XV. Hester and Pearl Quiz — The Scarlet Letter

What emotion does Hester confess as she watches Chillingworth walk away?

• Pity for his deformity
• Hatred for him
• Fear that he will reveal her secret
• Guilt for what she has done to him

What does Hester imagine happening to the earth beneath Chillingworth's feet?

• Flowers blooming in his wake
• The ground shaking with each step
• Grass withering and poisonous plants springing up
• A path of ice forming behind him

What material does Pearl use to create her letter A?

• Red wildflowers
• Pine needles
• Eel-grass
• Sand and pebbles

What reason does Hester give Pearl for wearing the scarlet letter?

• That it is a mark of honor from the community
• That it was given to her by Pearl's father
• That she wears it for the sake of its gold thread
• That she must wear it until Pearl comes of age

According to Pearl, why does Hester wear the scarlet letter?

• Because the magistrates ordered her to wear it
• For the same reason the minister keeps his hand over his heart
• Because her mother taught her the letter A
• To match the green letter Pearl made for herself

What does Hawthorne compare Pearl's love for her mother to?

• A summer thunderstorm
• An April breeze
• A candle flame in wind
• A bird that returns each spring

What happens to Hester's "guardian spirit" after she lies about the letter?

• It grows stronger to protect her
• It punishes her with guilt
• It forsakes her, recognizing a new evil in her heart
• It transfers its protection to Pearl

How does Hester finally silence Pearl's persistent questioning?

• She promises to explain when Pearl is older
• She distracts her with a new game
• She threatens to shut her in a dark closet
• She sends her to ask Reverend Dimmesdale

Did Pearl willingly stop pelting seabirds with pebbles after she injured one?

Did Hester confide the true meaning of the scarlet letter to Pearl in this chapter?

Hester "upbraided herself for the sentiment" of hating Chillingworth. What does "upbraided" mean?

• Congratulated or praised herself
• Scolded or rebuked herself severely
• Quietly reflected upon her feelings
• Physically restrained herself

The green letter on Pearl's bosom "has no purport," Hester says. What does "purport" mean?

• Physical weight or substance
• Artistic beauty or decoration
• Meaning, significance, or intended message
• Legal authority or sanction

Hester answered Pearl "with an asperity that she had never permitted to herself before." What does "asperity" mean?

• Gentle patience or calmness
• Whispered secrecy
• Harshness of tone or manner
• Tearful emotion