I need help understanding the book "The Scarlet Letter."?

Question

I am a very slow reader, and we are reading this book in class. I was out for a week or so and missed a lot of what was going on and only made it back in time for the last few pages. All and all, I missed the entire book because I caught the flu. I've devised some questions that would help me understand the book more. The teacher will not give me a chance to read the book again or give me make up time. The test is on Wednesday.

1.) WHERE did the action of the book take place? General to specific.

2.) WHEN did the action take place. From general to specific time.

3.) WHAT was the problem or conflict of the main character? (What did he or she want that he or she did not have?)

4.) Did he or she solve his/her problem? If so, how? If not, why not?

I would GREATLY appreciate these questions being answered.

Note: I am absolutely not the type to do this because I procrastinated. I would take responsibility for my actions, if that was the case. So please don't think of me as that type of person.

Thank you!

Answer 1

http://www.bookrags.com/ or if your lazy like me they made a movie

Answer 2

There kinda wasn't much action. It was more of intellectually stimulating-there was no fast paced dare devil acts in it, sorry.

Again, not really action in the physical sense. It starts off with Hester Prynn(sp?) having already had her baby and being pinned with the scarlet letter of Adultery.

I'd suggest getting sick for another week honestly. Cause even though this book is short it's also a tough read for people who aren't into these psychologically stimulating books-and even tougher for slow readers =/

Go to sparknotes, kid. It's the only chance you have of making it with a C. Stay up all night and read sparknotes if you have to.

4) The baby was her problem. She had it with another man who wasn't her husband-she'd thought he was dead-turns out he wasn't. He shows up and becomes the friend of the baby's daddy-a reverend. Like a soap Opera, huh? She learned to accept her situation. I believe (I'm iffy on this since I read the book a while ago) that she had the chance to leave that colony for England but she decided to stay because that was her home.

Other problems included how society treated her, as well as her relationship with the Reverend-she refused to tell the townspeople who the father was; and not to mention her husband who returns but doesn't tell anyone who he is.

But yea, your only hope is to read sparknotes. I'd suggest feigning ill tomorrow to make sure you read all of it.

Btw, your teacher is a jerk.

Answer 3

Rent the movie!!

Answer 4

1.. Using a generality, you could say it's set in Massachusetts. More specifically it's set in the then Puritan Boston.

2. It took place in 1642 (14 years before Ann Hibbins was put to death in Boston as a witch and 50 years before the Salem witch trials) though The Customs House preface would be set in the 1800s. For generalities, you could say mid-17th century.

3. Because she committed adultery, had a child from the adultery and was forced to wear a scarlet A on her chest for the rest of her life, you could say Hester Prynne wanted both peace and either acceptance or a normal life. She wanted to throw away the scarlet letter, too. She wanted to love and be loved. She wanted to have friends. She also wanted Roger Chillingworth (her husband) to disappear and Arthur Dimmesdale to confess his sin to rid himself of his torment. Another thing she wanted was to have Arthur run away with Pearl and she and go where nobody would know them or their story - a place where they could live as a family.

4. She couldn't change the facts or the punishment given, and she believed Pearl was a gift to her from God (sort of good out of evil and, perhaps, showing God's forgiveness). Hester does much good around the village. At a later time, she is considered almost a saint - so that part changes. Dimmesdale died before they could even attempt to run. He confessed just before dying. When Dimmesdale died, Chillingworth didn't long outlast him. She does receive a measure of peace and acceptance. Her daughter, too, marries well.

If you need more information, these sites should be useful:

- http://education.yahoo.com/homework_help... - chapter summaries, commentaries and more

- http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/scarlet/ - similar to the above

- http://www.eldritchpress.org/nh/nhc.html (timeline which includes events in The Scarlet Letter as well as real events)

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_scarlet... - Wikipedia

- http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/Literatu... - a bit more information

- http://www.online-literature.com/hawthor... - The novel online - you can read the entire thing or search for words and phrases in the story.

I hope that helps.

Answer 5

www.sparknotes.com

Answer 6

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/scarlet/

this is the link to sparknotes its reall good and helpful and not written in old english like the book. also it goes over the symbols in the book =]