The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Contains spoilers for the entire book.
Discussion topics
Topic 01 of 08
The scaffold
What does Hester's first stand on the scaffold reveal about her and about the town?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does she refuse to name Pearl's father?
- How did you react to the women in the crowd?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.
Discussion topics
What does Hester's first stand on the scaffold reveal about her and about the town?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does she refuse to name Pearl's father?
- How did you react to the women in the crowd?
How does the meaning of the scarlet letter change over the years?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does Hester embroider it so beautifully?
- What does the town come to read it as?
Why does Dimmesdale stay silent for so long, and what does it cost him?
Keep the conversation going
- Was his midnight vigil on the scaffold courage or cowardice?
- How does his secret make him a more powerful preacher?
What does Chillingworth want, and what does revenge make of him?
Keep the conversation going
- Is his sin worse than Hester's or Dimmesdale's?
- How does he change from the scholar Hester married?
What role does Pearl play in her parents' lives?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does she insist that Hester put the letter back on in the forest?
- Is Pearl a real child, a symbol, or both?
What happens in the forest that can't happen in the town?
Keep the conversation going
- Why does Hester take off the letter and let down her hair?
- Was their plan to escape ever possible?
Why does Dimmesdale finally confess on the scaffold?
Keep the conversation going
- What do the witnesses see, or claim to see, on his chest?
- Does his confession bring him peace?
Why does Hester come back to Boston and wear the letter again?
Keep the conversation going
- What role does she find in the community in the end?
- What does the novel say about sin, shame and community?
There is no single right answer. Bring your own reading.