Plot

Exposition – __//The Scarlet Letter//__ begins as Hester walks out of the prison doors with a baby in her arms, covering up her letter, "A". The town watches her emerge from the builiding and they immediately start to judge her for committing adultary. Much of this portion of the story, along with the rising action, is spent trying to discover Pearl’s father. Chillingworth, the town’s physician, and who is Hester’s unknown husband, meets with Hester after she stands on the scaffold as punishment. He informs Hester that he is not angry with her as he is with Pearl’s father, and that he will seek his revenge on him.

Rising Action – Dimmesdale, a minister, becomes ill, weak and pale. Chillingworth meets with Dimmesdale to do his best to heal him and also, because he is trying to discover Pearl’s father, he tries to unfold all of Dimmesdale’s secrets. Chillingworth begins to believe that Dimmesdale is guilty of something serious.

Climax – Dimmesdale refuses Chillingworth’s medicine, showing that he knows Chillingworth was Hester’s husband. Dimmesdale learned the truth from Hester herself. Hester then goes to tell Chillingworth to leave Dimmesdale alone, and he finds out that Dimmesdale is Pearl’s father.

Falling Action – Things began to break down. Dimmesdale goes to the church to speak to the people of the town. Here he confesses his guilt and sin in his last, dying words.

Conclusion – Since Dimmesdale died, Hester does not want to go to England as they had planned. She stays in Boston and Pearl goes to England, where she is married and has a child of her own. Chilling worth dies roughly a year after Hester, and his money is left to Pearl.

__Scaffold__- Beginning scene explains Hester's sin and her punishment for her sin.

__Prison with Chillingworth__- Hester meets 'Chillingworth', who is actually her husband in disguise, and is told that she is to keep his identity a secret so he can seek out the man she cheated on him with. __Cottage__- She has to live in a cottage on barren ground which symbolizes her separation from the rest of the town.

__Kids Throwing Mud at Pearl__- This event shows that pearl suffers from Hester's crime and is shunned as well.

__Governors House__- Hester almost loses pearl and has to beg to keep her especially when Pearl answers incorrectly as to who her heavenly father is. Pearl also runs to Dimmesdale suggesting a connection fr the first time. __Scaffold Meeting-__ Hester and Pearl see Dimmesdale on the scaffold in the middle of the night and go to talk to him. The reader discovers that he is the other adulter and that is why he is ailing. __Forest Scene-__ Hester and Dimmesdale decide to run away to England after the election day ceremony. They seem like a happy family and Hester throws off her A and there is a shining ray of light that falls upon her like she is free and reborn. __Election Day Celebration-__ Dimmesdale starts off looking better than ever and marches through the town and gives the best sermon of his life but is then very weak and frail. Hester finds out Chillingworth has invaded their plans to leave and is going to come with them. __Ending Scaffold Scene__- Dimmesdale calls Hester and Pearl to him so that he ca shout his sins to the town. Chillingworth tries to stop him so he can exact his own revenge on the sea ride. Dimmesdale dies. Pearl is promised to live a normal life by Dimmesdale. __Hester Sewing Baby Clothes-__ After Chillingworth dies Hester and Pearl visit Europe but Pearl stays living off of Chillingworth's estate that he gave her when he died a year after Dimmesdale. Hester is seen sewing baby clothes for Pearl's newborn.