The Scarlet Letter

1. The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne EQ: How does the narrator’s point of view affect how a setting is established and a protagonist is introduced?

2. Perspective • Imagine I give you a pop quiz. I accuse Ashley of cheating off of Maddie’s quiz. • Please write describing the event from different points of view (POV). • In groups, you will be assigned one of the following: • Ashley’s POV – 1st person • Maddie’s POV – 1st person • Mrs. Greenfield’s POV – 1st person • 3rd person omniscient (all-knowing narrator) POV Make it clear in your writing how the narrator feels about this event.

3. Point of view • Two students are taking a test. The teacher accuses Student A of copying off of Student B. How would this story change depending on who is telling the story?

4. Share your POV writing with the class • As each group shares their writing, identify the TONE of the different narrators. • Provide textual evidence (diction or imagery) from the writings to support the analysis of tone. • Which narrator should be more neutral than the others? Why?

5. The Scarlet Letter • Now, you are going to read the first two chapters of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. • It was Hawthorne’s most popular novel. • Published in 1850. • Genre: historical fiction • Setting: Puritan New England (Boston, MA) from 1642-1649 • Puritans were English Protestants who came to America because they disagreed with some of the practices of the Church of England. Religion was an important part of their lives, and they believed that adhering to a very strict moral code was the proper way to live. • Think: The Crucible • As you read, draw your own conclusions about the text.

6. Analyzing Narrator’s Tone • Narrators often use diction (word choice) with positive or negative connotations (REMEMBER THESE???) to convey characterizationand tone. • Remember to make use of context clue and prefixes/roots/suffixes to determine meaning of challenging vocabulary in these excerpts. If you can’t figure it out that way, look it up in a dictionary (online or physical). • As we read aloud the first paragraph, annotate the text for dictionand imagerythat help you infer what the narrator’s tone is. • In the first paragraph, try to determine what “throng” means. • Be sure to write the meaning in the text.

7. Evidence-based Reasoning • As we read paragraph 2 together, focus on defining challenging vocabulary in order to understand the text better. • Look at the third sentence: “Certain it is that, some fifteen or twenty years after…” • Find diction and imagery that helps you understand the narrator’s tone toward the Puritans who built this prison. • How does the narrator feel about this community? • How can you tell? • Create a three-column note chart to record your findings.

8. Tone analysis, CH. 1, para 1-3 How does the narrator feel about the Puritans? What evidence supports your answer?

9. Response:

10. Complete Questions 1-3 on the handout

11. Scarlet Letter Three-Column Chart - Front

12. SKIP Three column notes How does the narrator feel about the Puritan community and what techniques are used to reveal this feeling? Summary: Answer EQ in 3-5 sentences, including all parts of analysis in your answer.

13. Ch. 1 Paragraph 3: Examining symbolism “Finding it so directly on the threshold of our narrative, which is now about to issue from that inauspicious portal, we could hardly do otherwise than pluck one of its flowers, and present it to the reader. It may serve, let us hope, to symbolize some sweet moral blossom that may be found along the track, or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.” What symbolism is evident in this passage?

14. Chapter Two • Number Ch. 2’s paragraphs. 1-22 • Read paragraph one and answer Questions 4-5 on your handout.

15. Ch. 2 Characterization of puritan women • HOMEWORK: Read paragraph 2-8. Pay attention to the indirect characterization (STEAL) that describes the women. Highlight in GREEN. • Circle the words Hester and Prynne every time that they appear. • Discuss the following questions: • How do the women of the town feel about Hester Prynne? • What evidence supports your claim?

16. Review Ch. 2- Paragraphs 1 and 2 • How does the narrator feel about the Puritans? What textual evidence leads you to this conclusion? Highlight as much diction as possible and the two best sentences and answer in the margin. • How does Hawthorne use this paragraph to build suspense? Highlight the two best pieces of evidence and answer in the margin. • Find at least four strong examples of imagery and explain their impact. • Find at least four (4) difficult words in context and figure out their meaning.

17. Paragraph 3 • Underline “threshold of our narrative.” • Think about the connection between the rosebush at the threshold of the prison and this opening chapter being at the threshold of the narrative. • Discuss.

18. Paragraph 3 • Look at the following lines and discuss what you think each means: • “pluck one of its flowers, and present it to the reader” • “symbolize some sweet moral blossom that may be found…or relieve the darkening close of a tale of human frailty and sorrow.”

19. Paragraph 3 • How does this opening chapter provide extensive information about the setting of the novel? • What do you infer about Puritan New England based on this chapter?

20. Group Paragraph presentations • Your group will be assigned a paragraph. For your paragraph, 1-2 members of your group will be responsible for presenting one the following: • An oral reading of the paragraph with appropriate vocal delivery (tone, volume, speed, inflection, gestures, facial features, etc.) • A definition of at least two (2) vocabulary words and how you can use context to figure out the meaning • An interpretation of what was said and how it characterizes the speaker and/or the Puritan society • An analysis of how it was said – including at least two (2) techniques like tone, diction, imagery, and syntax.

21. Class discussion • Provide textual evidence for each response: • What does Hawthorne want readers to know about the townspeople? • How are the townspeople similar to and different from each other? • What adjective could you use to describe the townspeople as a collective group? • What do we already know and/or what can we already infer about Hester Prynne?

22. Annotation: Paragraphs 9-11 • Annotate the text, focusing on the characterization of Hester Prynne and words in context (vocabulary) • Complete a two column characterization chart for Hester Prynne based on ALL of the reading so far – handout. • See your example for Things Fall Apart

23. Questions Paragraph 12-16 Annotate and answer the following questions in your packet. • In 12-13, Hawthorne continues to show contrasts between Hester and the people of the town. How do we know that Hester’s appearance is met with criticism from most of the onlookers? • In 14, the youngest woman seems to express a different attitude toward Hester than the attitude expressed by the others. How would you describe the tone of the youngest woman? Why might Hawthorne set this woman apart from the others? What might he be trying to achieve through this differentiation? • In 15, the beadle praises the Massachusetts colony as a place “where iniquity is dragged out into the sunshine!” What is the meaning of the word iniquity, and why would it be considered good to bring it into the sunshine?

24. Intro Writing: GNC • Global • A large thematic statement that introduces big idea of essay but does not reveal text, claim, characters, or exact topic. • Necessary information • Adds one detail at a time and reveals what the text and author is. • Claim (aka thesis) • Large umbrella claim that each of your paragraph claims fit into.

25. Intro writing: Beowulf example Bravery can take many forms, but it is always valued by society. In some cases, bravery can be leading an entire nation into battle. In other cases, bravery can be standing up to just one person. In Beowulf, the protagonist is characterized as a warrior through the development of an admiring tone, revealing that his culture values bravery. Paragraph Claim 1: Throughout the poem, imagery is used to characterize Beowulf as confident, indicating that the culture respects boastful warriors. Paragraph Claim 2: In addition, the value of strength is shown because diction is used to characterize Beowulf as an epic hero.