What is the point of the Custom House?
A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting customs duty on imported goods.
What is the purpose of the Custom House in Scarlet Letter?
The Custom House serves the small ship traffic going through the port, but it is usually a quiet place requiring only minimal work. The connection between Salem and the Puritans is made early on. Hawthorne’s family originally settled in Salem, and he is a direct descendent of several notable ancestors.
Why doesn’t Hester tell Pearl what the scarlet letter means?
Hester’s refusal to tell Pearl the true meaning of the letter is symbolic of Pearl’s role in the novel. Pearl has often been compared to a living version of the scarlet letter. Telling Pearl about the “A” would reveal something that Hester is afraid Pearl can not fully comprehend.
What is Chillingworth’s secret?
8) What are Hester Prynne’s secrets? Hester keeps secret the name of her illegitimate child’s father (Reverend Dimmesdale) and the true identity of Roger Chillingworth (her husband). She will not reveal Pearl’s father to protect Reverend Dimmesdale’s reputation, as he is the minister of the church.
What position does the author hold in the Custom House?
This introduction provides a frame for the main narrative of The Scarlet Letter. The nameless narrator, who shares quite a few traits with the book’s author, takes a post as the “chief executive officer,” or surveyor, of the Salem Custom House.
Why did Hester and Pearl go to the forest?
Hester and Pearl go to the forest because Hester is determined to warn Dimmesdale of the threat Chillingworth poses. She travels to the forest because she knows Dimmesdale will be returning that way from visiting the Indians (Native Americans). It will provide a private place for them to talk unobserved.