Scarlet Letter Study Questions/ Open Book Quiz



Scarlet Letter Study Questions

Using specific lines from the Scarlet Letter, answer the following questions:

Chapter 1

1. What is the scene/setting?

2. What does the rose symbolize?

Chapter 2

3. Why are the people gathering?

4. Who in the crowd seemed to take the most interest in what was happening?

5. What is Hester Prynne’s crime?

6. What were some of the punishments suggested by the townswomen?

7. Give a brief description of Hester.

8. What was Hester’s punishment?

9. What went through Hester’s mind as she stood before the crowd? How did that differ from her exterior behavior?

Chapter 3

10. Who attracted Hester’s attention from the outskirts of the crowd?

11. What was the effect upon the man (the stranger) when he saw Hester?

12. What prophesy did the stranger make regarding the father of Hester’s baby?

13. Who defended Hester when she refused to reveal her partner in sin?

Chapter 4

14. Who is the stranger (Roger Chillingworth)?

15. Who does Roger blame for Hester’s “condition”?

16. Though Hester would not reveal the name of her “partner in sin”, Roger had a threatening resolve- what was it?

17. What secret does Roger ask Hester to keep? What is her response to this?

Chapter 5

18. What did Hester "reason upon "as her motive for continuing a resident of New England"?

19. What did she have to endure as a result of that decision?

20. How did her work as a seamstress (artist, designer) progress?

Chapter 6

21. Why did Hester decide on the name "Pearl" for her daughter?

22. How did Hester raise Pearl, in terms of strictness and discipline?

23. How did Pearl respond to the harsh or cold treatment from the other Puritan children?

24. When Hester said "Thy Heavenly Father sent thee", what was Pearl's response? Why did she respond this way?

Chapter 7

25. Why did Hester go to Gov. Bellingham’s mansion?

26. How was Pearl dressed? Why was that emphasized?

27. What did Pearl see in the governor’s garden?

Chapter 8

28. How did Pearl respond to Mr. Wilson’s question as to who made her?

29. What was the governor about to do because of her answer?

30. How did Hester protest? (to the answer of #29)

31. Who interceded for Hester and what was his plea?

32. What was Roger’s comment to this? How do you interpret his meaning?

33. What happened as Hester and Pearl were leaving the house?

Chapter 9

34. What is a leech?

35. How was Dimmesdale enduring the ordeal of his troubled conscience?

36. Besides serving as his medical advisor, what else interested Roger Chillingworth about Dimmesdale?

37. What became noticeable in Roger’s face after he had been living with Dimmesdale?

38. To this point in the book, the father of Pearl has not yet been revealed. Without looking ahead (or using the internet or a Senior), tell who you think the father of Pearl is, and give at least 2 citations (direct lines in the book) that would support your claim (circumstantial evidence is fine).

Chapter 10

39. How did Dimmesdale feel as a result of Chillingworth’s presence?

40. What does Dimmesdale say keeps some from making a confession?

41. What did Pearl see in Roger Chillingworth?

Chapter 11

42. How did Dimmesdale progress with his congregation and his office?

43. How did people interpret Dimmesdale’s understanding of human frailty?

44. How did Dimmesdale look upon himself?

Chapter 12

45. Where did Dimmesdale go this dark night?

46. What did he do (this dark night)?

47. What was the effect upon Dimmesdale when Hester and Pearl came upon the platform?

48. What did Pearl ask him (Dimmesdale)?

49. Chillingworth now knows who the father of Pearl is. Who is the father?

Chapter 13

50. How did people now look upon Hester’s “letter A”?

Chapter 14

51. What changes did Hester see in Roger’s face after seven years have passes since he came to Boston?

52. Did Roger Chillingworth forgive?

53. Hester has kept her promise and not told who Roger is. Did she make the right decision? Explain.

54. Compare Hester to the father (you need to know question #15 for this). Who is progressing better- both privately and socially?

Chapter 15

55. What did Pearl do to emulate her mother?

56. What question did Pearl persist in asking?

Chapter 16

57. Interpret the bold line; what is Hester really saying?

But, mother, tell me now! Is there such a Black Man? And didst thou ever meet him? And is this his mark?"

"Wilt thou let me be at peace, if I once tell thee?" asked her mother.

"Yes, if thou tellest me all," answered Pearl.

"Once in my life I met the Black Man!" said her mother. "This scarlet letter is his mark!"

58. To what extent does Pearl notice the connection between Dimmesdale and her mother, Hester?

Chapter 17

59. How did Hester answer Dimmesdale when he asked: "Hester," said he, "hast thou found peace?"

60. What was Dimmesdale’s response to that (summarize).

61. Interpret the following quote by Dimmesdale: “Of penance, I have had enough! Of penitence, there has been none!”

62. Describe Dimmesdale reaction when he learned the truth about Roger Chillingworth.

63. What did Dimmesdale mean when he said "We are not, Hester, the worst sinners in the world."?

Chapter 18

64. What is Hester's suggestion for Dimmesdale and herself and what was (is) the effect on Dimmesdale at Hester’s suggestion?

65. What did Hester do with the Scarlet Letter?

Chapter 19-20

66. What was Hester’s and Dimmesdale’s plan?

67. What were three temptations Dimmesdale “overcame” after agreeing to Hester’s plan?

68. What event curtailed Dimmesdale’s happiness and feelings of victory over his temptations?

Chapter 21

69. What is the occasion of the holiday?

70. What is Roger’s final victory over Hester and Dimmesdale (what did he do that would ruin their plans?)?

Chapter 22

71. How did Mistress Hibbins adversely affect Hester?

72. What was Hester’s reaction when she received the message from the old mariner (given to her by Pearl)?

Chapter 23

73. What was the “epoch of life more brilliant and full of life than any previous one”?

74. What did Dimmesdale do after his sermon (what act did he commit; not what happened to him)?

75. Why did Roger try to talk him out of it (“Madman, hold! What is your purpose?”)?

76. What Did Hester ask of Dimmesdale?

77. What was the eventual fate of Dimmesdale?

Chapter 24

78. “…there was more than one account of what had been witnessed on the scaffold.” What do YOU suspect you would have seen?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download