Hester......A changed woman?

How has Hester changed after 7 years? What has her A come to mean? What has she lost and gained? How does she feel about Pearl? about being a woman?

A Celestial Occurence!

Describe the 2nd scaffold scene in terms of the changed relationship of the four people. What does the scarlet meteor signify?

Chapters 11 & 12

What happens to Dimmesdale and Chillingworth in their relationship with each other? What does Chillingworth see when he uncovers Dimmesdale's chest? How has he changed? How has Dimmesdale changed? Hester? For Hawthorne, perhaps the ultimate, and possibly unforgiveable, sin is the violation of the human soul or heart. By this definition, who sins at this point of the story?

Gossip at its Worst!

Many of the townspeople seem to take active, vicious pleasure in gossiping about and scoffing at Hester Prynne, but eventually, a lot of the townsfolk come to like Hester. What role does gossip play in developing Hester’s character? Why are the characters in this novel so judgmental?

The Scarlet Letter Theme of Compassion and Forgiveness chapter 3-7

In Christianity, grace and forgiveness are frequently contrasted with the law. A legalistic faith (such as the Puritan one) suggests that conformity to a strict set of rules is the most important religious practice you can perform, in this world and in the afterworld. The more good you do and the fewer sins you commit, the more likely you are to go to heaven. Grace (or forgiveness), alternatively, is the concept that you are forgiven for your sins through faith.

The Puritan society in The Scarlet Letter exhibits a mixture of both legalism and grace. The narrator presents the society as essentially legalist, with its inhabitants adhering to strict moral codes and societal values. Hester’s punishment is a form of legalism. She has sinned and must be isolated from the rest of the group to keep her from contaminating them. The narrator, however, consistently offers the opinion that society, especially a religious society like this one, should be ruled by grace.  The narrator’s family history suggests at least one reason why he might emphasize the difference between legalism and grace. What is it and why is it important?   How does knowledge of the narrator’s own history inform how we read the book?

Prison/Cemetary

The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery and a prison. What comment does it make about human nature? Is Hawthorne presenting a pessimistic or a realistic view of human nature? Defend or contend that a prison is one of the first necessities in a new settlement