Final+Projects+for+The+Scarlet+Letter

Choose one of the following to complete individually. ** People Magazine’s Love Triangle of the Year **

Produce a magazine article in which you try to piece together the story of this love triangle from the various characters’ points of view. Your article should include comments by Hester, Arthur, and Roger. The main goal here is to understand the effect their actions had on each of the others. Be sure to bring out the major events of the story in some way. Your finished product should look like a magazine article and include various pictures or whatever your creative little minds can come up with! Look at some People Magazine articles for ideas.

** Scarlet Letters: An Alphabet Book ** For your final project, you will create an alphabet book using one letter of the alphabet per page. It may be rhyming or non-rhyming. Give your book a cover and illustrate it. As this will be your final grade, I am particularly interested in seeing that you have an understanding of the major events and themes of the novel as well as relationships between the characters. (EXAMPLE: A is for the letter Hester wears upon her bosom as a punishment for adultery.)

** Scarlet Letter: The Prequel **

Write a prequel to the story in which you take the part of Hester’s best friend. Begin your story at the point where you must watch Hester ascend the platform for her punishment. Relate the details of your friendship using a flashback technique. Reveal your internal conflict as you watch the proceedings. Then, take the story in any direction you wish.

e How did you and Hester meet? e How did she and Dimmesdale get involved? e What types of forces drew them together? e What has she revealed to you about their relationship?

Be as creative as you like as long as you are true to the story. Use details about other characters that you learned about in the book. You may add an illustration, poster, or book jacket if you like.

** The Scarlet Letter Greeting Cards **

Design FOUR greeting cards that you think Hester, Pearl, Dimmesdale, and Chillingworth would have sent to each other for a holiday. You choose the holiday/occasion and design the 4 cards, one from each of these characters. Include a picture and a quote or poem that they would have written in each card. They can be funny or serious. Be creative and make the cards look nice! I am particularly interested in seeing that you have an understanding of the major ideas and the relationships between the characters. Include an explanation with each card.

** The Scarlet Letter Soundtrack **

Create a soundtrack for the novel, choosing or composing 5 songs (ONE can be an instrumental). The songs must represent the main themes, moods, relationships, or events in the story in some way. Create a CD insert with appropriate artwork, artist information, dedications, and a booklet that includes lyrics and a paragraph for each song explaining how and why each relates to the book. You may burn the songs onto a CD if you’d like but it is not required.

** The Scarlet Interview **

Produce a session of a talk show in which you try to piece together the story from the various characters’ points of view. One student can take the role of the talk show host and interview other students playing Hester, Arthur, Roger, or Pearl. You can interview them in any order you wish, alone or as a group. The main goal here is to understand the effect their actions had on each of the others. Be sure to bring out the major events of the story in some way.

You should have a script to turn in, and one for each character to refer to during the skit. You should dress for your parts and may use whatever props you need.

** The Scarlet Diary **

Create a journal/diary for one of the three main characters. In that character’s voice (first person), you will create at least 10 dated entries based on what’s happening at the time. This will allow you to comment on the major events of the plot. You MUST comment on the following: e The first appearance of the character in the story e Any meeting that your character has with another of the characters e Any important event that occurs in the story e Any physical/psychological changes in the character e Where the character leaves the story

The story covers years in the character’s life so you will observe changes in the character’s acceptance in the community, the physical and/or mental condition of your character, and his/her relationship with the other characters. The main characters who will appear in your journal will be Hester Prynne, Pearl, Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth. You may choose any of these as your “journal writer”, but all of them will appear in your journal. Here is a sample journal entry:

October 2, 1641 My heart knows not the words to beg of my Lord forgiveness for what I have done this day. I weep now, in solitude, for I realize that this evening has brought upon my soul a weight that I may never ever be released from. I have spent hours before my looking glass, weeping, praying, begging the Lord’s mercy, for on this night I have condemned my soul to eternal damnation.....etc.

You may write in the above style or our modern style of writing. Revise and correct spelling, grammar, etc., so it looks nice. Be creative about what your diary looks like.

** The Scarlet Times **

Develop a front page from a Boston newspaper during the time/setting of this story. Your front page will be full of the story of Hester and Company, the scandal, her sin and punishment, or the aftermath. The goal is to show me that you have an understanding of the plot and characters in the story. Your front page should include several of the following: e banner headline e At least one picture with a caption e The lead story (at least 300 words) e Related sidebar stories e Horoscope e Title of newspaper e At least one advertisement that is story-related e Advice column e Gossip column e Classifieds e Editorial e Weather

You are a casting director for a new film version of the book. Choose the actors and actresses you want to play the main characters. Why did you choose these particular people? Create a cast list with the perfect people to play the parts. You must explain why you chose the people you did and you must defend your choices to the studio head. Remember: actors and actresses must have “chemistry” to make the movie “work.” In addition to casting Hester, Pearl, Chillingworth, and Dimmesdale, you may cast other characters if it helps “sell” your choices to the studio. The studio will not “greenlight” your project unless you successfully “sell” your cast list to them.
 * The Scarlet Movie Recast**

Create a board game that involves the key characters in the story. You need to come up with a concept for the game and not only write out instructions but create the pieces, the playing board, etc. Your game may combine historical information pertinent to the time period of the book—but not necessarily something you encountered in the text. You must make your game interesting and enticing to potential buyers and eventual players.
 * The Scarlet Letter Board Game**

Create a digital collage (using Glogster.com or something similar) that illustrates the salient points of a character or theme of the book and make a presentation to the class in which you explain your collage. Remember that a collage has little if any white space and that the focus is on an array of pictures and words representative of the book. Include a one-page typed explanation of your collage and how it relates to the book. (See me if you want to see an example of a digital collage.)
 * The Scarlet Letter Digital Collage**

Create a “character locker” for a character from the book. Create the “locker” using a shoebox-sized box and decorating the outside of the “locker” appropriately. Within the locker, place items that are important to the character relying on real or toy items (NOT drawings!). These “artifacts” should be relevant to the character/the story. Write a one-page explanation of what you put into your locker and why. You may also create this project electronically using Glogster.com or Museum Box ([]). Again, if you want to see an electronic example of a character locker, see me.
 * The Scarlet Character Locker**

Create a 2 minute Digital Book Trailer using Photo Story or Movie Maker that functions to generate student interest in the book. Include text, high-quality images, color, video and narration (if appropriate) to generate mystery/tension/intrigue in the manner of TV show teases and film trailers. Remember: You want to “tease” your audience—entice them without giving away the plot. Please include a list citing your resources (i.e. where you found the images, sound, etc., that you use in your trailer). See me if you want to see an example.
 * The Scarlet Digital Book Trailer**

Create a profile for a character on a social networking site, or create a “business” website advertising or marketing the character. Indicate the skills of the character and design the profile/site to reflect his or her traits, talents, interests, connections, or unique experiences. Explain your reasons for your choices in a one-page summary and be sure to cite your sources. See me for an example of a Facebook profile for a book character. None of these ideas float your boat? Come up with something yourself! Discuss your ideas with me, but you must receive prior approval for creating your own option and submitting it for credit. Go for it! Be creative and have fun.
 * The Facebook/Commercial Website**
 * The Scarlet Surprise**