Read this excerpt from chapter 2 of The Scarlet Letter. Lastly, in lieu of these shifting scenes, came back the rude market-plac
e of the Puritan settlement, with all the townspeople assembled and levelling their stern regards at Hester Prynne,—yes, at herself,—who stood on the scaffold of the pillory, an infant on her arm, and the letter A, in scarlet, fantastically embroidered with gold thread, upon her bosom! What is the effect of the underlined words in this excerpt? They impart a mood of distress and shame. They impart a mood of nostalgia and self-reflection. They provide a visual image of the violent setting. They provide historical insight into the Puritan setting.
Explanation: The underlined words ("yes, at herself") in this excerpt, give the idea of all the shame the people of the market-place of the Puritan settlement demonstrate towards her, while they despised her and gossiped about her and her baby. It also expresses the distress and anguish she felt for the situation she was living.
