The prisoner always like being rewarded because the reward is a beautiful woman
I would say the setting Hawthorn choose for his book to take place, this Puritan village
It means having luster shinning which means his smile was shining
I agree with your answers. It’s the contrast of darkness and light that exposes the woman’s pure fear against the dark background
For one, it's best to remain honest even when no ones looking. Secondly, i'm sure the author of what ever it is would like to receive credit for the work they've done. It's just morally & ethically wrong to accept credit for something that's not original work.