Question

Read this excerpt from chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter.

“This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die. Is there not law for it? Truly there is, both in the Scripture and the statute-book. Then let the magistrates, who have made it of no effect, thank themselves if their own wives and daughters go astray!”

What part of the plot does this excerpt reveal?
It is part of the exposition that reveals the spirituality of Puritans.
It is part of the exposition that introduces the townspeople.
It is part of the rising action that reveals public sentiment toward Hester.
It is part of the rising action that introduces a physical confrontation.

Answer 1

The correct answer is the following: option c. The excerpt provided in the question reveals the part of the plot that is  the rising action that reveals public sentiment toward Hester. The excerpt shows how Hester is accused and regard a disgrace and someone who had brought shame to all the rest of the citizens of Puritan Boston. It is clear now that the public sentiment toward Hester is one of pure anger and revenge seeking for her actions.

Written by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne and first published in 1850, "The Scarlet Letter" tells the story of adulterers Hether Prynne and her lover Arthur Dimmensdale and how society punishes mainly Hether by making her wear a scarlet A on her at all times.

Answer 2

The excerpt from chapter 2 The Scarlet Letter above reveals that “It is part of the rising action that reveals public sentiment toward Hester (C).”

A sentence from the excerpt which is the key to this answer is: “This woman has brought shame upon us all, and ought to die.”

EXPLANATION  

The sentence from the excerpt above is provocative. A provocative sentence is used to persuade people in order to put a sentiment on a person or a certain group. Moreover, Chapters 1 and 2 of The Scarlet Letter introduce the reader to the character Hester Prynne. It starts with an exploration of the concept of sin, social order, depictions of political reality, and various contradictions inherent in Puritan society.

This chapter describes a public meeting, which discussed that the punishment that would befall Hester would be a virtue for the villagers. Revealing someone's sin is intended to help cleanse that someone's sin, otherwise it can be used as a lesson for others, that what Hester does is a sin. Hester’s sentence was made as to the object of voyeuristic contemplation.

LEARN MORE

If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, we recommend you to also take a look at the following questions:

• In Chapter 3 of The Scarlet Letter, how does the magistracy’s act of marking Hester Prynne with a scarlet letter serve to maintain its power in the community? https://brainly.com/question/665031

• Themes of scarlet letter https://brainly.com/question/1523481

KEYWORD: Scarlet Letter, Chapter 2, American Literature, Hester Prynne, Puritans, Provocative Sentence, The Scarlet Letter  

Subject: English

Class: 10 - 12

Subchapter: Literature