Chapter 1: "The Prison Door"
             1.) The two landmarks represent not only the "practical necessities" of the
             society, but it is also a sign that all societies, regardless of their good
             intentions, eventually succumb to the realities of man's nature
             (sin/punishment/prison) and destiny (mortal/death/cemetery). The condition
             of the prison door symbolizes the Puritan society and culture, sets, and
             foreshadows the gloom and internal darkness of the novel.
             2.) The weeds represent the sorrow that is to come. The rose is an obvious
             symbol for Hester Prynne who has similarities to Ann Hutchinson. The rose also
             foreshadows the brightness that is to come. Antinomianism is the belief in the
             Christian doctrine that faith alone, not obedience to the moral law, is
             3.) The historical references that are made give the effect of stepping back in
             time and seeing the similarities between then and now. The setting of the
             opening scene is in Boston sometime during the seventeenth century.
             4.) The rosebush and the embroidered scarlet "A" are both beautiful in a
             striking contrast to their surroundings.
             Chapter 2: "The Market Place"
             1.) The crowd in the market place that came to see the 'woman of sin' is harsh,
             stern, and cruel. The women in the market place feel that she should be more
             seriously punished. Someone in the crowd even thinks that "at the very least,
             they should put the brand of a hot iron on Hester Prynne's forehead." The men
             did not treat Hester with too kind of a punishment. It was a kind punishment,
             because normally the true punishment would have been death. However,
             Hester had to stand on the platform for three hours being watched, condemned
             and ridiculed for her actions by the many faces in the audiences.
             2.) The beadle who carries a sword and walks with a staff symbolic of religion,
             and therefore a social, authority is desc...