The Scarlett Letter Chapter 3-4

1. The Scarlett LetterChapter 3-4 By: Rachel Riser

2. Summary • Hester is standing on the scaffold holding her baby while everyone stares at her, as part of her punishment for sleeping with another man, when all of a sudden she sees this man that appears to be kind of lopsided, he is being accompanied by some native Americans. She then realizes that the man is her husband. It’s kind of awkward for her, because she hasn’t seen him in over two years and now she is standing on this scaffold with a three-month old baby. The man did not know why his wife had the scarlet letter on her chest, or what it meant. He began to ask people in the crowd around him, he then soon found out his wife had the “A” for committing adultery. He doesn’t reveal to anyone that he is Hester’s husband, he just keeps quiet about it. The leader of the congregation calls out to Hester and asks her to reveal her lover, and she refuses. The governor then goes to the reverend, his name is Dimmesdale, he asks him to talk to Hester and try to get her to reveal her lover, but she refuses. After Hester went back to the prison she was in a weird state of nervousness that required her to be watched at all times in case of self violence, or violence to the child. The jailer brought in a physician as night came, more so for the babies sake and not Hester’s. The jailer brought him into the room, and then the physician asked the jailer to leave so he could be alone with his patient. He also stated that he believes Hester will behave more normal around him than she has most of the day. The jailer did not know that the man was Hester’s husband. The baby was laying in bed crying, The husband picked up, and inspected the child. He got out some medicine and offered it to Hester to administer it to the baby. Hester said no to the medicine. The man called her foolish, and proceeded to give the child the medicine. He then gave Hester some medicine too. He began to apologize, and blamed himself for Hester committing adultery. He then asks her to keep the secret of him being her husband. She agrees.

3. Narratives Voice • “The eyes of the wrinkled scholar glowed so intensely upon her, that Hester Prynne clasped her hands over her heart, dreading lest he should read the secret there at once.” • This is the narrarator’s way of showing the husbands anger, and how he may end up hurting someone, even if it’s not her.

4. Literary Devices • Irony: • I know you’re distressed that Hester has sinned. • Secretly he is not distressed because he is part of the cause of Hester’s sin. • Symbolism: • “The eyes of the wrinkled scholar glowed..” • This shows the anger contained in his eyes.

5. Character Developments • Hester: In this section Hester is starting to transform as a character, because she is still a “strong independent” woman, even though most puritan women are not this way, but in this section she discovers that her husband has finally made it to Boston, and is now seeing her stand on this scaffold as a result of her committing adultery. • Pearl: Pearl is still a baby, but she is seen by everyone as the product of sin. • Chillingworth: He comes back, and does not want to reveal the secret of him being the husband because he doesn’t want the shame of being known as the husband of the person who committed adultery.

6. Themes • Guilt • Because Hester will not reveal the name of her lover, it kind of represents the struggle that we have; we have this desire to do good, but we don’t do good, and so we’re left with this guilty feeling that weighs down on us. • Secrecy • Hester doesn’t reveal the name of her lover, and her husband doesn’t want to reveal that he is her husband. This is an example of how we keep secrets to protect ourselves and others from getting hurt.

7. Activity • Everyone at some point does something that makes them guilty or leaves them with a feeling of guilt. On a piece of paper list something you’ve done that has made you feel this way. Write down why you did this, and also list if you would go back and change what you did if given the option to do so, why or why not?

8. Quiz • Who was Hester’s husband accompanied by when she first saw him? • Why does Hester have to be watched at all times while back in the prison? • Why did the reverend secretly hope Hester would not give up the name of her lover? • What does Hester’s husband pretend to be in order to get into the prison? • Why does her husband not want her to share that he is in fact her husband?