AP Lang TSL Guide for the scarlet letter PDF

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Summary

The Scarlet Letter Focus GuideHow to use the focus guide: For each focus point, make a note of the page number from where the focus point is located in the text. These focus points become your margin notes for the text. You should write the focus point in the margin near the place in the text to whi...

Description

The Scarlet Letter Focus Guide How to use the focus guide: For each focus point, make a note of the page number from where the focus point is located in the text. These focus points become your margin notes for the text. You should write the focus point in the margin near the place in the text to which it is referring. In the notes column, write specific details for each bullet point. Chapter

Focuses–write the page number next to each element

1: The Prison Door

• Mood • “Practical necessities” (2) • Setting • “black flower of civilized society” • Rosebush • Ann Hutchinson • Rosebush’s functions (2) • Why does Hawthorne not mention what whom they are waiting for? • What clues does he give us?

2: The Market Place

• Puritan means of punishment and Hawthorne’s view of them • “one kind woman” • Allusion to Queen Elizabeth I • Hester Prynne • Rev. Dimmesdale • Description of the scarlet letter A • Symbolism of the town beadle • First of 3 important scaffold scenes • Allusion to Mary • Scholar

3: The Recognition

• Scaffold scene continued • Stranger • Allusion to Satan • Recognition between two characters • Silence and the refusal to speak (power of speech) • What does Hester refuse to tell the officials? • Allusion to Eve • What is Hester’s sin? • How would someone usually be punished for committing this sin? (ch.2) • What are the two parts of Hester’s punishment? • “living sermon against sin” • Ignominy • Strangers determination • Scaffold as a pedestal?

Notes

• Gov. Bellingham • Relationship between religion and law in Puritan New England • John Wilson • Sin and hypocrisy • (62-3) “’Hester Prynne,’ said he ‘Wondrous strength and generosity of a woman’s heart! She will not speak!’” • Identity • Allusion to Jesus (cup) • Hester’s willingness to endure her agony and the father’s 4: The Interview

5:Hester at her Needle

6: Pearl

• Roger Chillingworth • Revenge • Sin • Allusion to Jesus • How have Chillingworth and Hester wronged each other? • What does Chillingworth want to know? • Secrets • Identity • What does Chillingworth ask Hester do to? • Black man/devil�haunts the forest and “ruin of souls” (Chillingworth) • Resents and inwardly rebels against the viciousness of the Puritan community • Hester’s penance�goes beyond the letter of the law • Loss of individuality • Reality of sin • Reasons why she won’t leave the colony (3) • Social isolation • How does Hester support herself and Pearl? • What is she not allowed to make? • Gender roles • Allusion to Cain • Society’s judgment • Hester’s new sense (“Minister’s Black Veil” • Loss of faith • Light and dark imagery • Hawthorne’s view of Hester as a martyr • Pearl�allusion (Pearl-salvation) •

Allusion to Garden of Eden

• Connection between Hester and Pearl • Pearl’s nature • Individuality vs. conformity and Individual vs. society • Light and dark imagery • Pearl’s personality and Hester’s reaction • Isolation�product of sin/born as an outcast • What is the first object of which Pearl is aware? • What does the SL mean to Pearl? Why does she fixate on it? • Throwing of flower�symbolism? • What is Pearl’s reaction to Hester when she states that the Heavenly Father sent Pearl? • What do the townspeople think of Pearl? • Imp�devil’s offspring; young demon; mischievous child 7: The Governor’s Hall

• Reasons Hester goes to Gov. Bellingham’s home (2) • Pearl as the “likeness of the scarlet letter” and physical representation of the scarlet letter • Treatment by children and Pearl’s reaction to children • Gathering sunshine�light and dark • What two things does Hester see in the suit armor’s breastplate? • Rose

8: The ElfChild and the Minister

• Allusion to John the Baptist • First time since the opening scaffold scene that all 4 major characters are together • Representatives of church, state, and world of darkness • How much time has passed since the opening scene? • Dimmesdale’s health • Elf-Child? Imp? • Identity • Spiritual vs. physical world • Rosebush • What has happened to Chillingworth’s appearance? • Paradox (100) happiness and

torture • Social isolation�Hester and Pearl vs. the world

• Why does Hester appeal to Dimmesdale to speak for her? Dimmesdale’s answer/speech and Chillingworth’s response • What gesture has become Dimmesdale’s custom/habit? • Pearl as salvation • Whom does Pearl respond lovingly towards? • Black man/Devil/Satan and foreshadowing of Salem Witch Trials 9: The Leech

10: The Leech and His Patient

• Leech—2 meanings • Chillingworth’s purpose • Outward shows of faith • Dimmesdale’s health and physical description • Dimmesdale’s habit • Faith vs. reason • Heart and mind • Secret • Allusion to David and Bathsheba • Townspeople’s views of Chillingworth (2) • Significance of last paragraph -“Investigation”�intention and how has it changed Chillingworth -The effect of secrets and guilt -Two reasons to bury secrets -Chillingworth’s speech�reminiscent of Jonathan Edwards (116) -Pearl�reverence for authority? -burrs and the scarlet letter (117) -Pearl’s reaction to Chillingworth -Hidden Guilt vs. Known Guilt� freedom? -Chillingworth’s discovery

11: The Interior of the Heart

-Nature of evil -Dimmesdale’s suffering and popularity -Power of speech -Dimmesdale’s self-punishment -Pearl’s actions -“miracle of holiness” (125) -Dimmesdale’s view of himself -“To the untrue man, the whole universe is false” (127).

12: The Minister’s Vigil

-Second of 3 important scaffold scenes�middle of the novel

-Symbols: scaffold, 3 potential observers (state, church, world of evil), “electric chain,” Pearl’s appeal to Dimmesdale, revealing light from the heavens, variation on the letter A -Passage of time -“ever-wakeful one” -Allusion to Jesus’s death -Why are Hester and Pearl out at midnight? -Dimmesdale refuses to promise something to Pearl -Pearl�symbolism -Meteor -Truth�Pearl’s quote -What had Dimmesdale left behind on the scaffold? 13: Another View of Hester

-Individual vs. Society -Isolation -How does Hester deal with society? (140) -Changed meaning of the scarlet letter -Hester’s appearance has changed -Reason vs. Feeling (sensibility) -World vs. Hester -3 step plan for social change and to battle injustice -Has the scarlet letter “done its office?

14: Hester and the Physician

-Getting rid of the scarlet letter -Chillingworth = devil/fiend -Chillingworth’s revenge against Hester -Revealing of Chillingworth’s secret? -Fate vs. Free Will

15: Hester and Pearl

-Chillingworth and light and dark imagery -Whom does Hester blame for her suffering? -Pearl’s green letter A -Pearl’s understanding of the scarlet letter -Pearl inherited evil from her mother -Hester’s lie as to the reason for wearing the letter

16: A Forest Walk

-What does Hester want to tell Dimmesdale? -Symbolism: sunlight, brook -Guilt and suffering

17: The Pastor and His Parishioner

-Peace? -Appearance vs. Reality -Hester’s guilt and suffering vs. Dimmesdale’s guilt and suffering -What does Hester tell Dimmesdale about Chillingworth? -Forgiveness

-Whose sin is the worst? -Reversal of gender roles 18: A Flood of Sunshine

-Hester’s independent thought vs. Dimmesdale’s acceptance of Puritan system -society vs. individual -Hester and Dimmesdale’s plan -Light and dark imagery -Wilderness vs. Civilization -Removal of the scarlet letter

19: The Child at the BrookSide

-Dimmesdale’s fear regarding Pearl -Symbolism of Pearl and the brook -Why will Pearl not approach Hester? -What does Dimmesdale ask of Hester? -Light and dark imagery -Scarlet letter’s effect on Hester

20: The Minister in the Maze

-Psychological insight into the human heart -Why do Hester and Dimmesdale choose to go to Europe? How do they plan to leave? -Identity -Change in Dimmesdale -Free will vs. fate -Dimmesdale’s 6 encounters/temptations -Forest�devil -Foreshadowing

21: The New England

-Hester’s feelings towards the scarlet letter -Where does Dimmesdale recognize Pearl and Hester, and where does he refuse to acknowledge them?

-Dimmesdale’s hypocrisy -Light and dark imagery -“incomplete morality of the age” (2023)�hypocrisy of the Puritans -Foreshadowing�Chillingworth and commander of the ship -Secrets 22: The Procession

-How do people regard Hester? How do people regard Dimmesdale? (gender roles) -Tradition -Change in Dimmesdale -wilderness/nature vs. civilization -Hester’s connection to the scaffold -Dimmesdale’s sermon (Can Hester hear him?) -Indians’ view of the scarlet letter and Hester -(214) “While Hester stood in that magic circle…same scorching stigma was on them both?”

23: The Revelation of

-Third and final scaffold scene (dramatic climax)

the Scarlet Letter

-Dimmesdale’s change and Pearl’s change (Pearl’s kiss) -What do the townspeople’s see in Dimmesdale? (Foreshadowing?) -Why does Chillingworth not want Dimmesdale on the scaffold? -What is revealed by Dimmesdale? -Freedom and escape -What is Chillingworth’s sin? - (222) “The law we broke!...in an everlasting and pure reunion.” -What happens to Dimmesdale? *He is too much of a Puritan and too much a part of the Puritan community to ever leave.

24: Conclusion

-Hawthorne wishes to explain and moralize his story -Point of view and perspective (What do most people think they see on Dimmesdale’s chest?) -4 different theories -“now that it has done its office” (223)�parallel to chapter 13 -weeds = moral evil (Chillingworth) (224) -Puritan tenet -moral of the story -What happens to Chillingworth? -What happens to Pearl? -What happens to Hester? -Gender roles -What’s significance of the last paragraph & the quote at the novel’s end?...