The Scarlet Letter Prompts
1. How are Puritans depicted in The Scarlet Letter? How does Hawthorne characterize Indians and sailors? Do the same social standards apply to all? Explain.
2. Discuss Hester’s conflict with herself, others, and nature. Does she arrive at peace with herself by the end of the novel? Explain.
3. Who is the worse sinner: Dimmesdale or Chillingworth? Explain your choice.
4. Explain this proverb in light of the novel: “Appearances can deceive. People are often not what they seem.”
5. Analyze the symbolism of the scaffold.
6. Analyze the symbolism of the letter “A” and its changes throughout the novel.
7. Analyze the symbolism or weeds/plants in the novel.
8. The major theme of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is sin, guilt, and the consequences of each. Explain how Hawthorne develops this theme through the contrast in actions of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale.
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