The Scarlet Letter

Lesson 2
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 7

11th Grade

Lesson 2 of 26

Objective


Describe the mood, tone, and setting as established by Hawthorne in Chapter 1.

Analyze Hawthorne’s use of symbolism to introduce a major theme of the novel.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne  — Chapter 1: The Prison Door

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Question 1

What does the phrase, “have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison,” suggest about the Puritans depicted here?

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

Question 2

It can be reasonably inferred from Hawthorne’s descriptions that the prison door represents the ways in which Puritan society is

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

Question 3

Hawthorne’s description of the rosebush as showing a condemned prisoner that “the deep heart of Nature could pity and be kind to him” indicates that the bush mostly symbolizes

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

Sample Response

Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.

Question 4

Describe how Hawthorne juxtaposes the prison door and the rosebush to reveal some of the central conflict and themes of the novel. Use evidence to support your answer.

Key Questions


  • Read the first paragraph of the novel. In this short paragraph, what do you learn about the mood? The setting? The author’s tone toward his subjects? Identify the diction that Hawthorne uses to establish all three of these immediately.
  • Track the author’s choice of diction as he develops mood, tone, and setting in the rest of Chapter 1.
  • What does Hawthorne want readers to infer about Puritans and Puritan society based on his first sentence of paragraph 2? Explain.
  • In what New England city (then town) is this story set?
  • What is the building that the group described in paragraph one is standing before? Why does Hawthorne describe it as the “black flower of civilized society”?
  • What other flower does Hawthorne then immediately describe? Where is this flower located? Based on the juxtaposition, what might it represent? 
  • In the final paragraph of the chapter, what else do we learn about this bush and the plot of the novel? What diction conveys this information?
  • How does the allusion to Ann Hutchinson help to develop the setting and mood?

Notes


  • Chapter 1 is very brief—only one page long. Students should read and reread this chapter both as a class and independently. The complex diction and powerful symbolism should be analyzed slowly and deliberately to set students up for success as they trace the themes of judgment and forgiveness throughout the novel.
  • In addition, extra time should be allotted for students to write a more polished response to target task question 4.

Next

Analyze Hawthorne’s portrayal of Hester and her situation in Chapter 2.

Lesson 3
icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We Handle Materials So You Can Focus on Students

We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free