Homework for tomorrow:

• Read chapters V&VI of The Scarlet Letter

• On turntin.com...

Please write either and interpretive or connection question. Either way, make sure that your question is at least partially inspired by a direct quote from one of the two chapters, and include that quote and the page number in your question.

Also, please reply to one other student question.

Below are two good student examples of interpretive and connection questions from  a student's  (Camilla Breen in 1st period) submission to the Chapter III-IV discussion:

Interpretive: When Chillingsworth sees Hester on the scaffold, he "raised his finger. . . and laid it on his lips" while she " pressed her infant to her bosom, with such a convulsive force". After they see each other, Chillingsworth lies to another townsman and says he does not know who the woman is, and that he had been captured by indians. Why would he lie about not knowing his own wife? What does that say about his character, and hers? What does that say about the rest of the Puritan community, that a man would lie while his wife is suffering? What can you infer about the importance of reputation, obeying the law, and sinning in the puritan community from this scene? 

Connective: In chapter IV, Chillingsworth poses as a doctor to gain access to the jail to see Hester. She knows who he is, but hides his identity, and continues to hide the identity of the father of her child. Why does she do this, when she does not have to? What does that say about the dynamics between men and women, especially in a society like the Puritans? What are some real-world examples of people hiding the truth for the sake of others? How did it end?


A good question and answer from Grant and Brie in 1st period.

Connection: Hawthorne characterizes Hester Prynne as confident, as she is publicly shamed for her crime. What does this say about her, and all women during this time period? ReplyDelete
	12.1	Brie Voetberg	yesterday, 10:44:51 PM	0 replies
Interpretive: On page 44, Hawthorne describes the 'A' on Hester's dress as a "scarlet token of infamy". Why were the Puritans so insistent on public humiliation, and what good did it do for society as a whole?  Connection: Hawthorne characterizes Hester Prynne as confident, as she is publicly shamed for her crime. What does this say about her, and all women during this time period? Connection: She is characterized as confident but there are subtle hints that suggest that this is a front. Much like many women of this time, she did not have power over most things so she pretended to be strong. The women went through discrimination from men and judgment from other women and they learned to rise above and appear unaffected. As we find out later in chapter four she is "in no reasonable state of mind" (50) and while she may seem confident she is filled with self-doubt and unrest.

A good interpretive question by Xander Allison 1st period:

Interpretive Question: On page 53 right at the end of the chapter Hester asks Robert if he "will prove the ruin of mine (her) soul". Robert responds with a smile saying "Not the soul.....No, not thine!" Could his emphasis on not ruining her soul specifically indicate he will be exacting ruin on another townsperson or the town as a whole?