The Scarlet Letter Chapter Summaries 1-19

Chapters 1-2:
The first chapter of the story is setting the scene of the prison. The prison is located by a graveyard. These two should not be with each other in the same place. The prison is in horrible shape. The is trash everywhere. The only clean item around is the red rose bush that is at the enterence of the prison. Chapter two is when we are introduced to Hester Prynne. When she walks out of the prison she is holding a new born babe. She also displays a scarlet A on her bosom. This is for her punishment of the crime she has committed adultery. She walks through out the town until she reaches the scaffold.

Chapters 3-4
During the third chapter Hester is standing on the scaffold thinking in her mind about her childhood and what all she has done, until this point in her life. As she is standing on the scaffold we are introduced to a new stranger. He makes eye contact with Hester but then tells her to be quite. He goes up to a group of people that has been bad mouthing Hester all day and ask them what it is that the woman standing on the scaffold has done. They tell him. Then Hester gets questioned on who did this to her, where are they now, who is her husband, and where is he now. She does not answer any of these questions instead she either keep s quite or she says she doesn't know. She is taken back to her prison cell. In chapter four Hester goes with her babe to go see a doctor. The doctor ends up being her husband. They talk about how she didn't tell the people any of their questions. He tells here how he was captured and how they are even now. He did her wrong by marring her so young while he was so old, and she did him wrong by having the child. he swears her to an oath that she cannot tell anyone of who he is. Then he goes on his way after giving both medicine.

Chapters 5-6
chapter five is just talking about how Hester has to sew to make a living. She just talks about what she has done and how she is glad that she made these decisions. She also talks about her childhood again and how she kinda saw this coming. Hester thinks about the scarlet letter that has been burning into her chest. The sixth chapter is about her daughter. Hester decided to name her Pearl. She chose this because Pearl is all that she has anymore. Pearl was her mother's only treasure. Pearl is very beautiful in her features. She is very active ans very self serving. Hester battles back and forth ether or not Pearl is a demon child or not. When Hester tries teaching her the teachings that all little child should know, Pearl told her mother that God didn't send her, that she has no heavenly father. Hester was very worried about this. She told pearl that God did send her as he does everyone else.

Chapters 7-8
Hester has to take a pair of gloves that she has made to the governor's house in chapter seven. Pearl as she always does goe with her. On their way, like many times before, Pearl fights off a group of people that are mocking and\or trying to hurt her and\or her mother. When they got to the house Hester let herself in so that she could "personally delver the gloves." Pearl finds through a window a rose bush. She cries for a rose but her mother tells her to be quite because she hears voices. Chapter eight is where governor Bellingham meets Pearl. He starts to question her so that they will know that she isn't a demon child. Pearl purposely messes up. So Hester starts to fight against him saying how Pearl has saved her. She turns to her old reverend Dimmesdale for help. He stands up for her, but in the process makes old Roger Chillingsworth an idea about him. Chillingsworth is amazed at how much earnestness he has in his speech. Hester gets to keep the little elf for now. As Hester is leaving, Mrs. Hibbins (governor's sister) ask her to come to the wood with her that night. Hester refuses and moves on. Mrs. Hibbins is considered a witch.

Chapters 9-10
Chapter nine tells us more about Roger Chillingsworth. Roger has come to find the guy who as destroyed his life. As he is looking for the soecific guy he changes in his character. He has become more like the devil then anything else. In chapter ten Roger is beating up on Dimmesdale. He thinks that he has figured it out that Dimmesdale is the guy that Hester has fooled with. He is always trying to break down Dimmesdale. he always taunts him through out the day. On night as Dimmesdale was asleep, Chillngsworth went into Dimmesdale's room, took off his shirt and looked at his chest were he saw something that gave him the satisfaction that Dimmesdale was the guy he has been looking for.

Chapters 11-12
In chapter eleven we find out that Dimmesdale beats himself up ever night in the sactuary of his closet. He makes himself fast for many days on end. Dimmesdale also stays awake for many days or weeks on end too. in chapter twelve Dimmesdale cannot sleep one night so he goes to the square to the scafold. When he was outside he saw a comet go by. It looked like a letter A in the night time sky. He thought it was for aldatury. While at the scafold he meets Hester and Pearl. Pearl asked him if on judgement day he will stand up on the scafold holding hands with them.

Chapter 13-14
Hester is sitting alone, exept with Pearl, in her cottage in the beginning of chapter thirteen. She is thinking about what all she has done. She doesn't feel that the scarlet letter is doing her any good. It isn't doing its office. Hester helps out the poor people when they are sick or need something. As she does this she relizes that she has to stop Roger Chillingsworth from hurting Dimmesdale anymore. So she has decided to talk with her formar husband. In chapter fourteen Hester meets Chillingsworth near the ocean. She tells him how she wants him to stop beating up on Dimmesdale. He reclines the offer, so she tries to threating him with the promise of telling him herself. Roger says to go ahead he doesn't care anymore. To Hester, Chillingsworth has become even more like the devil in his appearence then ever.

Chapter 15-16
In chapter fifteen then Hester is talking of how she hates Chillingsworth. That she totally regrets being married to him. Pearl ask her mother over and over what the scarlet letter on her bosom means. Hester tells her to be quite and to hold her tongue. That children should not ask such questions. in chapter sixteen, Hester sets out to find Dimmesdale to tell him what Roger is doing to him. She brings Pearl along with her and again Pearl ask about the scarlet letter on her mother's bosom. Hester then tells her that the letter was given to here from the Black Man.

Chapters 17-18
In chapter seventeen Hester finally sees Dimmesdale. She begs him over to her. As they talked they began to hold hands. They started talking about what they had done and how well they have been these past seven years. Hester tells him about Chillingsworth. Dimmesdale says that he will runaway but doesnt really want to be alone. Hester told him that she shall go with him. In eighteen Hester and Dimmesdale were still talking about where they shall go. Then Hester tells him that he needs to know Pearl. He is afraid of little Pearl. She tells him nonsence. So Hester calls out to little Pearl.

Chapter 19
As Pearl is coming to her mother she is dressed as a nymph. She looks so natrual as she is skipping and dancing twords her mother. On her way she sees that her mother has changed in her looks. Hester has let her hair fall out of the bun that she always wears. She has taken off the scarlet letter from her bosom. Pearl will not answer her mother until Hester points out the letter laying on the ground. Hester tries to tel her how Dimmesdale loves them both and they will be together shortly but Pearl will not hear of any of it. Finally Dimmesdale leaves and Hester puts her hair back up and the letter back on. Pearl returns to her mothers side as Dimmesdale departs.