing, Inc., Danvers, Massachusetts

ISBN 0–8219–1618–1

Copyright © 1998 by EMC Corporation

All rights reserved. The assessment materials in this publication may be photocopied for classroomuse only. No part of this publication may be adapted, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, orotherwise, without permission from the publisher.

Published by EMC/Paradigm Publishing875 Montreal WaySt. Paul, Minnesota 55102

Printed in the United States of America.10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 xxx 03 02 01 00 99 98

Laurie SkibaEditor

Shannon O’Donnell TaylorAssociate Editor

Eileen SlaterEditorial Consultant

Jennifer J. AndersonAssistant Editor

Editorial

Robert D. ShepherdPresident, Executive Editor

Christina E. KolbManaging Editor

Kim Leahy BeaudetEditor

Sara HyryEditor

Laurie A. FariaAssociate Editor

Sharon SalingerCopyeditor

Marilyn Murphy ShepherdEditorial Consultant

Design and Production

Charles Q. BentProduction Manager

Sara DayArt Director

Tatiana CicutoCompositor

Assessment Advisory Board

Dr. Jane ShoafEducational ConsultantEdenton, North Carolina

Kendra SissersonFacilitator, The Department ofEducation, The University ofChicago

Chicago, Illinois

James SwansonEducational ConsultantMinneapolis, Minnesota

Notes to the Teacher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

ACCESS EDITION ANSWER KEY

Answers for “The Custom-House” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Answers for Chapters 1–2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Answers for Chapter 3–4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Answers for Chapter 5–6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Answers for Chapter 7–8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Answers for Chapter 9–10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Answers for Chapter 11–12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Answers for Chapter 13–14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Answers for Chapters 15–16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Answers for Chapters 17–18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Answers for Chapters 19–20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Answers for Chapters 21–22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Answers for Chapters 23–24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

Graphic Organizers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Graphic Organizers Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

VOCABULARY AND LITERARY TERMS REVIEW

Vocabulary Review, Chapters 1–12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Vocabulary Review, Chapters 13–24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Vocabulary Worksheet, Chapters 1–12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Vocabulary Worksheet, Chapters 13–24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Vocabulary Review, Cumulative Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Vocabulary Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Literary Terms Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46Literary Terms Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Literary Terms Answer Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

EXAM MASTERS

Exam, “The Custom-House” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Exam Answer Key, “The Custom-House” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Exam, The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 1–12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Exam Answer Key, Chapters 1–12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Exam, The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 13–24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Exam Answer Key, Chapters 13–24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

EVALUATION FORMS

Evaluation Form, Writing Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Evaluation Form, Writing Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Evaluation Form, Writing Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Evaluation Form, Compositions/Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Evaluation Form, Analytic Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Evaluation Form, Holistic Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Evaluation Form, Writing: Revising and Proofreading Checklists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Evaluation Form, Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Evaluation Form, Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Table of Contents©

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AAbboouutt TThhee EEMMCC MMaasstteerrppiieeccee SSeerriieess AAcccceessss EEddiittiioonnss

The EMC Masterpiece Series Access Editions have been designed to make great works of literatureaccessible to all levels of students. Each Access Edition contains a complete literary masterpiece aswell as a unique integrated study apparatus crafted to guide the student page by page throughthe entire work. This feature does away with the inconvenience of switching between a literarywork and a study guide, since both are included in each Access Edition.

Each EMC Masterpiece Series Access Edition contains the following materials:• The complete literary work• A historical introduction including an explanation of literary or philosophical trends

relevant to the work• A biographical introduction with a time line of the author’s life• Art, including explanatory illustrations, maps, genealogies, and plot diagrams, as

appropriate to the text• Study apparatus for each chapter or section, including Guided Reading Questions;

Words for Everyday Use entries for point-of-use vocabulary development; footnotes;Responding to the Selection questions; Reviewing the Selection questions (includingRecalling, Interpreting, and Synthesizing questions to ensure that your students con-duct a close and accessible reading of the text); and Understanding Literature questions

• Source materials used by the author of the work (where appropriate)• A list of topics for creative writing, critical writing, and research projects• A glossary of Words for Everyday Use• A handbook of literary terms

The Prison-Door

A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garmentsand gray steeple-crowned hats, intermixed withwomen, some wearing hoods, and others bareheaded,was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the doorof which was heavily timbered with oak, and studdedwith iron spikes.

The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia1 ofhuman virtue and happiness they might originallyproject, have invariably recognized it among their ear-liest practical necessities to allot a portion of the vir-gin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the siteof a prison. In accordance with this rule, it may safelybe assumed that the forefathers of Boston had builtthe first prison-house, somewhere in the vicinity ofCornhill, almost as seasonably as they marked out thefirst burial-ground, on Isaac Johnson’s lot,2 and roundabout his grave, which subsequently became thenucleus of all the congregated sepulchers in the oldchurchyard of King’s Chapel. Certain it is, that, somefifteen or twenty years after the settlement of thetown, the wooden jail was already marked withweather-stains and other indications of age, whichgave a yet darker aspect to its beetle-browed andgloomy front. The rust on the ponderous iron-work ofits oaken door looked more antique than any thing

Guided Reading Questions guidestudents through the work byraising important issues in keypassages

Footnotes explain obscure refer-ences, unusual usages, and termsmeant to enter students’ passivevocabularies

Words for Everyday Use entriesdefine and give pronunciations fordifficult terms meant to enter stu-dents’ active vocabularies

2 ASSESSMENT MANUAL / THE SCARLET LETTER

® What twoplaces, foundin any colony,provide evi-dence thatthere is nosuch thing asa utopia?

42 THE SCARLET LETTERWWords

For EverydayUse

1. UUttooppiiaa.. Ideal place2. IIssaaaacc JJoohhnnssoonn’’ss lloott.. Isaac Johnson (1601–1630) was a colonist who died within

months of arriving in New England.

ed • i • fice (ed´i fis) n., large, imposing building

nuc • le • us (no�o— ´ kle əs) n., center

pon • der • ous (pän dər əs) adj., heavy

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Notes to the Teacher

Notes to the Teacher©

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ASSESSMENT MANUAL / THE SCARLET LETTER 3

HHooww tthhee AAsssseessssmmeenntt MMaannuuaall IIss OOrrggaanniizzeedd

This Assessment Manual is divided into five parts: the AAcccceessss EEddiittiioonn aannsswweerr kkeeyy, which providesanswers to the Reviewing the Selection and Understanding Literature questions in the text; aselection of activities that allow students to use ggrraapphhiicc oorrggaanniizzeerrss to further their comprehen-sion of the work; a vvooccaabbuullaarryy aanndd lliitteerraarryy tteerrmmss rreevviieeww, which tests students’ knowledge ofthe Words for Everyday Use and literary terms defined in the work; the eexxaamm mmaasstteerrss, whichcontain two full exams that test students’ overall comprehension of the work through both objec-tive and essay questions; and eevvaalluuaattiioonn ffoorrmmss for self-, peer, and teacher assessment of creativewriting, critical writing, and research projects.

HHooww ttoo UUssee tthhee AAcccceessss EEddiittiioonn AAnnsswweerr KKeeyy

The Access Edition answer key contains answers to the Reviewing the Selection andUnderstanding Literature questions included in the Access Edition. In some cases, where no spe-cific answer is required, possible responses are given. You will notice that no answers are pro-vided for the Guided Reading Questions found throughout the Access Edition. This is because theanswers to the Guided Reading Questions can be easily found in the text in the passages markedby gray bars.

Responding to the Selection

Imagine that you were present in Hester’s community. How wouldyou have treated Hester? What would you say to the townspeopleabout their treatment of Hester? What advice might you offer Hester?

RReevviieewwiinngg tthhee SSeelleeccttiioonn

Recalling and Interpreting

1. RR:: To what place does Hester move after she is released fromprison?

2. II:: Why does Hester chose to move back to a community that con-demns her? What might be her reasons?

3. RR:: What do young women, children, and “women of elevatedrank” do to make Hester feel like an outcast? Despite this treatment,who makes use of Hester’s skilled needle work?

4. II:: What are Hester’s feelings about her continual persecution bythe townspeople? Why might the Puritans be so attracted to Hester’sdesigns?

5. RR:: What are some of Pearl’s personality traits?

6. II:: Why does Hester worry about Pearl’s personality? In what waydoes Hester feel that the circumstances of Pearl’s birth might haveaffected Pearl’s personality?

7. RR:: What do people in town say about Pearl?

8. II:: Why does Pearl lose her temper with other Puritan children? Whatreason does the narrator give for this behavior?

Synthesizing

9. What does the narrator mean when he says that “Mother anddaughter stood together in the same circle of seclusion from humansociety”?

10. Do other townspeople judge Hester and Pearl too severely? DoesHester judge herself and her daughter too severely? Why, or why not?

UUnnddeerrssttaannddiinngg LLiitteerraattuurree (QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION)

SSyymmbbooll.. AA ssyymmbbooll is a thing that stands for or represents both itself andsomething else. What does the scarlet A constantly represent to Hesterand to the other townspeople, even after she is released from prison?What does Pearl and her often unruly behavior represent to Hester on adaily basis?

Responding to the Selection is a readerresponse activity designed to connect thestudents emotionally to the literature and allowthem to relate the work to their own lives.

Recalling questions address comprehension ofkey facts from the selection.

Reviewing the Selection takes students throughthe work step by step, building from their indi-vidual responses a complete interpretation ofthe work.

Synthesizing questions tie together interpretationsof parts of the selection and prompt students tomake informed generalizations that relate theselection to larger themes or literary trends.

Understanding Literature questions providestudy of literary movements, genres, and tech-niques as they relate to the literary work.

Interpreting questions evoke interpretationsbased on evidence from the selection.

HHooww ttoo UUssee tthhee GGrraapphhiicc OOrrggaanniizzeerr AAccttiivviittiieess

Graphic organizers enable students to represent in a visual way information about the plot orcharacters in a book. The activities in the second section of this manual ask students to usegraphic organizers, such as gradient scales, cluster charts, Venn diagrams, sequence charts, storymaps, and Freytag’s Pyramid, to examine certain aspects of the literary work.

You can use the graphic organizer activities in this book in a variety of ways to supplement yourlesson plan. For your convenience, they are designed as blackline masters. They can be assignedfor students to complete as they read the work as a way to promote active reading, after studentshave read the book as a way to explore the book in more depth, or as a study aid before the testas a way to review ideas presented in the book. These activities can also be incorporated into amidterm or final exam.

VVooccaabbuullaarryy RReevviieeww

The vocabulary review tests students’ comprehension of the Words for Everyday Use defined inthe Access Edition. Because active vocabulary is learned most effectively in context, the vocabu-lary review is conducted contextually; the review exercises involve sentence completion thatdraws from the Words for Everyday Use. The vocabulary assessment includes vocabulary hand-outs, pre-tests, and separate vocabulary tests. A vocabulary section is also included as part ofeach objective and essay test.

HHooww ttoo UUssee tthhee EExxaamm MMaasstteerrss

The exam masters section contains three exams, one which tests students’ recall and interpretation“The Custom-House,” one which tests students on chapters 1–12 of the book, and one which teststhem on chapters 13–24. The tests on The Scarlet Letter can be used respectively as a midterm andfinal exam, or they can be combined in any fashion you choose. You may decide to use multiplechoice and/or matching as check tests in conjunction with discussion, for example. Or you maydecide to incorporate vocabulary questions and graphic organizer activities into the exams.

Each test is worth 100 points and consists of objective questions in the form of multiple choiceand matching, as well as short answer, short essay, and long essay questions. Answers, or possibleresponses, are given for all exam questions. Note: You can use ScanTron answer sheets to correctthe objective part of the test.

HHooww ttoo UUssee tthhee EEvvaalluuaattiioonn FFoorrmmss

The Assessment Manual contains evaluation forms to help you assess student performance acrossthe entire range of language arts skills. The forms include writing evaluation forms, a project eval-uation form, and a revision and proofreading checklist that can be used for writing instruction.


Notes to the Teacher

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Access EditionAnswer Key


Answers for Reviewing the Selection, page 40

Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: The narrator is drawn to the town of Salem because of the “deep and aged

roots” which his family “struck into the soil” when they came to the New World.The narrator’s well-known ancestors are the “bitter persecutor of the Quakers” andhis son, John Hathorne, who was involved in the “martyrdom of the witches.”

2. II:: History is very important to the narrator. He seems to be intrigued by his family’shistory in Salem. The narrator differs from his ancestors because he is ashamed oftheir wrongdoings and believes that they would be ashamed of his career as awriter. The narrator feels a connection with his ancestors because he shares withthem strong character traits, as well as their history as a family.

3. RR:: The narrator describes the custom house officers in great detail.

4. II:: According to the narrator, the type of person that works at the custom house issomeone who is old and lazy. Despite their faults, the narrator grows to like the customhouse employees because they have “good traits” and he feels responsible for them.

5. RR:: The narrator finds the following items in the rubbish heap: a commission signedby Governor Shirley making Jonathan Pue surveyor of customs, documents writtenby Pue, and a rag of scarlet cloth in the shape of the capital letter A. Jonathan Puewas the Surveyor of his Majesty’s Customs for the port of Salem in the Province ofMassachusetts Bay.

6. II:: The narrator learns that Jonathan Pue researched “antiquities.” The narrator dis-covers a connection between the scarlet letter A and Hester Prynne. The narratorsays that The Scarlet Letter originated from Jonathan Pue’s document.

7. RR:: The narrator loses his job at the custom house.

8. II:: The narrator feels that losing his job at the custom house was probably for thebest because it allows him to start writing again.

SynthesizingResponses will vary. Possible responses are given.

9. Hawthorne probably wants to tell the story of the custom house because it was anintegral part of his life and because he feels compelled to relate the historical detailsof the politics that governed Salem and the custom house during his employmentthere. Hawthorne may want to portray the irony of the positions and ranks heldthere while discussing the historical ties that bind Salem’s heritage. Hawthornemight have mixed emotions about losing his job. On the one hand, he may feelsome animosity and bitterness about losing his position at the custom house, but onthe other hand, he sees his new freedom as an opportunity to write. Hawthorne’sessay reveals him to be intelligent, moral, and fair, with an ironic sense of humor.

10. The essay teaches us that it is important for a creative person to surround himself orherself with a variety of different people. Some people might find it difficult to becreative if they are stuck in a boring or stifling environment.

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Answer Key

“The Custom-House”


AAnnsswweerrss ffoorr UUnnddeerrssttaannddiinngg LLiitteerraattuurree,, ppaaggee 4411Responses will vary. Possible responses are given.

11.. SSaattiirree.. “The Custom-House” is an example of satire because Hawthorne is usinghumor to point out the idiosyncrasies of the people and positions found at the cus-tom house, as well as to describe the custom house itself. Responses will vary.

22.. TToonnee.. The tone of “The Custom-House” changes as the author discusses differentsubjects. For example, when he discusses the custom house officers and his positionat the custom house, he is often sarcastic. The author’s tone ranges from serious totongue-in-cheek when he discusses his family’s ancestry; he is sincere when he dis-cusses his feelings toward adversity and his failure to write while he was working atthe custom house; and he is conversational when he discusses the items he finds inthe rubbish heap, including the scarlet letter A.

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“The Custom-House”


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Answer KeyChapters 1–2


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: The old wooden jail is marked with weather stains and rust. The plot of land is

overgrown with “unsightly vegetation.”

2. II:: The worn, ugly appearance of the jail reflects its function as a place where criminalsare housed. The jail is, according to the narrator, the “black flower of civilized society.”A wild rosebush grows outside the prison door. People say that the rosebush eithersurvived from the days before the town was established or it grew from the footstepsof Ann Hutchinson, who once served time in the jail. The narrator says that, for thisstory, it may serve as a symbol of morality or hope.

3. RR:: Hester Prynne’s crime is adultery. She has had a child by a man who is unknownto the townspeople. Her punishment is to stand for three hours on the public scaf-fold and to wear a scarlet A as a permanent symbol of her crime. According to thewomen, Reverend Dimmesdale seems to take it personally that such a scandal couldoccur in his congregation.

4. II:: The majority of the women of Boston think that Hester’s punishment is not harshenough because she can always cover up the A on her clothing. They believe thatshe should be put to death. One young woman says that although the A can becovered, Hester can never remove the shame she feels in her heart.

5. RR:: They believe that the elaborate A that Hester has stitched is a symbol of her prideand that she is laughing at the magistrates who are trying to punish her.

6. II:: Although she appears “haughty” and “almost…serene,” Hester experiences an“agony” as she walks to the marketplace. Scornful laughter would fill her with angerand motivate her to fight back with a “disdainful smile.” Hester is not prepared forthe quiet, solemn mood of the crowd and she feels the full impact of being judgedas a sinful person.

7. RR:: Hester dreams about her parents and her childhood home in England. She alsodreams of a scholarly man, probably her husband, with whom she started a new lifein a “Continental city.” At this point, we do not know what happened to this manor why Hester is in America alone.

8. II:: Hester clutches her child and looks down when she realizes that the pleasant lifeshe once knew is relegated to the past and that her new reality is a life of shame.


9. The fact that Hester seems bold, prideful, and unashamed seems to bother the com-munity most of all.

10. The attitudes of the crowd indicate that the Puritan people are conservative, judg-mental, and intolerant, especially in their attitudes toward the behavior of women.


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Chapters 1–2 (cont.)

Answers for Understanding Literature, page 55Responses will vary. Possible responses are given.

11.. MMoooodd aanndd SSeettttiinngg.. The mood of the opening of this novel is sorrowful, dark,solemn, and intense. The concrete details that create the mood include descriptionsof the jail, the plot of land outside the jail, and the clothing and attitudes of thecrowd that gathers to watch Hester. The setting of The Scarlet Letter is a seven-teenth-century Puritan village in New England. The setting adds to the mood of thestory because the descriptions of the village and the Puritans’ dialogue, mannerisms,and style of dress are grim and solemn.

22.. SSyymmbbooll.. The prison represents the punitive aspect of the Puritan community, thegrass plot overgrown with “unsightly vegetation” symbolizes crime and corruption,the wild rosebush represents hope and morality, the beadle who leads Hester to thescaffold represents the Puritan people, and Hester’s embroidered scarlet A symbol-izes her sin of adultery and her unique character, which does not seem to fit in withPuritan society.

Answer Key


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Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: A small, rather deformed man with sharp intelligence in his face captures Hester’s

attention.

2. II:: Hester clutches her baby fiercely and seems upset when she sees the stranger.The man is filled with horror. He is obviously someone Hester knows well. Studentsmight guess that the stranger is Hester’s husband.

3. RR:: Mr. Wilson wants Reverend Dimmesdale to ask Hester who the father of her babyis. Hester refuses to reveal the name of the father.

4. II:: The crowd loves Dimmesdale; many compare him to an angel. The minister isnoticeably anxious and distraught as he addresses Hester. The reader can tell thatDimmesdale is upset because he appears pale and tremulous and his voice breaks ashe gives his emotional speech.

5. RR:: Roger Chillingworth is Hester’s husband and a doctor. He comes because Hesterand the baby are ill, but he also wants to find out who the father of the child is.

6. II:: Chillingworth “seek[s] no vengeance, plot[s] no evil against” Hester because heknows that she never loved him and realizes that he should not have married her inthe first place. Chillingworth believes the father is most deserving of his vengeancebecause he slept with his wife and then left her to suffer her shame alone.

7. RR:: Chillingworth vows to find the child’s father so he can be avenged. Chillingworthwants Hester to conceal the fact that he is her husband.

8. II:: Hester is fearful about Chillingworth’s vow of revenge. She seems to be worriedthat harm will come to the baby’s father, whom she apparently still loves. She wor-ries that keeping Chillingworth’s secret will harm her own peace of mind and, ulti-mately, her soul.


9. The identity of the baby’s father and the true identity of Roger Chillingworth arebeing concealed. Chillingworth is predicting the ruin of the baby’s father.

10. Hester associates Chillingworth with the Black Man because she is afraid that he isevil like the devil. Chillingworth is intelligent and ruthless. His last name signifies hiscoldness.


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11.. TToonnee.. The tone of this passage is uncomfortable, ominous, eerie, and almost sinister.The wailings of the baby, Hester’s hard demeanor, the “iron-clamped portal,” andthe supposed lurid gleam thrown by the scarlet A contribute to creating this tone.

22.. DDiiaalloogguuee.. The reader learns that Chillingworth is a lonely man who feels hurt by hiswife’s betrayal. However, Chillingworth also shows ruthlessness in his plan to takerevenge against the infant’s father. Hester does not seem to have warm feelings forher husband and seems intimidated by him and his desire to discover the identity ofthe baby’s father. Hester feels guilty about what she has done, but tells him that shenever pretended to love him. Chillingworth accepts some of the blame and admitsthat he should not have married a young, beautiful woman who did not love him.

Answer Key


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Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Hester moves to a small cottage on the outskirts of town.

2. II:: Hester is still punishing herself for her sin, but hopes to find penance by remainingin the community that condemns her. She might also be unwilling to leave thefather of her child.

3. RR:: The women make malicious comments to Hester and the children mock her.Despite this treatment, Hester is in high demand as a seamstress and her designs areconsidered fashionable.

4. II:: Hester puts up with their abuse but feels anger and dislike for these people. Shewill not pray for the people who treat her and her daughter as outcasts. Studentsmight add that Hester is afraid to pray for her enemies because she fears that hertrue feelings might turn the prayer into a curse. Wearing Hester’s designs might be aform of rebellion by people living in a repressed community. People might also feelsorry for Hester or might be interested in her designs out of curiosity.

5. RR:: Pearl is beautiful, energetic, graceful, passionate, and mischievous.

6. II:: Hester feels that nothing good can come out of her sin; she cannot believe thatPearl will be a good child. She is afraid that the sinful passion from which Pearl wasborn is shaping the child’s personality and attributes Pearl’s inability to follow rulesto the fact that a great rule was broken when she was conceived.

7. RR:: People in town say that Pearl is a demon offspring.

8. II:: Pearl loses her temper with other Puritan children because they tease and scornher. According to the narrator, Pearl has inherited the “evil” that had existed in hermother’s heart.


9. Both Hester and Pearl have rebellious natures and are treated as outcasts and livewithout much human contact.

10. Students might say that Hester and Pearl should not be treated in such an abusivemanner. Hester has suffered enough and is now a productive member of society andPearl is an innocent child, despite her angry, mischievous behavior. They might feelthat her worries about Pearl are unnecessary, since the child’s anger is probably onlya reaction to her treatment by people in the village and to Hester’s discomfort andunhappiness.

AAnnsswweerrss ffoorr UUnnddeerrssttaannddiinngg LLiitteerraattuurree,, ppaaggee 9922Responses will vary. Possible responses are given.

SSyymmbbooll.. The scarlet A constantly reminds Hester and the other townspeople that she isforever marked by sin. For Hester, Pearl’s unruly behavior symbolizes her status as theproduct of a sinful relationship.

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Chapters 7–8


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Hester visits the governor’s mansion so that she can drop off a pair of gloves that

he ordered, but more importantly, she wishes to plead for her right to raise Pearl.Some members of the community have said that Pearl should be taken away fromHester. The Puritan children call attention to Hester as the woman with the scarlet Aand they call Pearl “the likeness of the scarlet letter.” When the children threaten tothrow mud at them, Pearl scares them away.

2. II:: Pearl’s actions show that she has a fiery spirit and will not surrender to the taunt-ing and judgments of others. Hester might worry that people will believe she is notdoing a proper job of instilling Pearl with values and humility.

3. RR:: Pearl sees herself, her mother, and a distorted reflection of the scarlet A. The A isthe most prominent feature in the reflection.

4. II:: Hester’s image in the breastplate reflects her feeling that she is hidden behind thescarlet letter and that it has taken over her life. Hester is disturbed by Pearl’s widegrin, which is large and distorted in the reflection. It almost seems that the image isnot Pearl at all, but an imp trying to mold itself into Pearl’s shape.

5. RR:: Pearl says that she was plucked from the rosebush outside the prison door. Mr.Wilson and Governor Bellingham are prepared to take Pearl away from Hester imme-diately.

6. II:: Mr. Wilson and Governor Bellingham assume that Hester cannot raise the child tobe a good Christian. According to the narrator, Pearl is simply being mischievousand defiant like any normal child.

7. RR:: According to the narrator, Reverend Dimmesdale looks pale and holds his handover his heart. Dimmesdale’s speech moves the men to allow Hester to keep herchild, believing that Pearl serves as yet another reminder to Hester of her sin andthat she is a blessing to Hester’s sinful life.

8. II:: Pearl seems drawn to Dimmesdale. She holds his hand and allows him to kiss her.Chillingworth notices that Dimmesdale is extremely earnest in his speech.


9. According to Dimmesdale, Hester should raise Pearl because the child is both areminder of her sin and a blessing. God gave Hester the child and gave her aninstinctive knowledge of how to care for her. Dimmesdale says that there is a sacredbond between mother and child. Hester’s love for Pearl gives her life purpose andmeaning, yet the child is a constant reminder of her mother’s sin.

10. Pearl offers Hester the value of salvation. This value and the truth of Dimmesdale’sargument are confirmed when Hester says she would have turned from God andgiven her life to the devil if Pearl had been taken from her.

Answer Key

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Answer KeyChapter 7–8 (cont.)


11.. CChhaarraacctteerriizzaattiioonn.. In chapters 7 and 8 the reader learns more about Hester’s con-flicting feelings toward Pearl, as well as her devotion to the idea of being a goodmother to Pearl despite the anxiety she experiences at times. Pearl is energetic anddefiant and she has noticed how people react to the scarlet A. She also shows aninteresting attraction to Reverend Dimmesdale. Roger Chillingworth is sly, suspi-cious, and sinister at the mansion—especially when he remarks on the “strangeearnestness” of Dimmesdale’s plea to the governor. Dimmesdale seems agitated andsensitive, yet eloquent as a speaker. Governor Bellingham is a harsh, judgmentalman who is prepared to take Hester’s child from her. He is also wealthy and seem-ingly extravagant.

22.. IImmaaggee.. Pearl wears a dress of crimson velvet that is elaborately embroidered withgold thread. The dress makes her appear like a “jet of flame.” The image in the suitof armor is one of Hester nearly hidden behind a magnified, distorted reflection ofthe scarlet A. Both images are variations of the scarlet letter. Pearl’s red dress with itsgold stitching echoes the design of the scarlet A and, like the scarlet letter, seems toburn or have a fiery quality. The image in the breastplate shows in a literal way howHester’s sin has overshadowed every aspect of her life and has become the onlything that people notice about her. When she is asked who her maker is, Pearl refersto the rosebush outside the prison door.

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Chapters 9–10


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: The townspeople are pleased to see Chillingworth living with Dimmesdale

because they have been concerned about the minister’s health and know thatChillingworth is a skilled doctor. People eventually say that Chillingworth is an agentof the devil.

2. II:: People notice “something ugly and evil” in Chillingworth’s face. They believe thatDimmesdale is close enough to God to overcome an agent of the devil.

3. RR:: Chillingworth supposedly gathered the unsightly herbs from the grave of a manwho died harboring an evil secret.

4. II:: Chillingworth believes that it is wrong to conceal one’s sins rather than confessthem. Dimmesdale feels that harboring a terrible secret is often punishment initself—that confessing brings some degree of relief to a guilty person. Studentsmight suspect that Dimmesdale is the father of Hester’s child and that Chillingworthtells him the story of the man with the ”hideous secret” to convince Dimmesdale toshare his guilty secret.

5. RR:: Dimmesdale and Chillingworth watch Pearl dance on graves and arrange pricklyburrs around her mother’s scarlet A. The two men discuss Pearl’s behavior and per-sonality.

6. II:: Chillingworth and Dimmesdale wonder if Pearl is possessed by some kind of evil.They are concerned that she has no regard for law or authority; they believe thatshe has no morals and may not even be capable of doing good. The men believethat Hester is better off because her secret is out in the open and she does not haveto suffer from private, internal guilt.

7. RR:: Dimmesdale says that he has a sickness of the soul and cannot be completelyopen about this sickness with an earthly physician. Chillingworth uncoversDimmesdale’s breast.

8. II:: Chillingworth believes that Dimmesdale is hiding a terrible secret. This secret isrevealed to Chillingworth at the end of the chapter, when he pulls back the sleepingminister’s vestment. He feels ecstasy because his suspicions were confirmed by what-ever he saw, and at the same time he feels horror and wonder at the revelation ofDimmesdale’s secret.


9. Students might feel that it is a mistake for Dimmesdale to put his health in thehands of Chillingworth because Chillingworth appears to be driven by evil motives.Chillingworth seems to want to cause the minister mental anguish.

10. Both men seem to be deteriorating. Dimmesdale is becoming weaker and more ner-vous, and Chillingworth is becoming dark and ugly from anger and his desire forrevenge.

Answer Key

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Answer Key



11.. MMoottiivvaattiioonn.. Roger Chillingworth is motivated by anger and revenge. Every conver-sation he has with the minister is intended to find out Dimmesdale’s secret. Studentsmight say that Chillingworth began his investigation hoping to find the truth, but as hegot more involved he developed a “terrible fascination” and became more interested inseeking revenge. His negative emotions begin to show in his face, causing the towns-people to become suspicious.

22.. SSyymmbbooll.. The plants are tangled and ugly, and they seem to represent evil—specifi-cally, the evil that grows from the heart of a person concealing a terrible secret. Theburrs represent the pain Hester feels from a love she cannot reveal, and the isolation andshame she feels from wearing the scarlet A. Pearl is aware of this pain and throws a burrat Dimmesdale, possibly in an attempt to make him experience some of the pain hermother feels.

33.. SSuussppeennssee.. Students might list the following moments of suspense: the townspeoplesuspect that Chillingworth is an agent of the devil; Dimmesdale and Chillingworth dis-cuss the issue of terrible secrets; Pearl throws a burr at Dimmesdale; Dimmesdale,Chillingworth, Hester, and Pearl confront each other; and Chillingworth sees somethingon Dimmesdale’s breast. Students might wonder whether Dimmesdale is Pearl’s fatherand, if so, how his identity will be revealed; if Chillingworth will harm Dimmesdale; andwhether we will find out what Chillingworth saw on Dimmesdale’s breast.

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Chapters 11–12


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Chillingworth believes that he has uncovered Dimmesdale’s secret. Dimmesdale is

not aware of the physician’s feelings toward him.

2. II:: Chillingworth begins to torture the minister in subtle ways.

3. RR:: Dimmesdale’s health deteriorates and he becomes weaker. The more tortured heis by his terrible secret, the more the public adores him.

4. II:: The sicker Dimmesdale gets, the holier they believe he is. This adoration makesDimmesdale feel more guilt than ever, because he does not feel holy.

5. RR:: Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold outside the meeting house in the middle of thenight. He imagines that he is unable to get down from the scaffold and the towns-people find him there in the morning. Hester and Pearl pass by the scaffold on theirway home from Governor Winthrop’s deathbed. The three of them stand on thescaffold together, holding hands.

6. II:: Dimmesdale’s guilt drives him to the scaffold. Dimmesdale denies Pearl’s requestthat he stand with them on the scaffold the next day because he is still afraid ofrevealing his secret to the public, but he tells Pearl that he will stand with them onjudgment day.

7. RR:: They observe a dull red light in the shape of the letter A in the night sky. Pearl isthe first to notice Chillingworth.

8. II:: Dimmesdale denies having seen the strange phenomenon in the sky because hedoes not want people to know that he was out during the night. Dimmesdale isupset when he sees Chillingworth and says that he hates him. He asks Hester aboutthe man’s true identity, but she keeps her promise and does not tell.


9. Dimmesdale will not reveal his guilt because he is afraid of being hated and con-demned as a hypocrite. He suffers the most from not publicly revealing his sin.

10. The glowing red letter A in the sky symbolizes the eternal bond between Hester andDimmesdale. Students may agree with Pearl’s judgment about the minister and maysay he shows weakness and cowardice in his refusal to publicly admit his guilt. Onthe other hand, students may feel sorry for Dimmesdale as they watch his healthdeteriorate as a result of withholding the truth.

Answer Key

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Answer Key



11.. IIrroonnyy.. Just when Dimmesdale is feeling the worst about his guilty secret, the publicadores him the most and treats him as a holy man. He does not feel good abouttheir adoration; it causes him even more mental anguish. His health continues todeteriorate.

22.. RReeppeettiittiioonn.. In the first scaffold scene, Hester faces the crowd alone, with only herinfant daughter to comfort her. In the second scene, Dimmesdale joins Hester andthey stand together on the scaffold. The placement of this scene exactly halfwaythrough the book hints that there will be another scaffold scene at the end of thenovel. Dimmesdale believes that the letter A in the sky is a revelation of his guilt,while the townspeople believe that the letter stands for Angel and appeared as asign that Governor Winthrop, who died that night, was made an angel in heaven.The letter A might appear in the sky as a sign to Dimmesdale that he should revealhis part in the scandal, or as an omen of some kind.

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Chapters 13–14


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Hester spends time caring for the sick and the poor. She no longer seems to have

the warmth and passion she once had and now appears cold, severe, and drab.

2. II:: The community respects Hester for her services to those in need, and many nowbelieve her scarlet A stands for Able. People believe that Hester has learned from hermistakes and they approve of her humility and willingness to serve others. Thechanges in Hester are probably due to the suffering she has endured and the factthat she has put aside her emotions.

3. RR:: Hester sees that Dimmesdale is suffering and on the verge of madness, or evendeath.

4. II:: According to Hester, Chillingworth is causing Dimmesdale’s emotional agony, andshe decides that she must tell Dimmesdale who Chillingworth really is.

5. RR:: Hester notices that Chillingworth no longer looks studious, calm, and quiet, butinstead has a fierce, dark face and a red glare in his eyes.

6. II:: Hester believes that Chillingworth’s personality has changed because of the evilpurpose that has taken over his life. Hester believes that Chillingworth has beentransformed into a fiend.

7. RR:: Chillingworth used to be a peaceful, moral person who took pride in his studies.

8. II:: Chillingworth believes that Dimmesdale leaves him with no choice but to seekrevenge. He believes that the torture of Dimmesdale is a necessity, and he blamesthe minister for causing his fiendish transformation. He does not blame Hesterbecause he believes she has paid for her sin by wearing the scarlet letter.


9. Students are likely to say that Hester is the only person who has taken responsibilityfor her actions because she has not avoided blame for what has happened and sheis not trying to make anyone else pay for her mistakes.

10. Hester has become an outcast, Dimmesdale has grown ill and suffers enormousguilt, and Chillingworth is turning into a monster.

Answer Key


11.. CChhaarraacctteerriizzaattiioonn.. After enduring years of abuse at the hands of her fellow Puritans,Hester has finally earned a respectable place in the community. However, she isunhappy and has lost her passion for life. Furthermore, she is troubled by thechanges in Dimmesdale and Chillingworth. Because Dimmesdale has never admittedpublicly to being Pearl’s father, his hidden guilt is costing him his health and sanity.Chillingworth has changed from a moral man with a human heart to a fiend drivenby revenge. Students are likely to find reasons to support the actions of each ofthese characters, even if they do not agree with the actions.

22.. IImmaaggeerryy.. Students should refer to the paragraph at the end of chapter 13, in whichChillingworth is gathering medicinal roots and herbs. This preoccupation with plantsand herbs reflects his detachment from the human world. It also reflects the careful,methodical way in which he is destroying the minister. Students might say thatChillingworth seems to enjoy the power to create or cultivate life, and to destroy it.

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Answer KeyChapters 13–14 (cont.)

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Chapters 15–16


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Hester remembers their marriage and how Chillingworth would emerge from his

study at the end of the day to “bask” in her smile.

2. II:: She believes her husband was wrong to marry her and keep her in a marriage thatwas without love or passion. If she had not married him, she would not have had toexperience the last seven years of torture as a punishment for being with a man shetruly loved.

3. RR:: Hester tells her that she wears the letter because of its gold thread. She istempted to tell Pearl the truth about the scarlet letter.

4. II:: She is tempted to tell Pearl the truth so that they might share a bond of under-standing and because she thinks that Pearl might become sympathetic and coura-geous if given the chance. Hester feels uncomfortable with her answer because it isthe first time she has lied about her symbol of shame.

5. RR:: Pearl wants to know who the Black Man is and whether her mother has ever methim. Hester tells her that she has met the Black Man once, and that the scarlet A ishis mark.

6. II:: The story of the Black Man has special meaning for Hester and Pearl because itdoes seem as though they have been marked and set apart by an evil force.

7. RR:: Hester is hoping to tell Dimmesdale the true identity of Chillingworth.

8. II:: Hester and Pearl notice that Dimmesdale holds his hand over his heart in the exactsame place where the scarlet A appears over Hester’s heart.


9. Responses will vary, but students should be able to support their answers withexamples from the text.

10. Students are likely to say that Pearl is an innocent child full of spirit, whose life hap-pens to be the result of a sinful encounter. She is surrounded by darkness in theform of secrets and feelings of betrayal, and yet she has remained a happy child.

Answer Key

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11.. MMoooodd.. The mood at the beginning of chapter 15 is one of mystery, evil, and anger.Descriptions of the appearance of the old physician and his herbs and Hester’s feel-ings of anger toward him contribute to this mood. The mood at the beginning ofchapter 16, when Hester and Pearl enter the forest, is eerie and somber. The forest isdescribed as being dark and dense, and the sun seems to flee from Hester.

22.. PPeerrssoonniiffiiccaattiioonn.. Students might point out the flitting cheerfulness of the sun, thesomber day, the straggling path, the giant trees and boulders that “seem intent onmaking a mystery of the course of this small brook,” and the babbling stream,which has the “voice of a young child.” These examples of personification give theforest its own character and personality, and give the chapter a supernatural feel.

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Chapters 17–18


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Hester and Dimmesdale first make casual conversation about the weather and

their health.

2. II:: They have not been alone together in a number of years and they need time toget reacquainted before discussing deeper subjects.

3. RR:: Dimmesdale says that Hester’s scarlet letter freed her from having to carry hershame in silence. Dimmesdale believes that had he too worn such a mark, he wouldnot have suffered so much in the last seven years.

4. II:: Dimmesdale believes that living with a lie is worse than being exposed as a sinner.

5. RR:: Hester tells Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband and that he has beenan enemy to Dimmesdale.

6. II:: According to Dimmesdale, Chillingworth’s sin is blacker because he “violated thesanctity of a human heart.” He believes that their sin was sanctioned because theyloved each other.

7. RR:: Hester wants to leave Boston with Pearl and Dimmesdale. Dimmesdale finds theidea of quitting his position and venturing into the ”wide, strange, difficult world”impossible to imagine, but he finally agrees with Hester. Dimmesdale is worried thatPearl will not accept him.

8. II:: Hester and Dimmesdale are able to escape from their troubles and renew theirlove in the forest because they are away from the judgment of people in the com-munity. They are both relieved to be able to be open and honest with someone elsewho knows the truth. Pearl might feel uncomfortable because she does not knowthat Dimmesdale is her father and she has never had to share her mother withanother person.


9. Hester has become independent from the community and has learned to form herown ideas and opinions, while Dimmesdale, as a Puritan minister, has been livingaccording to strict Puritan codes and is expected to set a good example. Hester haslearned to be self-sufficient and no longer relies on the approval of others, whileDimmesdale has become weak from trying to live up to a false image.

10. Responses will vary, but students should support their answers with examples fromthe text.

Answer Key

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11.. DDiiaalloogguuee.. The tension between Hester and Dimmesdale comes from not havingbeen alone together in many years, and also from the fact that they share an enor-mous secret. The relationship becomes warmer as they begin to talk about their truefeelings in the safety and freedom of the woods. Students might say that it has beendifficult to imagine the two as romantic partners because they have seldom beenseen together, their personalities seem so different, and the story has dealt only withthe negative repercussions of their relationship. On the other hand, students mightsay that their deep levels of suffering indicate that they must have had passionatefeelings for each other. In this chapter, we are finally allowed to see the love andconsideration that Hester and Dimmesdale feel for each other and their need to betogether.

22.. TTrraannsscceennddeennttaalliissmm.. The forest is described as being wild, dark, and untame.However, toward the end of the chapter, the forest is described as maternal andnurturing. Hester and Dimmesdale can express their love in the forest, a place freefrom the confines and strict moral codes of the Puritan society in which they live.Their love, although unacceptable by the standards of the Puritan world, finds sym-pathy and acceptance in the natural world. The forest shows this acceptance ofHester and Dimmesdale’s love by blessing their union with brightness and sunshine.Elsewhere in the novel, the forest has been associated with supernatural activities,especially those involving witches and the Black Man. The forest is also mentionedas the home of the Indian people. In this chapter, the forest symbolizes the spiritualstate of Hester and Dimmesdale because, like the forest, they were sad and troubled,but by the end of the chapter they had found light in their happiness at beingtogether.

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Chapters 19–20


Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Pearl at first refuses to cross the brook and go to her mother because Hester is

not wearing the scarlet A. She forces her mother to wear it.

2. II:: Responses will vary. Some students might say that Pearl recognizes the scarlet A asa familiar part of her mother’s attire and is upset to find it missing. Students mightalso say that Pearl understands the connection between herself and the scarlet letterand senses that she is the human counterpart of the token on her mother’s breast.

3. RR:: Pearl asks whether he loves them and if he will walk hand in hand with them intothe town. Pearl washes Dimmesdale’s kiss away in the brook.

4. II:: Pearl does not seem to understand that Dimmesdale is her father, and she isunwilling to share her mother with another person. She also doubts his love becausehe will not walk hand in hand with her and her mother.

5. RR:: They will leave for England by ship. Dimmesdale must first give his Election Daysermon.

6. II:: Dimmesdale is excited to begin a new life, but he is surprised to see that his com-munity now looks different to him. His strange impulses might be the result offinally letting his emotions go free. After striving for perfection for so long, it may bea relief to Dimmesdale to allow “sinful” thoughts to enter his head. These impulsesmight also come from the fact that he feels guilty because he plans to escape with-out publicly admitting his sin. His Puritan community might seem unrecognizablebecause he is seeing it through new eyes.

7. RR:: Dimmesdale suspects that Chillingworth is aware that Dimmesdale has learned histrue identity. Chillingworth does, in fact, realize that Dimmesdale knows the truth.

8. II:: Dimmesdale feels like a changed person. His assertion that he will soon be gone toanother world might mean that he will die or that he will return to the Old World.


9. Hester and Dimmesdale decide to leave Boston because they know that they cannotmake a life for themselves as a family in the Puritan community. They are concernedabout Dimmesdale’s health and are planning their destination accordingly, realizingthat he will be better off in Europe than in the wilds of the colonies. Students mightbelieve that Hester is strong enough to leave, but that Dimmesdale will have secondthoughts.

10. Dimmesdale seems to think that he has made a bargain with the devil and he feelsan urge to do “sinful” things. He wants to tell blasphemous thoughts about thecommunion-supper to a deacon, to deny that there is immortal life to an oldwoman, to steal candlesticks from the meeting house, to tell naughty words toPuritan children, to tell jokes and shake hands with raucous sailors, and to whisperlewd comments to a young virgin.

Answer Key


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11.. PPeerrssoonniiffiiccaattiioonn.. The final paragraph talks of trees whispering to one another and ofa melancholy brook that babbles. Hawthorne gives the forest a personality thatreflects the emotions of the people who walk within its parameters. The setting isimportant to Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale because it is the only place where theycan truly be themselves and find understanding.

22.. RReeppeettiittiioonn.. Mistress Hibbins has tempted both Hester and Dimmesdale. Sheappeared to Hester in chapter 8 to tempt her to the forest to see the Black Man, butHester refused since she had not lost the right to raise Pearl. If Pearl had been takenfrom her, Hester says she would have gladly gone to the forest and signed her soulaway. Mistress Hibbins seems to know that something significant took placebetween Hester and Dimmesdale in the forest. She represents the dark, supernaturalpart of the forest and perhaps symbolizes to Dimmesdale life outside of the strictmoral codes of Puritan society. After he sees her, Dimmesdale believes he signed apact with the devil and sold his soul.



Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: Hester is excited and triumphant. She tells Pearl that she must not greet the

minister.

2. II:: Hester is happy because she and Dimmesdale are planning to leave Bostontogether. She notices that he looks healthier than before.

3. RR:: The commander tells Hester that another passenger, Roger Chillingworth, will bejoining them.

4. II:: Hester is upset when she hears that Chillingworth intends to sail with them.Chillingworth’s smile seems to indicate that he is plotting against Hester andDimmesdale.

5. RR:: Hester expects Dimmesdale to acknowledge her, but he does not even give her aglance. Pearl asks what Dimmesdale would have done if she had greeted him.

6. II:: Hester is deeply disappointed by Dimmesdale’s behavior and is afraid that she hasonly imagined his feelings for her. Pearl does not recognize Dimmesdale because helooks “strange.”

7. RR:: Hester hears sorrow and anguish in Dimmesdale’s speech. The captain tells Pearlto tell her mother that the old doctor will be bringing his friend aboard the ship.

8. II:: Hester’s spirits sink as she worries about Chillingworth’s plans and endures therude stares of people in the marketplace.


9. Hester is hit with the same realities that have been torturing her for years. She is dis-appointed when Dimmesdale does not even look at her during the procession andshe has the added worry of Chillingworth’s involvement in their planned escape.Hester is not as confident now that the trip will go as planned.

10. Pearl wants Dimmesdale to acknowledge her in front of the crowd with a kiss. Thespiritual or moral consequences might be that because people look up to the minis-ter, he could set an example for them of how they should treat Hester and Pearl. IfDimmesdale were to do this, the practical consequences might be that people wouldspeculate about his connection to Hester and he could lose his place in society.


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Chapters 21–22Answer Key


11.. SSeettttiinngg.. Puritans are described as being drab and somber compared to the Indiansand sailors in the crowd. Hawthorne portrays the typical Puritan as cold, judgmental,and bound by a strict religious code. He shows the Puritans relaxing a bit on holidayssuch as Election Day and credits those born in England as having more compassionand spirit than the generations of Puritans to follow. Students might argue thatHawthorne is critical of their strict religious code, but at times sympathetic.

22.. SSuussppeennssee.. Students might point out the following moments that contribute to thesuspense of the two chapters: Dimmesdale does not even give Hester a glance dur-ing the procession, Chillingworth plans to travel with them to Europe, MistressHibbins tells Hester that the Black Man will disclose Dimmesdale’s secret to the “eyesof all the world,” and Pearl notes that the minister is only kind to them when noone can observe his behavior.

33.. FFoorreesshhaaddoowwiinngg.. Mistress Hibbins says that it is hard to believe that the pious minis-ter is the same man who spent time in the forest. Hester responds to this by pre-tending that she does not know what the woman is talking about. Hester is, how-ever, awestruck that Mistress Hibbins speaks with such confidence about the per-sonal connections between the Puritans and the devil. Mistress Hibbins also letsHester know that she, too, has been to the forest and knows about the relationshipbetween Hester and Dimmesdale. Students might say that Mistress Hibbins is pre-dicting that Dimmesdale will be punished publicly for his sins in front of all the peo-ple who look up to him.


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Recalling and Interpreting1. RR:: The public adores Dimmesdale and feels inspired by his sermon.

2. II:: It is unfair that Dimmesdale, an equal party in Hester’s crime, is treated as a saintwhile Hester is treated as an outcast.

3. RR:: Dimmesdale reveals a scarlet letter A on his chest. He collapses on the scaffoldand asks God to forgive Chillingworth.

4. II:: Dimmesdale fears that he and Hester will not spend eternity together because thesin they committed is too great. Pearl finally kisses Dimmesdale because he hasacknowledged that he is her father.

5. RR:: Chillingworth tries to stop the minister from confessing his sins to the crowd.

6. II:: Chillingworth’s purpose in life has been torturing Dimmesdale. Chillingworthopposes Dimmesdale’s confession because he knows that Dimmesdale will free him-self by telling the truth. In the end, Chillingworth dies because his anger and desirefor revenge no longer have an outlet.

7. RR:: Hester disappears for many years, but later returns to Boston. She becomes atrusted confidant of women in the community.

8. II:: Hester continues to wear the scarlet letter because it is an emblem of strength andher tie to the past and Dimmesdale.


9. Dimmesdale is not able to escape with Hester and Pearl because he has kept his sinbottled inside for too long and his feelings of guilt have grown too unmanageable.Because he is tied to a rigid Puritan moral code and does not trust following hisheart, he loses his only chance for happiness. On the other hand, Hester’s public suf-fering has made her able to empathize with other people who are suffering. Thetownspeople begin to look up to her and call on her for counseling and guidance.The scarlet letter A is now looked upon with awe and reverence and Hester regainsher dignity.

10. Pearl is a symbol of Hester and Dimmesdale’s love and sin. She represents the nat-ural state of love and life, as opposed to the cold, rigid Puritan way of life. Studentsmight say that her mere existence serves to reinforce their pain and anguish becauseshe is “tangible” evidence of their sin. Pearl wants Dimmesdale to forgive himself forhis sin and helps him accomplish this by allowing him to kiss her in public. From thenarrator’s point of view, Dimmesdale is saved even though he dies because he isable to admit his sin publicly and therefore unleash his guilt.


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Chapters 23–24Answer Key


11.. SSyymmbbooll.. Dimmesdale is finally taking responsibility for his actions. Pearl recognizesthis, and the two can accept each other as father and daughter.

22.. TThheemmee.. Responses will vary, but might include alienation, appearances versus reality,the importance of truth, and the role of rules in society. Students should supporttheir beliefs with evidence from the text.

33.. PPssyycchhoollooggiiccaall FFiiccttiioonn.. Hawthorne shows his talent for writing psychological fictionby portraying the complex and varied reactions of Dimmesdale through the differ-ent stages of his guilt. Hawthorne knows that the deeply Puritanical character he hascreated in Dimmesdale would never be able to escape his internal struggle com-pletely. He also understands that Dimmesdale’s failure to admit his faults and hiswillingness to live a lie ultimately destroys his psychological well-being. Hester is alsoa complex character who struggles between her passionate nature and her Puritanbeliefs. However, by readily admitting her guilt and refusing to be blamed beyondmeasure for her sin, Hester is able to free herself from being destroyed by sin. ThatHawthorne explores these radically different outcomes for the two characters soaccurately demonstrates his acute skill as a writer of psychological fiction.


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GraphicOrganizers


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CChhaarraacctteerr AAttttrriibbuuttee CChhaarrtt

Choose one character from The Scarlet Letter and fill out this chart based on what youlearn about the character as you read. Your choices include Hester, Pearl, Dimmesdale,Chillingworth, and Mistress Hibbins. Then write a paragraph in which you discuss whetherthe character is static (unchanging) or dynamic (changing). If the character changes in thecourse of the novel, what do you think he or she learns in the course of this change?

Character _______________________________

Graphic Organizer

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

PPHHYYSSIICCAALLAAPPPPEEAARRAANNCCEE

DDRREESSSS HHAABBIITTSS//MMAANNNNEERRIISSMMSS//

BBEEHHAAVVIIOORRSS

RREELLAATTIIOONNSSHHIIPPSSWWIITTHH OOTTHHEERR

PPEEOOPPLLEE

OOTTHHEERR

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Graphic Organizer

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

VVeennnn DDiiaaggrraamm

In the Venn diagram below, compare and contrast the lives of Hester and Dimmesdaleafter the birth of Pearl. Ask yourself the following questions as you fill in the chart: Whatchanges take place in the life of each character? Does either character undergo anychanges in his or her personality? appearance? How do Hester and Dimmesdale react totheir new circumstances? After you have completed the diagram, write a paragraph inwhich you discuss whose life changes more, and why.

Hester Dimmesdale



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Graphic Organizer

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

RRaaddiiaattiinngg CCiirrccllee

This radiating circle will help you explore the symbolism found in The Scarlet Letter.Think of the different ways that the scarlet letter appears throughout the novel. Thendraw a circle and a line connecting each reference you think of to the main circle. Forexample, one spoke might say that Hester embroiders the letter with gold thread. Addas many spokes as you need to complete the circle. Be prepared to explain the possiblemeaning for each appearance of the scarlet letter.

TheScarletLetter

Hesterembroidersletter with

gold thread


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SSeeqquueennccee CChhaarrtt

Fill in the boxes of this sequence chart to show the major events of the story inchronological order. When you have completed the chart, write a paragraph about theevent that you believe had the greatest influence on determining the final outcome ofthe story.

Hester gives birthto an illegitimate

child.

Graphic Organizer

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

Dimmesdaleconfesses, receivesPearl’s kiss, and

dies.


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Graphic Organizer

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

PPlloott DDiiaaggrraamm

Using the Freytag’s Pyramid plot diagram below, chart the plot of The Scarlet Letter.Briefly describe in the spaces provided the following elements: the exposition, incitingincident, rising and falling action, climax, resolution, and dénouement. Be sure toinclude in the rising action the key events that build toward the climax of the novel.

Climax

DénouementExposition

Rising Action

Falling Action

IncitingIncident

Resolution

FREYTAG’SPYRAMID


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The answers below are brief indications of what students might include in their graphic organizers.Give students credit for variations and creative insights within the bounds of the guidelines.

Character Attribute ChartResponses will vary for each character, but students should indicate that Hester,Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, and Pearl are dynamic characters, and that Mistress Hibbinsis a static character. Students should describe the physical appearance of their subjectand any changes that take place, such as that Hester becomes drab, Chillingworthgrows dark and ugly, and Dimmesdale becomes paler and weaker. Students should dis-cuss the behaviors of the character, such as Dimmesdale’s nervous habit of putting hishand over his heart and Mistress Hibbins’s constant attempts to lead the Puritans intosin. Students should also include examples of how the character interacts with otherpeople in the community.

Venn DiagramIn the section about Hester, students might include the following: serves time in prison,forced to wear scarlet A, humiliated on the scaffold for three hours, must raise Pearl alone,lives away from her community, mocked by children and townspeople, becomes draband unfeminine, shows her rebellion by dressing Pearl in beautiful clothes, becomesstrong, proud, and self-sufficient, does not suffer from guilt, and has little to do withChillingworth. In the section about Dimmesdale, students might include the following:grows physically weak, adored by the community, scourges himself as punishment,haunted by guilt, is marked by an A on his chest, and becomes Chillingworth’s victim. Inthe section where the circles overlap, students might include the following: stay in com-munity, have successful professional lives, are servants to the community, are victims ofpassion, care about Pearl, seek and ultimately find redemption. Students might argue thateither character’s life changes more, but they should support their argument with exam-ples from the text.

Radiating CircleStudents might include the following examples of appearances of the the scarlet letter(in any order): Hester embroiders it with gold thread, Pearl makes her own out of greenseaweed, it was hidden on Dimmesdale’s heart, Hester’s badge of shame and punish-ment, enlarged to cover Hester’s entire breast in the convex breastplate of armor inGovernor Bellingham’s hall, casts a lurid gleam along the corridor of the prison, allowsHester to see the secret sins of her fellow Puritans, appears in the sky at midnight andmeans Angel to the townspeople, comes to mean Able regarding Hester’s service to thepoor and ill, burns on Hester’s breast when she returns it to her bosom after the forestwalk, takes away her femininity, beauty and passion, and placed over Hester’s grave as acoat of arms.

Graphic Organizers Answer Key


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Graphic Organizers Answer Key

Sequence ChartStudents might include the following events in their sequence chart: Hester gives birth toan illegitimate child, she endures public humiliation on the scaffold, she sees her husbandin the crowd, she refuses to name the father of her child, she promises to keep her hus-band’s identity a secret, Chillingworth tortures the unsuspecting Dimmesdale,Dimmesdale enacts a false confession at midnight, Hester tells Dimmesdale her husband’strue identity, Hester and Dimmesdale plan to escape, Dimmesdale realizes he cannotescape, Dimmesdale preaches his most sensitive and inspiring sermon, and Dimmesdaleconfesses, receives Pearl’s kiss, and dies.

In their paragraphs, students’ responses will vary, but they should include evidencefrom the text to support their reasoning.

Plot Diagram (Freytag’s Pyramid)See pages 250–251 of the text.

Vocabularyand

Literary TermsReview


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Vocabulary ReviewChapters 1–12

abate, 56abhorrence, 132abode, 39abomination, 135abstruse, 133accrue, 34accumulation, 8acuteness, 90adduce, 106advent, 113adverse, 88affinity, 116agitate, 123agitation, 105alacrity, 12amenable, 66anathema, 87annihilate, 74antipathy, 132appalled, 70apprehensive, 61ascetic, 78aspiration, 120assimilate, 75attribute, 34augur, 44avenge, 66aver, 82benevolence, 100benevolent, 117cabalistic, 96caprice, 85compel, 37compulsion, 85concord, 117condemnation, 75condescension, 20congenial, 42conjecture, 140conjunction, 143conjuration, 86conspicuous, 7constitute, 51constrain, 104contemptuous, 30contrive, 70contumaciously, 81convert, 74convulsive, 56countenance (n.),

17

credibility, 144dauntless, 95dearth, 88decorously, 124decrepit, 28defile, 135demeanor, 44depravity, 104despondency, 147detriment, 16devoid, 23dilapidated, 2discern, 56disinclined, 1distorting, 144diverge, 37earnestly, 105edifice, 42efficacy, 67effusion, 24emaciated, 105eminence, 52eminent, 59emolument, 77encumbrance, 24endow, 81enervating, 33engross, 25enmity, 87entice, 71erudite, 146erudition, 118esteem, 113evade, 27evanescent, 27exemplary, 112exhort, 29exhortation, 80exigency, 98expatiate, 100expiation, 139expostulation, 68extant, 95feign, 69fervent, 112fervor, 61flagrant, 50florid, 13forlorn, 132galling, 75genial, 2

gesticulation, 90glean, 38grave, 52grisly, 141haughty, 47heedful, 52heterogeneous, 56ignominiously, 36ignominy, 48imbibe, 80imbue, 31impalpable, 32impediment, 52impel, 26imperatively, 96imperious, 94implicate, 119implicitly, 132impunity, 22impute, 145inauspicious, 43incoherent, 87inconceivable, 134incredulity, 82incumbency, 11incur, 77indefatigable, 29indefeasible, 104indifferently, 123indolent, 9indubitably, 44inevitable, 75inextricable, 139infamy, 45inference, 44infirmity, 3ingenuity, 77inimical, 121iniquity, 49inopportuneness,

81inquisitorial, 76inscrutable, 75insidious, 81insubordination,

65integrity, 120interposition, 114intervening, 84intrinsic, 94intuition, 116

inveterately, 16inviolable, 87irksome, 35irrepressibly, 80irreverent, 81latent, 131languid, 2ludicrous, 93lurid, 74machinations, 132malevolence, 145malice, 79manifest, 49melancholy, 95mien, 50mutability, 84nonentity, 15nucleus, 42obscurely, 29obstinacy, 18obtuseness, 12odious, 132ominous, 120outlandish, 87peremptory, 66perpetrate, 65pervade, 65perverse, 85perversity, 103pestilence, 95placidity, 86plaintive, 62ponderous, 18, 42potent, 81predilection, 36preternaturally, 51prevail, 61pristine, 93procure, 84profound, 67prolific, 85propagate, 123propensity, 28provoke, 105proximity, 103rebuke, 23reduplicate, 15refutation, 118relinquish, 99reminiscence, 51remonstrance, 52

repugnance, 79resignation, 90retribution, 70, 76reverberate, 139sagaciously, 12sagacity, 59scantly, 142scrupulous, 113scrutiny, 67scurrilous, 147severity, 44similitude, 95sojourn, 57solace, 122somniferous, 127stealthily, 120succor, 79suffice, 74sunder, 108superfluous, 78supposition, 93sustain, 51taint, 50tedious, 35tempestuous, 8temporal, 102tenaciously, 124tenacity, 8thwart, 133torpid, 10transgress, 63transitory, 22tremulous, 14trifling, 31truculency, 3tumult, 19unction, 13unfeignedly, 100unmalleable, 18venerable, 44veneration, 26vicissitude, 9vie, 50vilify, 118vileness, 60voluminous, 5vogue, 23writhing, 56


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acquiesce, 156agitation, 216asperity, 171aspire, 224audacity, 230austerity, 153awry, 163bane, 162benign, 152boorish, 231cadence, 176calamity, 151chaos, 170colloquy, 189commence, 228consternation, 222constrained, 185contiguity, 183contiguous, 223countenance (vt.), 219deleterious, 166depredation, 221derisively, 159derive, 159despondency, 188despotic, 152dexterity, 168discourse, 228dispel, 218disreputable, 221dissolute, 208dolefully, 185duplicity, 203eccentricity, 227effervescence, 223effluence, 155

emancipate, 154enfeeble, 184enigma, 170entreaty, 158extenuation, 190extort, 160fathomless, 240ferocity, 220fortitude, 224gesticulate, 200haggard, 177harrow, 190impede, 151imperceptible, 237importunately, 205impiety, 206incongruity, 169incorporate, 216inevitably, 238incite, 206innate, 170intimation, 238intricate, 189inure, 199irrefragable, 204irrevocably, 190jocularity, 219lamentation, 177languor, 216latitude, 189loquacity, 175malignant, 166mien, 222misanthropy, 183mollify, 200mutability, 205

nugatory, 244obeisance, 206pacify, 200petulant, 170pithy, 207posterity, 220potentate, 209precipice, 156precocity, 170probity, 221prominence, 150propinquity, 161ransack, 208reciprocate, 167render, 204repose, 150sanctity, 185sedulous, 166solace, 190subdued, 201subjugate, 192tempestuous, 221transmute, 245ulterior, 172undulating, 230unintelligible, 191unwonted, 169valiantly, 208vehemently, 182venture, 187vestige, 186vicissitude, 203vivacity, 173zealously, 152

Vocabulary Review Chapters 13–24


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Exercise: Sentence Completion

Complete the sentences by filling in each blank with a word from the list below.

EX. The little dog had a forlorn look in his eyes as he watched the childrenplaying outside.

1. After she lost the swimming competition, Candace found in her family’s pride at how much her swimming had improved during theseason.

2. When my brother put on his Halloween costume, the sight of the fake blood and guts made me feel queasy.

3. Sometimes the class had a difficult time understanding the complicatedlectures of the professor.

4. Raul wanted to trade his bicycle in for a new one.

5. Some mornings I feel so that I can hardly get out ofbed to get ready for school.

6. John could not believe that the referee missed what was obviously a(n) foul against the player.

7. Anne’s natural for animals made her want tobecome a veterinarian.

8. The snobbish girl treated me and my friends with .

9. Mark’s was greatly diminished when we found outthat he had cheated on the exam.

10. The feeling of that the audience had for the elderlyactor was apparent as he accepted his lifetime achievement award tothunderous applause.

Vocabulary Worksheet

Chapters 1–12

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

affinitycondescensioncredibilitydilapidated

eruditeflagrantforlorngrisly

incurodioussolacetorpid

transitoryunctionvenerationvicissitude

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EX. The travelers’ haggard appearance was due to three days of trekkingthrough the desert with no food or water.

1. The prisoners of war showed great in their ability towithstand the terrible conditions of the foreign jail.

2. When Doug found the buried treasure, he began to wildly to catch the rest of the group’s attention.

3. The dilapidated house on the corner is a(n) to the curious children in the neighborhood.

4. The sheriff’s attempts to the angry mob were fruitless.

5. I was depressed and in a(n) mood after seeing thesad movie.

6. On the exam, the teacher asked us to name all forty-eight of the states in America.

7. Susan was surprised when her normally dog bit thestranger.

8. The teacher was impressed by how Kayla prepared forher speech about civil rights.

9. Steve clung to the and hoped that one of the othermountain climbers would throw him a rope.

10. Julie’s and high spirits made her a natural candidatefor the job as cruise director.

Vocabulary Worksheet

Chapters 13–24

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

benigncontiguousdissoluteenigma

fortitudehaggardgesticulateincongruity

pacifyposterityprecipicesubdued

undulatingunintelligiblevivacityzealously


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EX. There was so much static on the phone line that the voice on the otherend was unintelligible .

1. Of the great city that once had been, time and the elements had leftscarcely a .

2. As her normally well-behaved class erupted into total ,the third-grade teacher threw up her hands in despair.

3. Proof of the old woman’s was the fact that she neverleft the house without a rubber chicken.

4. Since Jake was so in footnoting the sources of hisresearch paper, his professor passed out his bibliography as a model forother students to follow.

5. Shannon loved the cheese and crackers, but she found the pickled herring .

6. The con man’s had fooled many, but in the end hepaid for his crimes.

7. To coax the shy cat out from under the couch, Phoebe had to her with a piece of ham.

8. On warm evenings, I love to sit on the front porch of our beach houseand watch the tides as they crash upon the shore.

9. Melinda looked tired and after staying up all nightto study for an exam.

10. The detective was puzzled; she found the entire case to be an .

Vocabulary Review

Cumulative Exam

affinitychaosdolefullyduplicity

enticeeruditeeccentricityenigma

haggardimpelodiousscrupulous

undulatingunintelligiblevestigezealously

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________


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Vocabulary Worksheet, Chapters 1–12

Vocabulary Worksheet, Chapters 13–24

Cumulative Vocabulary Exam

Answer Key

Vocabulary

1. solace2. grisly3. erudite4. dilapidated5. torpid

6. flagrant7. affinity8. condescension9. credibility

10. veneration

1. fortitude2. gesticulate3. enigma4. pacify5. subdued

6. contiguous7. benign8. zealously9. precipice

10. vivacity

1. vestige2. chaos3. eccentricity4. scrupulous5. odious

6. duplicity7. entice8. undulating9. haggard

10. enigma


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characterization, 110, 165

dialogue, 73, 196

foreshadowing, 234

image, 110, 165

irony, 149

mood, 55, 179

motivation, 130

personification, 179, 214

psychological fiction, 249

repetition, 149, 214

satire, 41

setting, 55, 234

suspense, 130, 234

symbol, 55, 92, 130, 249

theme, 249

tone, 41, 73

Transcendentalism, 298

Literary Terms Review

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EX. The most prevalent tone in “The Custom-House” is satire .

1. In the phrase “Mother, the sunshine does not love you,” the technique ofgiving the sun human qualities is called .

2. The of The Scarlet Letter is often serious and morbid.

3. An example of is that Reverend Dimmesdalebecomes more popular as his soul becomes increasingly tortured by theguilt he feels from committing adultery.

4. was a literary movement in nineteenth-centuryNew England characterized by belief in the individual and the power ofnature.

5. A main of The Scarlet Letter is alienation.

6. The for Roger Chillingworth to discover the identityof Pearl’s father is his desire for revenge.

7. The of The Scarlet Letter is a Puritan community inseventeenth-century New England.

8. emphasizes the interior, often emotional andanguished, experiences of its characters.

9. Pearl is a living of her mother’s sin.

10. is a feeling of expectation, anxiousness, or curiositycreated by questions raised in the mind of a reader or viewer.

Literary Terms Worksheet

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

characterizationironymoodmotivation

personificationpsychological fictionsatiresetting

suspensesymbolthemeTranscendentalism


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Literary Terms Worksheet

Answer Key

Literary Terms

1. personification2. mood3. irony4. Transcendentalism5. theme6. motivation7. setting8. Psychological fiction9. symbol

10. Suspense

ExamMasters


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The Scarlet Letter, “The Custom-House”

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

MMuullttiippllee CChhooiiccee ((1122 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))

On the line provided, write the letter of the best answer.

1. According to Hawthorne, the approach that an autobiographer should take in presenting a personal account is ______.a. to reveal one’s innermost thoughts and feelingsb. to tell only the portions of the truth that will promote a positive self-imagec. to write to an audience of interested parties but not as if they were

one’s closest friendsd. none of the above

2. Hawthorne mentions the fierce eagle clutching barbed arrows above the custom house door as a way of ______.a. reminding all who enter that serious business is conducted thereb. satirizing the federal government as a tender protector of the peoplec. promoting the image of the United States as strong and resoluted. scorning those who chose the eagle as the American emblem

3. Hawthorne is drawn to his hometown of Salem because ______.a. he has many happy boyhood memories thereb. his family has lived there for nearly two centuriesc. he hopes to remove any curse upon his family by accepting the shame

of his ancestors for their cruelty toward accused witchesd. it is a large shipping port and center of commerce and he finds a lucra-

tive post theree. b and c are true

4. Hawthorne believes his ancestors would be most critical of his ______.a. working at a government postb. writing works of fictionc. living in Italy for a timed. all of the above

5. All of the employees of the custom house have one trait in common: they are ______.a. lazyb. dishonestc. seniled. fastidious

6. Hawthorne describes the eighty-year-old inspector as one who ______.a. has no soul, no heart, and no mindb. is a practical jokerc. is a brilliant conversationalistd. remembers nothing from his past

Exam


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7. The author compares the old general who serves as the collector to ______.a. the ruined Fort Ticonderogab. a rusted and unseaworthy battleshipc. the remnants of a spoiled meald. a tattered, battle-worn flag

8. While working as an executive officer of the custom house, Hawthorne learns that ______. a. writing fiction is an effective way to gain immortalityb. good fiction writers can make a significant amount of moneyc. most people admire good writersd. his name might spread farther on the custom house stamps than

through his literary contributions

9. After Hawthorne finds the scarlet letter, his intent is to ______.a. write a biographical account of the woman who wore itb. apply his imagination to recreate Hester Prynne’s storyc. write a spiritualized story by creating an atmosphere of strangeness and

remotenessd. all of the above

10. To write a romance, Hawthorne says that one must be able to ______. a. dream strange things and make them look like truthb. study the medieval tales of knights and chivalryc. draw upon one’s own experience in loved. all of the above

11. While at the custom house, Hawthorne felt ______. a. compelled to writeb. overworked and too tired to writec. sterile and unimaginatived. none of the above

12. The general tone of “The Custom-House” is ______. a. light-hearted humorb. satire and sarcasmc. serious appreciationd. anger and disillusionment

SShhoorrtt EEssssaayy ((88 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))

On a separate sheet of paper, write a brief essay answering the following question.

Describe the conditions that spur the imaginative faculty of the romance writer asHawthorne describes them on pages 30–32 of “The Custom-House.” What effect dothese conditions have on a writer, and why?

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

Exam The Scarlet Letter, “The Custom-House”

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1. c2. b3. e4. b5. a6. a

7. a8. d9. d

10. a11. c12. b

SShhoorrtt EEssssaayy ((88 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))

According to Hawthorne, the conditions that spur the imaginative faculty of theromance writer are the cold moonlight, the warm firelight, and the reflection from alooking-glass. These elements produce an otherworldly, fantastical mood and give themind permission to speculate on the inner nature of things. Writers might find it easierto write in the conditions described here, rather than in an office or equally sterile envi-ronment, because the actual and imaginary can intermix and help the writer develop hisor her creative ideas.

The Scarlet Letter, “The Custom-House”

Exam Answer Key

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1. The setting of The Scarlet Letter is ______.a. Boston in the 1550sb. Boston in the 1640sc. Salem in the 1700sd. Salem in the 1850s

2. In the first chapter, the symbol of hope is ______.a. the rosebushb. the open prison doorc. the bright sunlightd. the procession of dignitaries

3. As Hester stands shamed on the scaffold, it is ironic that she ______.a. does not look like the kind of woman any man could loveb. would remind a Roman Catholic of the Virgin Maryc. has no husbandd. really is not guilty because she believes her husband is dead

4. When Reverend Dimmesdale exhorts Hester to tell who the father of her child is, the narrator says that this man’s most impressive feature is ______.a. his voiceb. his youthc. his handsome faced. his hunched shoulders

5. Hawthorne describes the scarlet letter on Hester’s bosom as ______.a. a drab, faded piece of homespun fabricb. an indication of Hester’s feelings of humilityc. an impressive display of her needleworkd. none of the above

6. Chillingworth tells Hester that he was wrong to marry her because ______.a. she was young and he was oldb. he was a solitary man given to scholarly pursuitsc. he had married her against her willd. all of the above are truee. a and b are true

7. Regarding the father of Hester’s child, Chillingworth intends to ______.a. make him stand before the church elders to face punishmentb. make him pay for the upbringing of Pearlc. forgive him when he admits that he is the fatherd. make him suffer mental anguish

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Exam The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 1–12


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8. Upon Chillingworth’s demand, Hester promises that ______. a. she will let him be the physician for her and little Pearlb. she will keep his true identity a secretc. she will take care of him in his old aged. she will never remove the scarlet letter

9. As Hester walks through the town wearing her scarlet letter, she becomes aware of a new sense within that tells her that ______.a. she is the worst of sinnersb. others have sinned as she has but have not been caughtc. Mistress Hibbins is a witchd. Pearl is a demon offspring

10. Hester names her daughter Pearl because ______. a. the child has cost her everything she hasb. she has a complexion as pure and white as a pearlc. she likes expensive jewelryd. all of the above

11. Hester goes with Pearl to Governor Bellingham’s house because ______. a. she has embroidery to deliverb. she wishes to argue with him to let her keep Pearlc. she is on probation and needs to appear before him each month to

show that she is a God-fearing womand. the governor is an old friend and she wants to visit with hime. a and b are true

12. Inside Governor Bellingham’s hall, Pearl throws a fit because she wants ______. a. to wear her own scarlet letterb. to make faces in the suit of armorc. the governor’s beautiful Bible embossed with gold letteringd. a red rose from the garden

13. When Governor Bellingham asks Pearl who made her, she replies ______.a. God in Heavenb. the Black Manc. no oned. she was plucked from the rosebush outside the prison doore. c and d are true

14. Dimmesdale’s argument for Hester to keep Pearl is that ______.a. Pearl is a demon offspring sent to punish Hesterb. if Hester can teach Pearl the ways of God, she will save herself and Pearlc. no one else would be willing to raise Pearld. the child may serve as a spy to reveal who the father ise. all of the above

The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 1–12

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15. If the magistrates had taken Pearl from Hester, she would have ______.a. gone with Mistress Hibbins to sign her name in the Black Man’s bookb. committed suicidec. revealed her husband’s named. revealed the father’s namee. all of the above

16. Chillingworth obtains his knowledge of medicine from ______.a. the Indians in the forestb. the Hornbook, a book of magicc. Harvard Universityd. his studies of alchemy in Englande. a and d are true

17. Whenever he becomes nervous or agitated, Dimmesdale ______.a. looks away from people’s eyesb. trembles and blushes just enough to be perceptible by a close observerc. puts his hand over his heartd. becomes glassy-eyed as if in a trance

18. Chillingworth might be called a leech because ______.a. doctors were called leeches because they used leeches to bleed diseases

out of their patientsb. he is draining the life out of Dimmesdalec. his life takes its sustenance from another man’s lifed. all of the above

19. Dimmesdale is not suspicious of Chillingworth’s intentions because ______.a. Chillingworth provides him with helpful medicinesb. Dimmesdale is false to himself and therefore cannot tell who his friends arec. Chillingworth acts like a friendd. Chillingworth has a good reputation as a physiciane. all of the above

20. Dimmesdale refuses to confess because he ______.a. is afraid of punishment and public humiliationb. will not be able to do good in the world anymorec. will bring shame to the ministryd. all of the above

21. Chillingworth first knows that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father when ______.a. Dimmesdale stands on the scaffold at midnightb. Dimmesdale argues for Hester to keep her childc. he looks beneath Dimmesdale’s vestment while the latter is sleepingd. he discovers that Dimmesdale intends to flee the colony

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22. During the minister’s midnight vigil on the scaffold, he is observed by ______.a. Chillingworthb. Reverend Wilsonc. the Black Mand. Governor Bellingham

23. The image used to describe the connection between Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale on the scaffold during the midnight vigil is a(n)______.a. magic circleb. iron linkc. electric chaind. cord of hemp

24. To the townspeople, the letter A that appeared in the sky stands for ______.a. Adulteryb. Ablec. Angeld. Advent

25. In the second scaffold scene, ______.a. Dimmesdale mocks society for not being able to discover his guiltb. Pearl recognizes her fatherc. the truth stands before all, but only the most careful observer can see itd. all of the above

MMaattcchhiinngg ((1100 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))


1. John Wilson

2. inciting incident

3. motivation

4. Mistress Hibbins

5. Governor Bellingham

6. the Black Man

7. irony

8. setting

9. rising action

10. weeds

a. Represents the evil lurking near the Puritan community

b. Wants to take Pearl from Hester

c. Chillingworth arrives and tells Hester to keep his secret

d. Dimmesdale’s hidden sin drains his strength while his congregation perceives him as a saint

e. Walks past the scaffold at midnight but fails to see Dimmesdale above him

f. A town of austere wooden buildings erected along theseacoast and surrounded by forest

g. Chillingworth moves in with Dimmesdale and begins to torment the minister

h. A source of Chillingworth’s medicines

i. Chillingworth’s desire for revenge

j. Thought to be a witch

The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 1 –12

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VVooccaabbuullaarryy ((55 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))Complete the sentences by filling in each blank with a word from the list below.

EX. Justine hated horror movies; the grisly scenes made her feel sick.

1. Frustrated by his teammates’ sullen attitudes, Josh exclaimed, “There is a serious of enthusiasm around here!”

2. The teacher punished Ronald for his attempt to copy fromanother classmate’s test.

3. The senator’s was seriously damaged when it was revealedthat she had accepted gifts of money from foreign investors.

4. The tabloid magazine contained many stories about the latestscandal.

5. Awakened by a frightful in the middle of the night, I discov-ered a raccoon invading our trash can.

Short Answer (5 points each)

Answer the following questions in the space provided.

1. Describe the setting in which this story takes place.

2. Describe Pearl’s appearance and behavior as a young girl.

credibilitydearthdepravity

grislyflagrantinauspicious

luridsolacetumult

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3. Explain the nature of the relationship between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale.

4. Describe the relationship between Hester and her daughter as the child grows.

5. Explain the symbolism of the rosebush outside the prison door.

EEssssaayy ((3355 ppooiinnttss))On a separate sheet of paper, write a brief essay answering one of the following questions.

1. Much of the symbolism in The Scarlet Letter focuses on Pearl. Explore the connectionsbetween Pearl, her name, the rose, the weeds, and the scarlet letter.

2. Compare and contrast the first scaffold scene in chapter 2 and the second scaffoldscene in chapter 12. What changes have taken place in the lives of the main charac-ters in the time that has elapsed between the first and second scaffold scenes thataffect Dimmesdale’s midnight vigil?

3. Explain Dimmesdale’s state of mind from the moment he tries to get Hester to revealthe name of Pearl’s father until the moment he climbs the scaffold at midnight. Besure to discuss his public and private images and his relationship with Chillingworth.

The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 1 –12

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1. b2. a3. b4. a5. c

6. e7. d8. b9. b

10. a

11. e12. d13. e14. b15. a

16. e17. c18. d19. e20. d

21. c22. a23. c24. c25. c


1. e2. c

3. i4. j

5. b6. a

7. d8. f

9. g10. h

SShhoorrtt AAnnsswweerr ((22 ppooiinnttss eeaacchh))

The answers below are brief indications of what a student might write in response to the directions.Give students credit for variations and creative insights within the bounds of these guidelines.

1. The setting of The Scarlet Letter is Boston in the 1640s. The community is made up of clap-board houses and has a town square with a meeting house, a scaffold, and a prison withan adjoining cemetery. The town lies near the ocean and is surrounded by forest.

2. Hester dresses Pearl as a replica of the scarlet letter. Her dress is scarlet velvet with goldtrim. Pearl is radiant, happy, mischievous, and often naughty. She throws stones at birds,but is sorry when she hits one. She chases the Puritan children when they tease her. Sheoften focuses her attention on her mother’s scarlet letter, tracing it with her finger andasking questions.

3. Chillingworth attaches himself to Dimmesdale like a leech in his role as personal physicianand confidant. He administers herbs to the minister’s body and probes the innermostsecrets of his mind. Chillingworth subtly tortures Dimmesdale without Dimmesdale’sknowledge. In chapter 11, Chillingworth pulls the vestment from the sleeping ministerand is gleeful at what he sees on the other man’s breast.

4. Hester worries that her child is not quite human. She takes responsibility for Pearl’s reli-gious education and behavior. Pearl is her most precious gift, her joy and her torture. Thefact that Pearl never leaves Hester’s side underscores the closeness that Pearl feels towardHester and the child’s ultimate dependence on her.

5. The narrator calls the rosebush outside the prison door a symbol of hope or morality.According to legend, the rosebush had sprung up under the footstep of the banned reli-gious leader Ann Hutchinson as she entered the prison. The rosebush might let the con-demned criminal know that nature could be kind and pity them even if their fellowhumans could not.

VVooccaabbuullaarryy ((55 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))

1. dearth2. flagrant

3. credibility4. lurid

5. tumult

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EEssssaayy ((2255 ppooiinnttss eeaacchh))

1. Pearl is the living embodiment of the scarlet letter. She is Hester’s constant reminder ofher sin, but she also represents Hester’s pride. As Hester embroidered her letter in gold, soshe dresses her child to stand out against the drab dress of the Puritan children; Pearlactually resembles the scarlet letter A. The townspeople think that Pearl is an uncontrol-lable and lawless demon offspring or an elf. She uses weeds to represent the other chil-dren in her play and makes a green letter A with seaweed for her own breast, innocentlytorturing her mother and reminding Hester of how much of a creature of nature Pearl is.Pearl is compared to an actual pearl because she was bought with everything her motherhad. In Governor Bellingham’s hall, Pearl throws a fit because she wants a red rose fromthe garden. When asked who made her, Pearl responds that she was not made, but wasplucked from the rosebush outside the prison door. Pearl embodies the rose, and is asymbol of hope growing among the weeds of Puritan society. Roses are beautiful, butthey have thorns and grow wild unless they are carefully cultivated and nurtured.

2. In the first scaffold scene, Hester stands with Pearl in her arms for three hours and refusesto reveal the father’s name despite pressure from church officials. She reveals her prideand her shame by her bold display of the embroidered scarlet letter which she occasion-ally tries to cover by pulling Pearl closer to her. In the second scene, Dimmesdale climbsthe scaffold at night in a futile attempt to reveal himself to a sleeping community. Whenhe sees Hester and Pearl, he calls them to stand with him and the family is finallytogether, joined by an “electric chain.” John Wilson passes by carrying a lantern, but hedoes not see the truth standing above him. An A appears in the sky and many towns-people interpret it to mean “Angel” in reference to Governor Winthrop, who died thatnight. Once again, Chillingworth observes the actions that take place on the scaffold andcauses consternation to those who stand upon the scaffold. This scene emphasizesDimmesdale’s torment and hypocrisy. He tries to reveal himself as the father of Pearl, butdoes not have the courage to do so in the daylight. While he continues to hide his sinand is consumed by guilt, Hester lives with and grows beyond her sin.

3. Dimmesdale seems upset as he exhorts Hester to reveal the name of the father of herchild and explains to her that she may be doing the man a service if he does not have thecourage to speak for himself. He indicates that the man might be brought down from ahigh place. The women in the crowd believe that Dimmesdale is taking Hester’s sin per-sonally because she is a member of his congregation. Dimmesdale feels terrible becausethe townspeople view him as a saint; the more ill and frail he becomes as he suffers fromhis hypocrisy, the more the people elevate him to sainthood. Dimmesdale is not equippedto withstand the Chillingworth’s subtle torture. The townspeople suspect that his relation-ship with Chillingworth is unhealthy and that their minister is in a match with the devil ina test by God to keep His saints pure. Dimmesdale does not suspect that Chillingworth ishis adversary, but feels uncomfortable around him. In his chambers at night, he scourgeshimself as a means of penance. However, he cannot alleviate his guilt and so he decidesto mount the scaffold.


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1. After seven years have gone by, the townspeople have come to view Hester differently and the scarlet letter has come to mean ______.a. Adulteryb. Angelc. Abled. Amiable

2. After the second scaffold scene, all the following changes take place in Hester’s life except ______.a. she speculates about the condition of the whole race of womanhoodb. the scarlet letter is now interpreted as Ablec. she associates freely with Mistress Hibbinsd. she is a nurse to the sick

3. Chillingworth has changed over the years: ______.a. he has become old and uselessb. he has become more isolated and purposelessc. he has become fiend-like in his desire for revenged. he has suffered a rare disease that is destroying his bodye. none of the above

4. Hester goes to meet Chillingworth because ______.a. she wants to plead with him to leave Dimmesdale aloneb. she still has feelings for him and wishes they could live togetherc. she intends to leave and wants to tell him goodbyed. she wants to tell him that she must break her promise and tell

Dimmesdale that he is her husband

5. After she sees Chillingworth, Hester feels all the following except ______.a. hatred for the man who was once her husbandb. pity for Chillingworth’s lonely conditionc. revulsion at ever having been close to himd. anger at Chillingworth for making her believe she was happy with him

6. Pearl shows that she is intuitive because ______.a. she knows what the A stands forb. she asks questions about the meaning of the scarlet letter and why the

minister puts his hand over his heartc. she wants to hear stories about the Black Mand. she plays with animals and flowers

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7. When Hester tells Dimmesdale of Chillingworth’s identity, Dimmesdale ______.a. laughs hystericallyb. at first is unable to forgive herc. screams in horrord. curses Hester

8. Hester suggests that Dimmesdale deal with his new knowledge of Chillingworth by ______.a. planning to leave the community and assume a new nameb. pretending nothing is wrong and continuing to live with himc. confessing to his congregationd. physically attacking Chillingworth

9. Hester’s femininity and beauty return when ______.a. she tells Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husbandb. Pearl makes an A out of seaweed for herselfc. Hester takes off the scarlet letterd. Dimmesdale kisses her in the foreste. she and Pearl stand in the sunlight together

10. For Hester and Dimmesdale, the reunion in the forest is ______.a. a moment in which sunshine pours upon them in full sympathyb. a moment in which they experience joy and hopec. a chance for them to plan their future togetherd. all of the above

11. Pearl does all the following in the forest scene except ______.a. she supports her mother’s love for Dimmesdaleb. she wants Dimmesdale to walk with her mother and her through townc. she notices that her mother is no longer wearing the scarlet letterd. she plays with the forest animals

12. When Dimmesdale leaves the forest after meeting with Hester, all the fol-lowing are temptations for him except ______.a. telling blasphemous thoughts about the communion-supper to a deaconb. denying there is immortality to an old womanc. stealing candlesticks from the meeting housed. telling wicked words to Puritan childrene. telling jokes and shaking hands with raucous sailors

13. These temptations haunt Dimmesdale because ______.a. he has dared to believe he can escape his suffering and flee with Hesterb. he has been untrue to himself and his beliefsc. he has decided to take no further responsibility for his past act of sind. he has renewed his love with Hester, a married womane. all of the above


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14. When Pearl sees Dimmesdale walking in the processional on Election Day, she asks her mother ______.a. why the minister holds his hand over his heartb. if the minister is going with them on the shipc. if the minister is the same person they met in the forestd. why the minister always looks so ille. if the minister has signed his name in the Black Man’s book

15. From the ship’s captain Hester learns that ______.a. the ship will be delayed for several daysb. Chillingworth has booked passage on the same shipc. Dimmesdale has canceled his ticketd. the commander is in love with her

16. Dimmesdale’s Election Day speech ______.a. seems like a cry for helpb. strikes deep into the hearts of the listeners as never beforec. seems confused and disconnected, like his mindd. shocks the listeners with graphic details of sine. seems remote and unattached to the things of this world

17. As Dimmesdale collapses on the scaffold, Chillingworth says: ______.a. The truth is knownb. Thou hast saved thy soulc. Thou hast escaped med. Come down and say no moree. God bless thee

18. After Dimmesdale reaches the scaffold, the following is not true: ______.a. Dimmesdale reveals what appears to be a letter A etched on his breastb. the townspeople all agree that Dimmesdale is the father of Pearlc. he dies on the scaffold in Hester’s armsd. Pearl cries for her father

19. The following state is not true about the future of the characters: ______.a. Hester lives out her last years in her seaside cottageb. Pearl lives and marries in Europec. Chillingworth diesd. Hester and Dimmesdale are buried in the same grave

20. Pearl could be called the “richest heiress of her day, in the New World” forevery reason except ______.a. she inherits all of Chillingworth’s propertyb. she inherits freedom of imagination as a child born outside Puritan lawc. she goes into business with her husband in Boston and does very welld. she breaks the spell of Puritanism on womanhood

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21. A style of literature that emphasizes the strange, fantastical, and imaginative qualities of human experience is called ______.a. tragedyb. comedyc. mysteryd. romance

22. The three scaffold scenes of the novel establish the ______.a. ironyb. structurec. plotd. conflict

23. The story reaches its climax when ______.a. Dimmesdale mounts the scaffold at midnightb. Dimmesdale and Hester meet in the forestc. Dimmesdale confesses to the crowd on Election Dayd. Chillingworth dies and Pearl moves away

24. Hawthorne uses the imagery of weeds in all the following ways except ______.a. for Pearl to represent the Puritan children in her playb. for Pearl to decorate her mother’s scarlet letterc. for the growth that emerges from the grave of an unconfessed sinnerd. for Chillingworth’s medicines

25. The scarlet letter symbolizes all of the following except ______.a. the sin of adulteryb. public shame and sufferingc. a passionate love that can survive any obstacled. an emblem that identifies its wearer as a noble servant of the sick

VVooccaabbuullaarryy ((55 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))Complete the sentences by filling in each blank with a word from the list below.

EX. The president tried to pacify the rebels by promising change in the government.

1. The Aztecs showed their to their gods by offering human sacrifices.

2. The talk show host’s greatly entertained his audience.

3. The woman pushed her way to the front of the line.

4. My grandfather never said much, but when he did, his com-ments were always valuable.

5. The army intends to the walled city helpless by constant cannon fire.

boorishgesticulate

jocularityunintelligible

obeisancepithy

reciprocaterender


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SShhoorrtt AAnnsswweerr ((55 ppooiinnttss eeaacchh))

Answer the following questions in the space provided.

1. Describe Pearl’s play while Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the forest. What is her response when she sees her mother and Dimmesdale together?

2. Describe the change in the way the townspeople view Hester after seven years.



1. resolution

2. personification

3. suspense

4. irony

5. dénouement

6. the Black Man

7. Mistress Hibbins

8. climax

9. tone

10. foreshadowing

a. Dimmesdale mounts the scaffold and confesses his sinto the crowd

b. serves as a seer and reminder of the spiritual wildernessthat constantly threatens Hester

c. Chillingworth dies; Hester returns to her cottage, andPearl marries and lives in Europe

d. the anticipation that Hester, Dimmesdale, and Pearl willescape from the Puritan community

e. carries a book in which sinners can sign their names

f. Mistress Hibbins warns that Dimmesdale’s secret will berevealed

g. serious, analytical attitude toward the torment of the soul

h. “A partridge, indeed, with a brood of ten behind her, ranforward threateningly, but soon repented of her fierceness,and clucked to her young ones not to be afraid.”

i. Dimmesdale saves his soul but loses his life

j. After Dimmesdale confesses, Pearl kisses him, and he dies

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3. Describe the changes in Dimmesdale after the midnight vigil.

4. Describe the role that Mistress Hibbins plays in the novel.

5. Summarize what we know about Pearl after she leaves New England.

EEssssaayy ((3355 ppooiinnttss))

On a separate sheet of paper, write a brief essay answering oonnee of the following questions.

1. Heroes in real life and fiction rise from the context of the age in which they live. Manycritics consider Hester Prynne to be a role model who possesses heroic qualities.Discuss to what degree Hester was a woman before her time and how she laid anadmirable foundation for future generations of women.

2. In the final chapter we discover that Pearl inherits Chillingworth’s wealth andbecomes the “richest heiress…of the New World.” It may be that Pearl was the rich-est heiress in other ways as well. Explore the idea that Pearl is, as some critics con-tend, Hawthorne’s New Woman, born as an outcast of Puritan society to a sinful butliberated mother, and explore how Pearl grows from that heritage to possess qualitiesthat we can admire.

3. Hawthorne, haunted by his sin-obsessed Puritan ancestors, but living in an age thatbelieved in the natural goodness of human beings and the sympathy of nature, wrotethis novel as a study of sin and its effects. Although Hawthorne never suggests thatadultery is acceptable, he shows ambivalence in Hester and Dimmesdale’s predica-ment of being caught between the “forest” and Puritan civilization. In chapters16–19, Hester and Dimmesdale meet in the woods, plan their escape, and part.During their rendezvous, sunshine floods in upon them as if in blessing. Shortly there-after, Dimmesdale preaches his Election Day sermon, stands with Hester and Pearl onthe scaffold, and dies in Hester’s arms. Based on these events, would you say thatHawthorne supports the Puritan doctrine of his ancestors, the romantic notions offreedom and natural goodness, or some combination of the two? State your positionand support your answer with evidence from the text.


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VVooccaabbuullaarryy ((55 ppooiinnttss ttoottaall))


1. c2. c3. c4. d5. b

6. b7. b8. a9. c

10. d

11. a12. c13. e14. c15. b

16. b17. c18. b19. d20. c

21. d22. b23. c24. c25. c


1. j2. h

3. d4. i

5. c6. e

7. b8. a

9. g10. f

1. obeisance2. jocularity

3. boorish4. pithy

5. render

Short Answer (5 points each)The answers below are brief indications of what a student should write in response to the directions.Give students credit for variations and creative insights within the bounds of these guidelines.

1. Pearl plays in the forest, eating wild berries and playing with the animals. Rumor saysthat a wolf lets her pat its head. She gathers violets, anemones, and columbines anddecorates her hair before Hester calls her to meet Dimmesdale. She dislikes seeing hermother and Dimmesdale together and demands that her mother wear the scarlet let-ter again. When Dimmesdale kisses her, she washes her forehead in the brook.

2. The townspeople grow to respect Hester because she has so humbly accepted theirscorn and ill-treatment that her endurance becomes a sort of virtue. She never com-plains and assists the sick and poor. Her A comes to signify Able for the townspeople.

3. Hester witnesses an intense misery growing inside Dimmesdale against which he is nolonger able to struggle. He seems on the verge of lunacy. Chillingworth has been mentallytorturing him and injecting a deadly venom into his system that is slowly taking his life.

4. Mistress Hibbins tempts people to engage in free thought, escape from Puritan doc-trine, and relieve themselves from the responsibility of sin. She has knowledge of sinand evil and knows those who pretend to be saints but are really sinners. UponDimmesdale’s return from the forest, Mistress Hibbins asks to accompany him on hisnext visit to the “potentate,” making Dimmesdale wonder if he has sold his soul tothe devil. On Election Day she tells Hester that she knows the minister has been tothe forest and that the Black Man has a way of revealing private sin. Mistress Hibbinshas her finger on the pulse of evil and forecasts its revelation.

5. Chillingworth leaves Pearl much of his fortune and she becomes “the richest heiress ofthe New World.” It appears from the letters with armorial seals and the expensiveobjects that Hester receives that Pearl has married a man of wealth and aristocracy inEurope and has a child for which Hester embroiders garments.

Exam Answer Key



EEssssaayy ((3355 ppooiinnttss))

1. Students might say that Hester is a hero because she sacrifices everything for the peo-ple she loves. Although she accepts her punishment, she may do so to stay close tothe man she loves. She feels that women are judged more harshly than men, yetendures her situation in hope that one day things will be different. In the meantime,she does whatever good she can in the community, selling her needlework for a liv-ing and serving the sick and the poor. She is much stronger than her lover andrefuses to reveal his identity. She continues to love him in spite of the law and hisown moral weakness. She remains faithful to a higher law, a law of goodness, mercy,and love, which transforms her into a virtuous counselor of women. Through herbeliefs and actions, she becomes a model woman with courage, compassion,endurance, self-sacrifice, and pride.

2. Pearl grows up “outside the sphere of human charities.” She chases the Puritan chil-dren away rather than trying to play with them or learn their ways. She prefers herown imaginative play in the forest with the animals, the brook, the sunshine, and theweeds. From the moment her eyes could focus as an infant, she was fascinated bythe scarlet letter on her mother’s bosom. She is dressed gaily in red and gold, whilethe other children wear gray and brown, and the narrator says she was a rose amongweeds. Because her mother followed her heart and speculated on things that Puritanwoman did not dare to think about, Pearl grows up an outsider looking in on a cul-ture she does not like. Although she is taught to be a good Puritan, Pearl grows upwild, beyond the law, and sometimes cruel in her innocence. She is creative, imagina-tive, playful, beautiful, and true to herself. She lacks compassion, however, until shefeels the bond of grief with her father. Although she witnesses his suffering in severalscenes leading up to his death, she does not feel compassion until he takes responsi-bility for her. When he does, she is transformed from an elf to a loving and compas-sionate human being. Pearl chooses to live in Europe, where, ironically, she is able tofind more freedom of thought than in the Puritan confines of the New World.

3. Students might say that Hawthorne wanted to create in his novel a world in whichthe heavy burden of sin could be lifted and happiness could rule the lives of faithfulpeople, much like the world of the forest where Hester and Dimmesdale meet. In thisnatural world, nothing is restricted by human laws and limitations. But Hawthorneseems to realize that most people do not live in the forest, but rather in a society witha built-in framework for their lives and convictions. Students might also point out thatthe vantage point of 200 years made Hawthorne wonder if this somber, judgmentalsociety had any merit or any right to judge Hester Prynne. However, he is also inter-ested in having Hester and Dimmesdale work out their suffering within the commu-nity. Hester frees herself by recognizing her sin while Dimmesdale grows physicallyand spiritually weaker by refusing to confess his guilt publicly. For Hawthorne, Hesteris the harbinger of the future and Pearl the hope for a new age in which both Godand society could treat the contrite sinner with compassion and forgiveness.Hawthorne does not appear to believe that people can escape their responsibility tothemselves or their community, but he shows through the sympathy of nature that alarger world beyond Puritan society exists that offers its own redemption.

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Exam Answer Key

EvaluationForms


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Evaluation Form

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

Writing Process

In prewriting I used� freewriting � imagining or role playing � interviewing� research � graphic devices � discussion� asking questions � observing and recalling � other (explain)(comments)

The prewriting technique that was most successful for me wasOther prewriting techniques that I would like to try areThe prewriting technique that I would like to improve is

In planning I � made an outline � decided on a specific audience � decided on a specific purpose� decided on a specific topic � revised my initial writing plan � decided on a mode of writ-ing(comments)

The planning technique that was most successful for me wasOther planning techniques that I would like to try are

P R E W R I T I N G

P L A N N I N G

In drafting I worked on � writing topic sentences � writing a conclusion � achieving unity� writing a thesis statement � writing transitions � other (explain)� writing an introduction � using supporting details(comments)

The drafting skill that was most successful for me wasOther drafting skills that I would like to try areThe drafting skill that I would like to improve is

D R A F T I N G

In editing my draft I worked on � writing or revising an introduction � proofreading � using vivid words and details� writing or revising a conclusion � revising for clarity � other (explain)� revising for coherence � revising for unity(comments)

The editing skill that was most successful for me wasOther editing skills that I would like to try areThe editing skill that I would like to improve is

E D I T I N G


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Writing Plan Evaluation Form

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

The topic is clear and can be treated well in the available space.

COMMENTS: × 55 ==

1234

T O P I C CIRCLE ONE

The writer’s purpose is clear, and the writer achieves his or her purpose.

COMMENTS: × 55 ==

1234

P U R P O S E

The language used and the complexity of the treatment of the subject are appro-priate to the audience and occasion for which the writing was done.

COMMENTS: × 55 ==

1234

A U D I E N C E

The form chosen is appropriate, and the writer has observed the conventions ofthe form chosen.

COMMENTS: × 55 ==

1234

F O R M

The writing makes use of appropriate modes (narration, dialogue, description,and various kinds of exposition such as analysis or comparison and contrast), andthe writer has handled these modes well.

COMMENTS:× 55 ==

1234

M O D E

KKeeyy:: 1 = needs substantial improvement 2 = needs improvement 3 = good 4 = outstanding

STUDENT’S SIGNATURE

PEER EVALUATOR’S SIGNATURE

TEACHER’S SIGNATURE

T O T A L


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Evaluation Form

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

Writing Summary

Title

Purpose or aim of writing

I chose this topic because

The form of the writing is

I chose this form because

My thesis or theme is

My intended audience is

The principle of organization that I used is

The type of support or evidence that I used is

The type of introduction that I used is

The type of conclusion that I used is


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Evaluation Form

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

Compositions/Reports

A. The paper contains an introduction that grabs the attention of the reader.

B. The paper contains an introduction that presents the main idea orthesis of the paper.

C. The body of the paper contains paragraphs that support and developthe main idea.

D. Each paragraph develops a single main idea or serves a single mainfunction.

E. The writer has used transitions effectively to connect the paragraphs ofthe paper.

F. The writer has used transitions effectively to connect ideas withinparagraphs.

G. The paragraphs in the body of the paper are organized in a logicalmanner.

H. The paper contains a conclusion that gives the reader a satisfactorysense of an ending by summarizing the main points of the paper or bysome other means.

I. Source materials used in the paper have been clearly documented toavoid plagiarism.

J. The writer has prepared the paper using proper manuscript form.

TTOOTTAALL

E V A L U A T I O N C R I T E R I A S C O R E

Assign a score from 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best.


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Evaluation Form

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

Analytic Scale

A. Develops a single main idea or creates a single dominant effectCOMMENTS: × 44 == 1 2

3 4

B. Contains only necessary or relevant ideas or informationCOMMENTS: × 44 == 1 2

3 4

C. Is organized in a logical or sensible mannerCOMMENTS: × 44 ==

1 23 4

D. Uses transitions effectively to connect ideasCOMMENTS: × 44 ==

1 23 4

E. Uses language appropriate to the audience and occasionCOMMENTS:

× 22 == 1 23 4

F. Uses vivid, precise nouns, verbs, and modifiersCOMMENTS: × 22 == 1 2

3 4

G. Avoids spelling errorsCOMMENTS:

1 23 4

× 11 ==

H. Avoids grammar errorsCOMMENTS:

1 23 4

× 11 ==

I. Avoids usage errorsCOMMENTS:

1 23 4

× 11 ==

J. Avoids punctuation and capitalization errorsCOMMENTS:

1 23 4 × 11 ==

K. Avoids errors in manuscript formCOMMENTS:

1 23 4

× 11 ==

T O T A L

C O N V E N T I O N S

L A N G U A G E / S T Y L E

O R G A N I Z A T I O N / C O H E R E N C E

KKeeyy:: 1 = needs substantial improvement 2 = needs improvement 3 = good 4 = outstanding




C O N T E N T / U N I T Y CIRCLE ONE


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Holistic ResponseEvaluation Form

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

The writing• does not develop a singlemain idea or create a singledominant effect

• contains irrelevant ideas • is not organized logically• does not use transitions effec-tively

• uses language inappropriatefor the audience and occasion

• does not use vivid, precisenouns, verbs, and modifiers

The writing• develops a single main idea orcreates a single dominanteffect

• contains only relevant ideas • is organized logically• uses transitions effectively • uses language appropriate tothe audience and occasion

• uses vivid, precise nouns,verbs, and modifiers

C O N T E N T A N D C O H E R E N C E

The writing• makes errors in spelling • makes errors in grammar • makes errors in usage • makes errors in punctuation • does not follow propermanuscript form

The writing• uses proper spelling • uses good grammar • avoids errors in usage • uses proper punctuationand capitalization

• follows proper manuscriptform

C O N V E N T I O N S

(Circle one.)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

× 7 =

(Circle one.)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

× 3 =

What I like most about this work is

What I like least about this work is

What I would do to improve this work is

CONTENT AND COHERENCE + CONVENTIONS = TOTAL





Evaluation Form Writing: Revising andProofreading Checklists

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

1. Does the writing achieve its purpose?

2. Are the main ideas related to the thesis statement?

3. Are the main ideas clearly stated and supported by details?

1. Are the ideas arranged in a logical order?

2. Do transitions connect ideas to one another both within and between paragraphs?

1. Is the voice—the tone, word choice, and perspective of the writing—authentic? Is it consistent?

2. Is the level of language appropriate to the audience and purpose?

3. Is the mood appropriate to the purpose and form of the writing?

R E V I S I O N C H E C K L I S T : C O N T E N T A N D U N I T Y

R E V I S I O N C H E C K L I S T : O R G A N I Z A T I O N A N D C O H E R E N C E

• Are all words, including names, spelled correctly?

• Does each verb agree in number with its subject?• Are verb tenses consistent and correct?• Are irregular verbs formed correctly?• Is the referent of each pronoun clear?• Does every pronoun agree with its antecedent?• Are subject and object forms of pronouns used correctly?• Are there any sentence fragments or run-ons?• Have double negatives been avoided?

• Have frequently confused words, such as affect and effect, been usedcorrectly?

• Does every sentence end with an end mark?• Are commas, semicolons, hyphens, and dashes used correctly?• Do all proper nouns and proper adjectives begin with capital letters?• Has proper manuscript form been used?

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P R O O F R E A D I N G C H E C K L I S T

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R E V I S I O N C H E C K L I S T : V O I C E A N D S T Y L E


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Evaluation Form

Discussion

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

As a participant, the student… nearly always often sometimes rarely

shares personal experience � � � �

contributes relevant ideas � � � �

supports statements with evidence � � � �

responds to others respectfully � � � �

tries to understand others’ views � � � �

shows willingness to change views when appropriate � � � �

shows willingness to clarify and defend views � � � �

allows others to speak � � � �

maintains focus on discussion � � � �

The student’s participation has been valuable to the group in the following ways:

The student’s participation could be more valuable if she or he would

As leader, the student… nearly always often sometimes rarely

helps the group keep on track � � � �

helps ensure that everyone gets a chance to speak � � � �

helps the group reach closure � � � �

The student’s leadership has been valuable to the group in the following ways:

The student’s leadership could be more valuable if she or he would

P A R T I C I P A T I O N

L E A D E R S H I P

As record keeper, the student… nearly always often sometimes rarely

keeps accurate records of the discussion � � � �

(comments)

R E C O R D K E E P I N G


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Evaluation FormProject

Name _____________________________________ Class_____________________ Date____________

1. Describe the goal of the project.

Was the goal met satisfactorily? (Rate the overall success of the project on a scale from 1 to 5.)

1 2 3 4 5not met satisfactorily met satisfactorily

2. Was the project an individual or a group effort? ______ individual ______ group(If the project was a group effort, rate the effectiveness of the group in each of thefollowing areas on a scale from 1 to 5.)a. Cooperation among 1 2 3 4 5

group members not at all cooperative very cooperative

b. Leadership 1 2 3 4 5not effective very effective

c. Division of tasks 1 2 3 4 5unfair fair

d. Project organization 1 2 3 4 5unorganized organized

(If the project was an individual effort, rate the effectiveness of the effort in each ofthe following areas on a scale from 1 to 5.)a. Effort 1 2 3 4 5

very little effort shown much effort shown

b. Creativity 1 2 3 4 5very little creativity shown much creativity shown

c. Attention to goals 1 2 3 4 5little attention to goals much attention to goals

3. Rate the overall group or individual performance on a scale of 1 to 5 with regard tothe criteria given above.

1 2 3 4 5very poor performance outstanding performance

(comments)

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