The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne

Situations to Discuss Write 2-3 sentences on your opinion for each topic. 1.Should a list of students caught cheating on class assignments be posted to publicly punish the offenders and act as a deterrent for other students? Why or why not? 2.You and your best friend cheated on a final exam. Your friend was caught and received a failing grade for the test and class; however, he or she did not mention your involvement. Should you confess to it now? 3.Not realizing that something a friend told you was in confidence, you shared the information with two other friends. Your friend is now furious that the “secret” is known, but has directed the anger about the situation towards someone else—the person who is thought to be the betrayer. Do you reveal that you were actually the information leak?

Situations to Discuss Write 2-3 sentences on your opinion for each topic. 4.Should a teacher who has been made aware through a student’s journal or other writing that a student is involved in dangerous or illegal behavior keep this information private? 5.Do you believe that harboring a secret for which one feels guilty can affect a person’s mental and physical health? Why or why not? 6.Should people who are in the public eye be held to a higher standard regarding their moral behavior than the general public? Do you think they are held to a higher standard right now?

Is this right?

Nathaniel Hawthorne ( ) Born in Salem, MA Descendent of Judge John Hathorne, who presided over the infamous Salem Witch Trials Wrote novels and short stories Considered a American Gothic writer Used his Puritan ancestry as an inspiration (but was NOT a Puritan)

The Novel Published in 1850 Set in mid-1600s Puritan Boston Themes of guilt, sin, and redemption “The Custom House” frame story: the author “found” the story of Hester Prynne and the letter and was inspired to tell her story What does the A stand for? Adultery.

Main Characters Hester Prynne – a young Englishwoman, has been living alone in Boston; her husband has been missing for several years. Hester has given birth to a child and refuses to name its father. Over the course of the novel, she pays for her sin in many ways, although she never renounces her love for the father. Roger Chillingworth – A scholar and a doctor of Boston; the novel chronicles his spiritual deterioration. Arthur Dimmesdale –a popular and admired young clergyman; he undergoes intense internal suffering. Pearl – Hester’s daughter; a blithe, highly intuitive, intelligent, and imaginative child.

Hints! Start on Chapter 1 (pg. 45)– Skip “The Custom House”! As you read, you write a brief summary of each chapter. After you finish each chapter, quickly write down a couple sentences stating the main ideas and events from that chapter. Use a dictionary while you read. A digital one is easy (smart phone, computer, e-reader, etc.) and fast, and it will help you to understand the book. These are not assignments and are not worth credit, but they will help!

Who said it? “Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.” - Tiger Woods, 2009