Scarlet Letter Discussion: Chapters 14-18, Lecture notes of English Literature

Download Scarlet Letter Discussion: Chapters 14-18 and more Lecture notes English Literature in PDF only on Docsity! Scarlet Letter Discussion: Chapters 14-18 Prove your responses with cited text evidence. Chapter 14 1. What is Hester’s response to the announcement that the council has debated allowing her to remove her scarlet letter? 2. How is the doctrine of predestination reflected in the conversation between Hester and Chillingworth in Chapter 14? 3. What does Hester ask of Chillingworth? What is his response? Chapter 15 4. What is Hester coming to realize is the true sin she has committed? Why would Hawthorne consider this a worse sin than her sin with Dimmesdale? 5. Why does Hester hate Chillingworth? 6. Hester refuses to answer Pearl’s question about the meaning of the “A.” Why does Hester not confide in Pearl? Chapter 16 7. Explain the significance of the sunlight imagery. 8. What positive and negative significance does the forest begin to take on? 9. In what way does Hester acknowledge her sin to Pearl? Chapter 17 10. What do we learn is the emotional connection between Hester and Dimmesdale? Why is this significant to the developing theme of the book? 11. Do you believe Hester is to blame for Dimmesdale’s suffering during the past seven years? Why or why not? 12. Chapter 17 ends on an optimistic note. What is the source of the optimism? Chapter 18 13. What contrast does the narrator point out between Hester and Dimmesdale’s ability to leave town? 14. Why does Dimmesdale decide to flee with Hester? 15. What is significant about the title of Chapter 18?