The Scarlet letter

1. The Scarlet letter Chapters 13 and 14 Sara Torres, Brianna Ortiz, and Justin Garcia

2. Chapter 13 summary • It’s been about seven years since Hester had to stand on the scaffold in front of the whole town because of her adultery. She has become more a part of society by helping the sick and the poor. The towns people still look down upon her every once in a while for that day that she stood on the scaffold. But people are also starting to interpret the “A” on her bosom as “able” instead of “Adulteress.” She has changed a lot compared to that day of her punishment. That punishment took away the person that she used to be and turned her “from passion and feeling, to thought” (Hawthorne, 170). At the end of the chapter Hester, feeling a bit of responsibility towards Dimmesdale, worries that hiding Chillingworth’s true identity is hurting him and sets out to find Chillingworth.

3. Chapter 14 Summary • Pearl and Hester were chillin’ at the beach when Hester noticed Roger was there too. She engaged in a conversation with him and noticed that he had changed over the past seven years as well. He brings up that the town might let her take off the Scarlet letter and Hester replies that it is not up to the people to decide something like that. She then tells him that it is time to tell Dimmesdale Roger’s true identity. He acts ignorant at first then realizes that she knows that he was purposely torturing Dimmesdale. She points that out to him and shows how he has changed in a bad way. Once he sees that, his face changes expressions realizing what he is, ugly. (Metaphorically speaking) He starts to bring up his past when he was peaceful, and asks how he has changed with an evil look on his face. Hester replies that he was that and more. He tells her that he is a fiend and asks why. Hester takes the blame for his addiction. Hester then begs him to end his revenge and to become a human being again. He said that he cant do it and to just let it be. After that, he just turned around and started gathering herbs again.

4. Themes • Revenge makes you turn into something that is not human, but pure evil. Roger has lost his human side for his addiction of torturing Dimmesdale out of revenge. • Hester is making the scarlet letter who she is by not letting the people decide whether or not she can take it off. Hiding her past sin by moving away or taking the scarlet letter off would make her not be her complete self. Nobody is perfect. We all mess up and she is not afraid to show her mess up like everyone else.

5. Puritan ideas- • The puritan doctrine holds faith above good deeds. • Romantic ideas- • Independent, strong women.

6. Character Analysis • Roger Chillingworth: Roger has change from the person that he used to be before all of this happened. He has transfigured into and a non-human evil figure from the human he once was. • Hester: Hester has changed as well. She is more active in the community and she is no longer that heartfelt woman but instead more serious.

7. Literary devices • Irony: The punishment did not change Hester the way the people thought it would. • Narrative Voice: Third person omniscient narrator, ambiguity. • Symbolism: Hester not letting the people decide whether or not she may take off her scarlet letter symbolizes that the people have no control over who she is.

8. vocabulary • Pauper- a very poor person. • Imbibed- to receive into the mind and retain. • Obviated- To see beforehand and dispose of; making unnecessary. • Ethereal- celestial, heavenly. • Lunacy- wild foolishness; insanity. • Behest- an earnest request • Usurp- to seize and hold (a position, power, etc.) by force or without legal right

9. Quiz • How many years has it been since Hester has stood in front of the town on the scaffold? • At the end of chapter 13 who does Hester plan to meet? • What does Chillingworth tell Hester that the towns people are thinking about letting her take off? • What does Hester tell Chillingworth she has to do? • What is the definition of lunacy?