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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. The "public disapprobation" refers to...?

2. Which field had Bellingham trained for/been educated in?

3. At the governor's house when the men are debating Hester's custody, what does one of them say Pearl should have been named?

4. How many years after the founding of Boston does Chapter 1 take place?

5. Who is NOT among the crowd shaming Hester?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Hawthorne find alongside the scarlet letter?

2. What is Hawthorne's emotional state in the preface?

3. Does Hawthorne, in the end, decide to change anything?

4. What is Dimmesdale's argument for keeping Hester and Pearl together?

5. How is Chillingworth able to see what Dimmesdale is hiding on his body?

6. Describe the door to the jail.

7. Describe the clothing worn by the "throng of bearded men" at the beginning of Chapter 1.

8. How does Pearl react to other children?

9. As the relationship between Chillingworth and Dimmesdale develops in Chapter 9, what do the townspeople begin to suspect about Dimmesdale and why?

10. What does Hester refuse to do during this chapter 3, despite pressure from her neighbors?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

This novel relies on symbolism to tell its story of psychological torment. Pick several of the major symbols or symbolic systems at work in the novel, describe them in terms of Hawthorne's fictional technique and offer an interpretation of their symbolic meaning on multiple levels.

Essay Topic 2

Hawthorne plays with the notion of a happy ending near the end of the novel, teasing the reader with the notion that Dimmesdale and Hester might indeed live out a happily-ever-after ending. Consider the fates of the three major characters (Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth) and argue whether they experienced a happy ending or not. Be sure to use comparative analysis and textual examples.

Essay Topic 3

A source of psychological conflict in this novel is the relationship between Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth. Using textual examples, write an descriptive analysis of how Hawthorne 1) establishes this relationship, and 2) uses the relationship to develop conflict and drive the engine of the plot. You should be sure to include examples that demonstrate how this relationship intensifies conflict at various spots in the novel.

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This section contains 750 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample