The Scarlet Letter The Prison Door Symbols: the dreary, solid prison door; the rosebush as a sweet

t moral blossom natural, comforting Crowd of somber, gray people The Market-Place Hester Prynne beautiful in a dignified way, holding a baby image of her against the darkness of the prison Symbol: letter A embroidered; people judging her, opposite of Christian values Stands on the platform, refuses to say fathers name sees Chillingworth, her husband who was with the Indians Belief that sin was real and needed to be sought out self righteousness Hester is symbol of exposing sin to forward their own piety Hester accepts her realities townspeople fixate on her sin, not on the baby or her The Recognition Sees Chillingworth he asks a stranger who the woman is, stranger says that he must be glad to be in Boston Hester refuses to tell who father is Dimmesdale asks her to tell, she refuses he says that she is strong for not revealing him Hester = living sermon with her sins out for all to see even though people had no right to meddle with a question of human guilt, passion, and anguish

The Interview Chillingworth asked to help Hester and Pearl in prison when they are sick They talk, Chillingworth says he should have never take Hesters youth, seeks revenge on Hesters lover Devil in disguise wants revenge Chillingworth almost seems to apologize for marrying Hester, forces Hester to keep everyones secrets; physical deformity mirrors his spiritual deformity Hester at her Needle Hester out of prison, settles in a small abandoned cottage ostracized from society; is the example of what not to do; talent in needlework, makes shirts from the poor, burial shrouds, robe,s, and baby gowns people insult her Stays because she feels connected to the place where her life changed, feels like she needs to do penance, and wants a life with Dimmesdale, and does it to defy society Doesnt want to flee in order to resist the judgment against her Pearl Beautiful, moody, passionate, defiant senses that shes an outcast Subject to the cruelties of townspeople and so she creates her own friends

Pelts the A on Hesters chest b/c she is the A Consolation and worry for Hester the pearl of great price surreal, elfin child romanticism, almost un-human

The Governors Hall Goes to Gov Bellinghams mansion deliver a pair of gloves and find if Pearl will be taken from her Some people think that Hester wont be able to raise Pearl Children pelt Pearl with mud; mansion really ornate sees reflection of A in breastplate, doorman thinks that Hester is a great lady b/c he doesnt know what the A symbolizes The Elf-Child and the Minister Bellingham, Wilson, Chillingworth, Dimmesdale in room call her a bird and a demon child Wilson tries to test her religious knowledge but Pearl refuses to answer Hester begs Dimmesdale to speak for her- says that she was a blessing and a curse, a way for Hester to redeem herself Mistress Hibbins witch invites Hester to join her, but she refuses b/c she has Pearl Pearl seems to keep her from Satans temptations Chillingworth sense something is up with Dimmesdale The Leech Leeches suck the life from you and dont let go until theyre satisfied Chillingworth established as the town doctor goes to help Dimmesdale b/c he hasnt been eating and frequently clutches at his heart The two become friends, and Chillingworths face takes on the appearance of evil as the two become closer Chillingworth = science, dimmesdale = spirituality but unable to confess and is wasting away from the guilt Medicine doesnt help Dimmesdale Chillingworth often references Hester and buried sin to torture Dimmesdale The Leech and his Patient Chillingworth pried into Dimms life doesnt tell Unmarked grave Chill says dark weeds are sign of unburied guilt, prods Dimm about his spiritual condition and says that such matters are concern of God Chill sees Dimmesdales chest as hes sleeping, rejoices on what he sees on it The Interior of a Heart Mind games minister doesnt trust his doctor but cant figure out why delivers powerful sermons on tpic of sin, self probing keeps him awake at night Sees visions Hester points at her A and then his chest tortures himself physically and holds extended vigils Wants to find a way to ease his sin, so decides to hold a vigil on the scaffold

Apex of his crisis tries to make his own path but absolution but cant confess to the public but gets closer Darkness of the scaffold opposes the Hesters openness on the scaffold

The Ministers Vigil Dimm stands on scaffold, pain in breast makes him cry out and begins to imagine what would happen if people saw him there Sees Pearl and Hester, invites them to join him on scaffold refuses Pearl when she asks him to stand there until tomorrow Meteor in the shape of an A Chillingworth in the distance Hester refuses to tell who it is, but Pearl knows but Dim doesnt believe her Chillingworth and Dimms return home gives powerful sermon Church sexton hands Dimms his black glove from the scaffold says that people saw a A in the sky and thought it was because Winthrop was ascending to heaven A for angel Public/private self The meteor