JURY Member Pre-Trial Assignment: Arguments For & Against

As a member of the jury, you will need to be thoroughly informed on the facts of the case. To
prepare for the trial, you will brainstorm arguments for both sides: innocent and guilty.

PROSECUTION: The character is guilty. DEFENSE: The character is innocent.

Explain why the narrator could be considered Explain why the narrator could be considered
guilty. Cite at least ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE to innocent. Cite at least ONE PIECE OF EVIDENCE
support your answer. Interpret your evidence to to support your answer. Interpret your evidence
show the narrator’s guilt. to show the narrator’s innocence.

The character is guilty, because the proof is
pearl the child . She was holding her baby on
the scaffold in the town center and wearing a
Scarlet letter “A”.
The character is innocent , because she was
young and might have felt alone . According to
the text her husband has been gone for like two
years and I think she tried waiting for her
husband then felt alone and weak by herself.

All the dread of public exposure, that had so long been the anguish of his life, had returned upon him.”
This line reveals the fear that leads to Dimmesdale being unable to take responsibility for his actions,
thus leading to his overwhelming guilt.

His guilt was mentally torturing him and drove him to despair. The uncontrollable helpless feeling of
despair brought Dimmesdale immense suffering to the point where he almost lost his mind.
Dimmesdale, unlike Hester, had an undying guilt that would forever torture him until his death. felt
guilty that he had committed adultery. Dimmesdale decided he was not going to confess his sin even
though he knew it was the right thing to do.