THE SCARLET LETTER by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Annotations:

• The main character. She is sent to the New World by her husband, who is apparently lost at sea. In Boston, she falls in love with a reverend, has sex, and gets pregnant. She is alienated and targeted by the town of strict Puritans. In the jail and when on display for the criticism of the Puritans, Hester is very strong and brave and is not afraid to display the scarlet letter A she wears and her infant. After being released from jail, her and her daughter Pearl move to an old abandoned house on the outskirts of town. She makes beautiful clothes for the Puritans, but punishes herself by wearing ugly clothes. She makes her beautiful, but badly behaved daughter lavish clothes to wear.

1. Baby daddy: REVEREND ARTHUR DIMMESDALE

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   • Is the pastor at Hester's church, and has sex with her and gets her pregnant. He keeps his sin a secret.
2. Their daughter: PEARL

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   • To her mother she is an angel, but she is actually a brat. She is gorgeous and elegant, but throws terrible tantrums. Her mother makes her beautiful clothes to wear. She is named after the high price Hester had to pay to have her (symbolic).
3. Husband: ROGER CHILLINGWORTH

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   • He finally arrives in Boston, and is obsessed with discovering who knocked up his wife. He dresses up as a doctor and does not let anyone know that he is Hester's husband.

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• A long time governor. Represents civil authority, and the ideologies of the Puritans. Lives in a huge a luxurious house. He fought in the Pequot War and slaughtered innocent Indians.

1. Sister: MISTRESS HIBBINS

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   • Uses witchcraft and evil.

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• Religious head.

1. Hester is released from jail to undergo three hours of public humiliation
   1. Hester is released from jail
      1. Hester and daughter Pearl move to abandoned house
         1. Hester makes beautiful clothes for townspeople and free clothes for the poor
            1. She is still isolated, ridiculed, and treated as a sinner by all
               1. She punishes herself by wearing horrible clothes, but makes her daughter lavish clothes
                  1. She is tortured by the scarlet letter A and feels terrible about her sins
                     1. Pearl ages to become a witch-like evil girl
                        1. Hester travels to The Governor's Hall