The Scarlet Letter Ch. 1-2

1. The Scarlet Letter Ch. 1-2 By: Isaac Venegas and Chandler Berry

2. Chapter 1: Summary The Prison Door    The first scene of The Scarlet Letter begins with a description of a dull, dusty, dark prison. The description of the people are dull and depressed people. The only living and colorful item described in the scene is a rose-bush at the peak of it's growth; which becomes an important symbol throughout the book.

3. Themes A theme of chapter 1 is the prison door, a "black flower," contrasts with the beautiful rose bush, which grows naturally. The prison punishes, Nature and the rose bush forgive. The Scarlet Letter's moral is that people must accept and forgive their own and other people's worst qualities. To deny those qualities, as the Puritans do, is to deny one's identity

4. Romantic and Puritan Ideas Romantic- the chapter has a colorful rosebush in it which is a part of romanticism. This would go with glorifying nature. It also shows a mystery of remote times which refers to the prison and why it is there or how it got there. Puritan- it talks about how the citizens are dressed which is described as dull and dreary people. This is a part of the Body of Laws of the puritan ideas. The prison door is symbolic of life in Puritan times--restrictive and punitive.

5. Character Analysis No main character in this chapter

6. Literary Devices The rosebush is an example of symbolism. It represents forgiveness to the prisoners who must go in and out of that prison door. The Prison symbolizes sin and isolation. That’s why the prisoners are stored there.

7. Chapter 2: Summary Hester Prynne, a young women who commits adultery, becomes the center of attention by being publicly placed upon a scaffold for all of the eyes of the town to view and criticize.  Hester is a beautiful lady with a magnificent complexion, but all of this has been overlooked because of the baby upon her bosom. She has been forced to wear a scarlet letter, A, which many towns-people use as an analogy to her shame and guilt that she must feel. The A is embroiderd with gold thread. Mr. Dimmesdale, the local head minister of the Purtian church, talks directly to Hester in front of everybody in an attempt to pressure her into admitting to the father of her baby, but Hester refuses.  The guilt that Hester feels brings her to realize that death would be better than being publicly humiliated. Through this realization, in an attempt to escape the hard reality and the shame she has brought upon herself, Hester thinks back to her past.

8. Themes The letter A would be a theme, By embroidering the letter, Hester transforms a badge of shame into a symbol of individuality. The narrator connects the letter to nature with the word "fertile."

9. Romantic and Puritan ideas Romantic- How Hester tries to have optimism, and individualism, and tries to be strong even while they put her up in front of everyone and judge her. Puritan- It talks about how they were very public when it comes to crime and criminals. In Hesters case by judging her, it made all the other women feel better about themselves.

10. Character Analysis Hester Prynne- Hester is the book’s protagonist and the wearer of the scarlet letter that gives the book its title. The letter, a patch of fabric in the shape of an “A,” signifies that Hester is an “adulterer.” While waiting for him, she had an affair with a Puritan minister named Dimmesdale, after which she gave birth to Pearl. Hester is passionate but also strong-she endures years of shame and scorn. She equals both her husband and her lover in her intelligence and thoughtfulness. Her alienation puts her in the position to make acute observations about her community, particularly about its treatment of women. Arthur Dimmesdale- Arthur Dimmesdale is the character portrayed as the most weak and unnoble. Despite this portrayal Dimmesdale was a stronger character than given credit for. His unbelievable amount of control in his way of handling his burdens displays his great sense of strength and intellect. We first see Dimmesdale portrayed as a nervous and sensitive individual. Despite his outer appearance, inside Dimmesdale is a very stable, strong person.

11. Literary Devices The Scaffold that she is brought up on to represents a platform of judgment. Because all the women and children judge her for the adultery she committed. The letter A that she wears to the people represents a symbol of shame and guilt, to her she embraces it, and it becomes apart of who she is.

12. Quiz How are the towns people described? What does the rosebush represent? What does the prison represent? What was the letter A embroidered with? Who is the protagonist of the story?