XXIV. The Conclusion Quiz — The Scarlet Letter

According to most spectators, what was seen on Dimmesdale's chest after his death?

• A wound from Chillingworth's knife
• A scarlet letter imprinted in his flesh
• A birthmark in the shape of a cross
• Nothing unusual at all

Which of the following is NOT given as an explanation for the mark on Dimmesdale's chest?

• Self-inflicted penance
• Chillingworth's necromancy and drugs
• The outward manifestation of inner remorse
• A branding punishment ordered by the magistrates

What happens to Chillingworth within a year of Dimmesdale's death?

• He flees to England
• He withers away and dies
• He confesses his sins publicly
• He is banished from the colony

To whom does Chillingworth leave his fortune?

• Hester Prynne
• The church
• Pearl
• Governor Bellingham

Why does Hester resume wearing the scarlet letter when she returns to Boston?

• The magistrates order her to wear it again
• She does so voluntarily, of her own free will
• Pearl insists she wear it
• It is a condition of being allowed to return

What is the novel's stated moral as expressed by the narrator?

• "Love conquers all"
• "Be true! Be true! Be true!"
• "The wages of sin is death"
• "Judge not, lest ye be judged"

What evidence suggests Pearl is alive and well in Europe?

• She writes letters to the townspeople
• Letters with armorial seals and luxury gifts arrive at Hester's cottage
• She returns to visit Hester once a year
• A European newspaper reports her marriage

What does the heraldic inscription on the shared tombstone mean?

• A gold letter H on a white background
• A red letter A on a black background
• A black cross on a red background
• A scarlet rose on a green field

Hester and Dimmesdale are buried in the same grave.

Some witnesses claim Dimmesdale had no mark on his chest and that his death was simply a parable about human sinfulness.

In the chapter, "nugatory" most nearly means:

• Sacred and divine
• Worthless or futile
• Powerful and enduring
• Complex and layered

What does "escutcheon" refer to in the novel's final paragraph?

• A gravestone inscription
• A heraldic shield or emblem
• A religious seal
• A type of letter

When Hawthorne says Chillingworth's revenge reached its "consummation," he means:

• It was consumed by fire
• It was complete and fulfilled
• It was forgiven
• It was transferred to another