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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. Which character says, ironically, "why should a wretched man, guilty, we will say, of murder, prefer to keep the dead corpse buried in his own heart, rather than fling it forth at once"?

2. What is NOT one of the possible crimes mentioned in this Chapter 2, as a reason people might flock to the prison?

3. What symbol of the United States hands in front of the Custom-House?

4. Against whom is Hawthorne alleged to harbor a "peculiar malevolence"?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. Of all the finery in the governor's mansion, what does Pearl cry for most of all?

2. In Chapter 2, why might it be Mistress Hibbins who would be in the jail?

3. What does Hawthorne find alongside the scarlet letter?

4. What does the governor think about Hester as a mother?

5. Name one of the two reasons Hawthorne suspects that the plant standing outside the prison survived.

6. What kind of skill does Hester use to support herself?

7. Why does Hester stay in town after she is released from jail in Chapter 5?

8. What kind of plant stands outside the prison, offering a contrast in color and form? Describe what the narrator says about it.

9. Why does Hawthorne decide to republish the offending introduction?

10. How does Hawthorne describe the inhabitants of Boston?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hester Prynne is a single mother in Puritan New England. Explain and analyze the way Hawthorne characterizes her, using specific examples of his technique, as well as the way he dramatizes her psychology. Be sure to consider the choices Hester makes/is forced to make throughout the novel. Is Hester a strong character or a weak one? What do you think of the way she has conducted herself? Back up your arguments with specific textual examples.

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

Much of the emotional struggle in this novel comes from a tension between public shame and private guilt. In an analytical essay, explain what each of these terms means in the scope of this novel, and how Hawthorne dramatizes each idea. Be sure to interpret them in terms of the fictional elements (characterization, setting, plot action, mood, etc.) Hawthorne uses to demonstrate them.

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