Scarlet Letter Essay Prompts
In preparation for your essay responses, you MUST work individually. You are NOT allowed to work with others. Working with others is scholastic dishonesty and will result in a detention for all students involved and a score of 0 on your final exam. On the day of the final, you will be given one prompt to answer during the testing period.
1. Pearl is a somewhat complicated character in The Scarlet Letter. She is born from an act of adultery, instantly shunned by society because of her mother's sin. What does Pearl symbolize? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
2. Which of the main characters in the novel (Hester, Pearl, Chillingworth, or Dimmesdale) deserves the most sympathy? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
3. What do you think is the primary theme of The Scarlet Letter? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
4. Based on The Scarlet Letter, in what ways can Nathaniel Hawthorne be considered a Dark Romantic? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
2. Which of the main characters in the novel (Hester, Pearl, Chillingworth, or Dimmesdale) deserves the most sympathy? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
3. What do you think is the primary theme of The Scarlet Letter? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
4. Based on The Scarlet Letter, in what ways can Nathaniel Hawthorne be considered a Dark Romantic? Use examples from the text to support your opinion.
Your essay will be graded based on this writing standard:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.A
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, and between reasons and evidence
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.D
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.A
Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), reasons, and evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.C
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, and between reasons and evidence
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.D
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.E
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.