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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. Whom does Dimmesdale call up to join him in front of everyone?

2. What group of people leads the procession referred to in the title of Chapter 22?

3. What is the title of Chapter 14?

4. What marks particular attendants of the holiday as members of their forest settlements?

5. John Wilson is described as having what relationship to Dimmesdale?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 14, what does Hester ask of Chillingworth?

2. According to the narrator, what appeared to be Dimmesdale's subject, in his sermon in Chapter 23?

3. Why does Hester go to meet Dimmesdale in the woods?

4. When Dimmesdale refuses to travel and quit his post as minister, how does Hester change his mind?

5. What does Pearl do with the seaweed she finds, and what does it show about her as a character?

6. When Hester calls for Pearl to come to her in Chapter 19, Pearl will not move from her spot in the woods. What prevents her from going to her mother?

7. Many people pass Dimmesdale by in this chapter; why are so many people up so late and walking about?

8. Why will Hester and Dimmesdale have to head back to Europe, instead of moving somewhere more rural or remote?

9. Why does Hester say that Dimmesdale should travel somewhere, "whether in some remote village or in vast London, [...] in Germany, in France," etc?

10. How does the narrator describe the public officials in Chapter 22, many of whom were real historical figures (figures such as Bradstreet, Endicott, etc.)?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Community pressure to fit in and conform plays a major role in this narrative, particularly as compared to individual desires, either simply for individuality of expression or desires for things that are not sanctioned by the community. Write an essay that explains how Hawthorne dramatizes the tension between the pressure to conform on one hand and the risk of social stigma on the other. (You may want to pick a character that represents each, as a way to begin this analysis.)

Essay Topic 2

Some critics might characterize parts of this work as feminist, particularly considering the role of Hester Prynne vis-a-vis her interactions with Governor Bellingham and the other public officials who want to take Pearl away from her. Argue this point in an analytical essay: does this particular sequence in the novel represent a feminist approach to custody? Decide whether you think so or not, and construct a well-reasoned argument that makes use of specific textual examples. (Note: there is no "right" answer: you can argue yes, no or maybe, as long as you construct a textual argument with specific and precise reasoning.)

Essay Topic 3

On your first read, "The Custom House" seems to have little or nothing to do with the "real" narrative of The Scarlet Letter, the story of Hester Prynne, yet Hawthorne's introductory essay establishes his narrative voice and justifies the origins of Hester's story. Write an analytical essay that argues the importance of this introduction to the narrative structure of the book. Key terms to consider are: frame narrative, narrative voice/point-of-view, symbolism, public/private life, etc.

(see the answer keys)

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