The scarlet letter

1. The scarlet letter Chapters 15-16

2. Chapter 15 Summary • As Hester walks away from her husband she realizes that hating him is a sin. She hates him because he tricked her into thinking that she would be happy with him. As she rejoins Pearl she sees that her daughter has made an “A” out of seaweed on her chest. As Pearl hopes, Hester asks whether she understands the meaning of the letter. Pearl believes that Dimmesdale holding his chest is connected to Hester’s letter. Hester thinks that Pearl is much too young to understand the significance of the letter, but Pearl is persistent in trying to find the meaning of the letter.

3. Chapter 16 Summary • Chapter 16 begins with Hester waiting on Dimmesdale so she can inform him of Chillingworth’s true identity. She is waiting by the forest path because Dimmesdale is returning to Boston from visiting Native Americans. While waiting for Dimmesdale, Pearl asks her mother about the “Black Man” and his connection to the scarlet letter. Pearl learned of the “Black Man” from an old woman who said the letter was his mark. When Dimmesdale’s figure appears, Pearl keeps asking if he is the “Black Man.” Hester wants privacy so she tries to get Pearl go play in the woods, but pearl keeps asking. Hester tells her daughter “It is no Black Man!... It is the minister!” before pearl runs off she wonders if Dimmesdale grabbing his chest is because of the “Black Man” too.

4. Vocabulary • Acrid- deeply or violently bitter • Sere- withered • Precocity- exhibiting mature qualities at an unusually young age • Petulant- insolent or rude in speech or behavior • Scintillating- to be brilliant or keen, as in talent • Scrofula- a form of tuberculosis • Prattle- to talk in a foolish or simpleminded way • Cadence- rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language

5. Themes • Chapter 15: • Sin – Hester realizes that she should put her happiness over sin, however, shortly after telling Chillingworth to be honest she lies to pearl. • Chapter 16: • Sin – Hester uses the cover story of her confronting the devil to cover up the actual sins that she had committed. This also shows that she does not want her daughter to understand what the letter means.

6. Symbols • The sunlight avoiding Hester is symbolic of the sins that she has committed. The sunlight was seeming to avoid her even though it seems to love Pearl, because she is pure and born of passion. • As said above pearl is born of passion and nature loving is symbolic of this.

7. Character Analysis • Pearl – Pearl is very curious in this chapter, she asks many questions about the “Black Man” and wants to know more about his mark. She is the only character that has made a connection between the location of Hester’s letter and the location that Dimmesdale constantly clutches on his chest. Pearl intentionally makes the seaweed “A” on her chest because she wants to know about her mother’s shunning and why the town shuns her. • Hester – Hester in this chapter is intent on telling Dimmesdale of Chillingworth’s identity. Through all pearls questioning of the “Black Man” and his mark Hester is tempted to open up to her since she has nobody else. Hester knows that sin feeds sin and that her sins may have resulted from others sins.

8. Activity • Your activity today is Boys v. Girls Trashketball

9. Quiz • What was the “A” on Pearl’s chest made out of? • Why did Hester hate her husband Chillingworth? • Where did Pearl hear about the “Black Man” and his mark? • Why is Hester waiting for Dimmesdale in the forest? • What is the reasoning for Pearl making her own letter and putting it on her chest?