Chapters 1-2

The setting is introduced. Hester makes a statement with the wonderfully embroidered letter “A” on her chest. She has this daughter that she embraces as reality.

I find it odd that the Puritan colony makes prisons and cemeteries as one of their first line of business. They know and feel that sin will be everywhere and the need for the prison and cemetery will be necessary immediately.

The scaffold is going to come back in play again. It is the center of their social culture. I am curious as to how.

That is a very good point. Farther in the book you will see that the point is brought out.

Excellent insight.

I liked the allusion to the rose bush and the succor it could provide the prisons inhabitants. it comes to play later in the story as well.
I agree the townfolk did not besmear the baby, but perhaps they felt she was the unfortunate result and not really to blame. I was surprised that they let hester keep the baby. I thought it likely in those days they might have taken it away immediatly or gotten rid of it.

I'm not surprised that they let her keep the baby. It seems that they wanted to drag the punishment on.