The red of the letter,
standing for adultery
, reminds the reader of the rosebush and the letter that later appears in the sky. Its color, for now at least, is associated with her sin and will be strongly connected to Pearl throughout the novel.
What is the mood of the scarlet letter in chapter 2?
In conclusion the tone, diction and imagery in the second chapter of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter create
a tone and setting of dread, misfortune and mounting regret
through the use of solid imagery and diction help set the mood for this chapter and the remainder of the novel.
What is the second chapter of the scarlet letter about?
When chapter two begins,
Hester Prynne has been found guilty of adultery
. She has born a child of this liaison and is in prison with the baby, something horrifying by today’s standards. As part of her punishment, she must stand on the scaffolding and be viewed by the townspeople, shamed for her sin.
What does the scaffold symbolize in chapter 2?
The scaffold represents
truth
and is an important symbol of the difference between Hester and Dimmesdale’s situations. It shows the contrast between public shame and inner struggle. The scaffold supports Hawthorne’s point that true repentence cannot occur until sin becomes public.
What does the baby in her arms actually represent to Hester?
Hester has a daughter named pearl in her arms and a red letter A on her chest to punish her
for adultery
. … The scarlet letter is another symbol as it is both a physical and emotional representation of not only Hester’s guilt but of Dimmesdale’s guilt as well.
Why did Hester squeeze Pearl at the end of chapter 2?
Hester thinks about her youth spent in poverty in England. She envisions her parents’ faces and sees also the face of a “misshapen scholar,” her husband. … Hester touches the scarlet letter and squeezes her baby, Pearl, so
tightly that Pearl cries
. Hester then realizes that the letter and her baby are her only reality.
What are Hester’s three punishments?
Hester’s punishment was
a judicial sentence
; however, being forced to stand on the scaffold for three hours, and to wear the scarlet letter “A” for the rest of her life. It was socially humiliating. Hester was sent to prison for committing adultery.
Is The Scarlet Letter sad?
Many readers find The Scarlet Letter rather grim
and quite sad
. Even when we know in the end that Pearl has escaped the life she might have endured in Boston by living in Europe, we still feel sad that Hester is separated from her daughter by the wide expanse of the ocean.
Why does Hester wear The Scarlet Letter?
She wears a scarlet letter A on her gown
as a symbol of the sin she has committed which is adultery
. She has decorated the letter with gold threads around it showing us that she is not going to let this incident bring her down. Hester does suffer emotionally and cries often in her cottage.
Why does Hester fear Chillingworth?
Why does Hester fear Chillingworth?
She is worried he is angry at her for committing adultery and that he will do something to hurt her or the baby
. … He intends to find out who the father of Hester’s child is and he says he will not reveal the name to the rest of the town.
What is the scaffold a symbol of?
The scaffold in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter plays a crucial role in exploring themes of morality and sin. The scaffold at the center of the Puritan town in 1640s Massachusetts Bay Colony transforms from a symbol of
sin and shame
to an instrument of redemption.
What does pearl symbolize in the scarlet letter?
Pearl is a sort of living version of her mother’s scarlet letter. She is the
physical consequence of sexual sin
and the indicator of a transgression. … She represents not only “sin” but also the vital spirit and passion that engendered that sin.
What causes Hester’s infant to cry out while she’s standing on the scaffold?
What causes Hester’s infant to cry out while she’s standing on the scaffold?
She is frightened by the shouting of the angry crowd.
… Hester squeezes her too tightly.
How does Pearl protect Hester?
Pearl’s existence
supports Hester’s spirit to insist living and suffering in the torment
; she protects Hester as well. As a notorious woman with the scarlet letter on her bosom, the status and situation of Hester is dangerous. Pearl, like a guardian, prevents her mother from getting in trouble.
Is Hester a good mother?
Overall,
Hester Prynne is a good mother
and should be able to keep her fateful daughter, Pearl.
Why does Hester repeatedly refuse to stop wearing the letter?
Hester chooses to continue to wear the letter
because she is determined to transform its meaning through her actions and her own self-perception
—she wants to be the one who controls its meaning. … Upon her return from Europe at the novel’s end, Hester has gained control over both her personal and her public identities.
