The Scarlet Letter Summer Reading Task
Due August 12, 2016
This summer, you will be reading a seminal work of American literature, The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne. You may either purchase your own copy or obtain one from Mrs. Tucker or Mr. Miller before you leave for summer break. We will refer to this book frequently throughout first semester as it presents both the culture and hypocrisy of the Puritan period and the writing style of the Romantic period, so it is essential that you have a thorough understanding of the novel before we begin school in August. The journals below will allow you to focus your reading on both comprehension and literary analysis. Requirements for the journals are as follows:
· Each chapter response must be a minimum of 100 words (roughly one 6-sentence paragraph). Use the questions for each chapter to guide your responses.
· You may either type or handwrite your journals. Follow MLA formatting guidelines for either.
· Entries should include evidence from the text (diction, figurative language, excerpts)
· If you provide only a cursory understanding and/or reflection of the text in your entries, your resulting grade will be a 70. To score higher, your work must reflect a complex analysis of the text.
· A note about plagiarism: both Mrs. Tucker and Mr. Miller have been teaching American literature for several years. Consequently, they have seen every Sparknotes summary, Shmoop review, Bookrags analysis, etc. over The Scarlet Letter that is out there and have become experts at spotting inauthentic work. Please do not attempt to plagiarize parts or the whole of this assignment. It will result in a zero to start off the semester, and it will ruin your academic integrity before you even set foot in our classrooms. We would much prefer to read your sub-par or last minute efforts, bad as they may be, than to read a plagiarized paper that you copied the night before. Trust us, your grade will be better if it’s your own work, even if you lack confidence! We recommend that you follow the reading schedule below to ensure that you have plenty of time to complete your work and therefore are not even remotely tempted to plagiarize.
A proposed reading schedule:
May 23-June 5: Enjoy SUMMER BREAK!!
June 6-10: Chapters 1-4
June 13-17: Chapters 5-7
June 20-24: Chapters 8-11
June 27-July 1: Chapters 12-14
July 5-8: Chapters 15-19 (HAPPY FOURTH!!)
July 11-15: Chapters 20-24
July 25-August 3: Enjoy SUMMER BREAK!!
You may skip the Custom House chapter. It establishes the ‘outer frame’ of the Scarlet Letter frame narrative, but it is long and painful to read, so we just won’t. Happy summer J
Chapter / Guided Reading (DO NOT answer these; use them to help stay focused on key ideas while reading) / Symbols, Characterization, Themes and Motifs (ANSWER THESE in your paragraphs)1 / I. The Prison-Door / Describe the setting and time period, the people surrounding the prison, and any other notable imagery. Given the setting, what do you think the story will be about? What is the tone? Why do you think that? / Concentrate on the image of the rosebush. What significance does it have and how do you think it will play in the story later on?
2 / II. The Market-Place / There are many different viewpoints of the people (mostly women) in the crowd watching her. Pick one or two to discuss. Are the opinions presented fair and balanced? Why or why not? / In this chapter, we are first introduced to the symbol “A” that is sewed onto Hester’s clothing. What do you think this “A” symbolizes? What is astonishing about the “A” on her bodice?
3 / III. The Recognition / Who do you think the stranger is that Hester recognizes in the crowd? Why do you think he cares so much about what is going on in town? / Describe Dimmesdale and his connection to Hester Prynne. What does he ask her not to reveal and why?
4 / IV. The Interview / Why does Roger Chillingworth want to know who the father is? Why does Mr. Chillingworth want Hester to keep his identity a secret? / What is the symbol that Hester attributes to him in the last part of the chapter? Do you think that this is relevant to his character? Is this too harsh a symbol for him or not? Why or why not?
5 / V. Hester at Her Needle / Why does Hester decide not to leave the colony? Use both textual evidence, as well as your own opinion to answer this question. What would you do if you were in Hester’s shoes? / There is a lot of description about clothing in this chapter—Hester’s, Pearl’s and the people she sews for. Write about the significance of the different types of clothing and embroidery in this chapter?
6 / VI. Pearl / How does Hester “punish” her daughter? / What do you think Pearl symbolizes? What does the scarlet letter mean to Pearl?
7 / VII. The Governor’s Hall / Why does Hester go and visit Governor Bellingham at his home? / What is the relationship between the scarlet letter and Pearl? How has it developed since you wrote about it in chapter 6?
8 / VIII. The Elf-child and the Minister / How much time has passed since the beginning of the novel? How have the characters changed since then? / In this chapter, Dimmesdale speaks on Hester’s behalf and, ultimately, saves her from more punishment for her “sins.” What kind of “power” do you think Dimmesdale possesses? Where does this “power” come from?
9 / IX. The Leech / Who is “the leech” and why? Explain the metaphor implied by that title. / How do American Indians play a role in the character of Roger Chillingworth? What is the significance of their inclusion in the novel?
10 / X. The Leech and His Patient / What do you realize about the relationship between Dimmesdale and Chillingworth? Who, if anyone, does it benefit? / Why do you think Dimmesdale has bad health? What is keeping him alive? What is killing him?
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/ XI. The Interior of a Heart / This chapter discusses Dimmesdale’s new-found disdain for Chillingworth. Why do you think Dimmesdale continues to live and be friends with him? / Whose heart does this chapter go into the “interior” of? What do you think Dimmesdale’s feelings are towards Hester at this point and how do we know?
12 / XII. The Minister’s Vigil / Why does the Dimmesdale go back to the platform? What do you think has brought him to this point? / What does the minister see in the sky that night? Looking back at the description of what he saw, is it clear that what he saw was real?
13 / XIII. Another View of Hester / Hester reflects on the Dimmesdale’s sorrows and guilt in this chapter. Do you think that he has been aptly punished? Whose punishment is worse—Hester’s or Dimmesdale’s? / Hester’s “A” begins to mean other things than just “Adultery.” What do you think some of the other things are?
14 / XIV. Hester and the Physician / Chillingworth is often compared to dark forces and the “Black Man” in the novel. Do you think that this is a fair depiction of him? Why or why not? / Why do Hester and Chillingworth pity one another?
15 / XV. Hester and Pearl / Especially in this chapter, Pearl seems to know more than what she has been told. What do you think she knows and why do you think she may know it? / This quote is from Chapter 15:
“One little gray bird, with a white breast, Pearl was almost sure, had been hit by a pebble and fluttered away with a broken wing. But then the elf-child sighed, and gave up her sport; because it grieved her to have done harm to a little being that was as wild as the sea-breeze, or as wild as Pearl herself.”
How are the bird and its fate significant to the novel?
16 / XVI. A Forest Walk / Why does this scene take place in a forest? Do you think that this scene could have taken place in town? Why or why not? / Describe the scene with Hester and Pearl in the sunlight. What symbolic meaning could the sunlight have? Why does sunlight shine on Pearl and not on Hester?
17 / XVII. The Pastor and His Parishioner / What are the major differences that Hester and Dimmesdale have about the “sin” they have committed? How have both of the characters dealt with it? / Hester had the realization early on that she could not leave the colony. Why can't Dimmesdale start a new life alone as well? Do they have different reasons for this choice? Explain.
18 / XVIII. A Flood of Sunshine / What is the significance of Hester taking off her symbol for the first time? What does this do to her character, Pearl and Dimmesdale? / How have Hester and Dimmesdale changed in this chapter since the beginning of the novel?
19 / XIX. The Child at the Brook-Side / What are the reactions that Dimmesdale has when he meets Pearl for the first time? How would you react to meeting a new member of your family for the first time? Write about the differences and similarities you would have with Dimmesdale’s reactions. / Why do you think Pearl is so apprehensive and hesitant about meeting the minister?
20 / XX. The Minister in a Maze / Why do you think this chapter is called “The Minister in a Maze”? What is the “maze”? / The witch, Mistress Hibbins, has a small but vital role throughout the novel. In this chapter, she speaks with Dimmesdale about the forest. Why is this scene significant?
21 / XXI. The New England Holiday / What is going on in the town and how does this affect Pearl and Hester? / How has Dimmesdale changed since the meeting in the forest? How do we know about these changes?
22 / XXII. The Procession / What is the tone and mood of this chapter? How is it different from the rest of the novel? / Hester begins to feel uneasy and unsettled about the minister in this chapter. Explain why you think this is.
23 / XXIII. The Revelation of The Scarlet Letter / What IS the revelation of The Scarlet Letter? How do you interpret it? How has it changed throughout the course of the novel? / How do the four stand on the scaffold this last time? How is Pearl changed? How do the townspeople interpret this final revelation? What happens to Chillingworth?
24 / XXIV. Conclusion / Why does Hester return? What is the "new truth" she represents? / Does the ending resolve any questions we have about the novel? Why or why not?