1.Some critics say that Hester Prynne was the first American heroine. Others, however, say that her somewhat silent suffering isn't truly heroic. What qualities and actions make a character heroic? Are there any heroes or heroic actions in The Scarlet Letter? Defend your answer.
2.If Hester Prynne is the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, who is the antagonist? Arguments can be made not only for Roger Chillingworth and Governor Bellingham, but also perhaps for Arthur Dimmesdale—and even for the Puritan society as a whole. Which of these characters (if any) do you believe serves as the villain in the novel? Why? What qualities and actions make a character villainous? If you believe that there are no villains in the story, why do you feel that is the case?
3.Who committed the greatest sin: Chillingworth, Hester or Dimmesdale? Pick one and support your choice with specific references to the text.