Question

excerpt from the scarlet letter
by nathaniel hawthorne
chapter 4 -- \the interview\
after her return to the prison, hester prynne was found to be in a state
of nervous excitement that demanded constant watchfulness, lest she
should perpetrate violence on herself, or do some half - frenzied mischief
to the poor babe. as night approached, it proving impossible to quell
her insubordination by rebuke or threats of punishment, master
brackett, the jailer, thought fit to introduce a physician. he described
him as a man of skill in all christian modes of physical science, and
likewise familiar with whatever the savage people could teach, in
respect to medicinal herbs and roots that grew in the forest. to say the
truth, there was much need of professional assistance, not merely for
hester herself, but still more urgently for the child, who, drawing its
sustenance from the maternal bosom, seemed to have drank in with it
all the turmoil, the anguish, and despair, which pervaded the mothers
system. it now writhed in convulsions of pain, and was a forcible type,
in its little frame, of the moral agony which hester prynne had borne
throughout the day.
based on chapter 4 of the scarlet letter, what biased view do hester
prynne and most of her fellow settlers hold of themselves in relation to the
indigenous population in the area?
they see themselves as more civilized.
they see themselves as simpler.
they see themselves as less powerful.
the see themselves as less knowledgeable.

Explanation:

In "The Scarlet Letter", the settlers (including Hester) held a colonial - era biased view. The term "savage people" used to refer to the Indigenous population implies that the settlers considered their own society as having a more advanced, civilized way of life. The other options are incorrect: "simpler" goes against the idea of the settlers' self - perception of being more developed; "less powerful" is not supported as settlers were in a position of colonial power; "less knowledgeable" is wrong as the text shows the physician is skilled in "Christian modes of physical science" and also knows Indigenous medicinal knowledge, but the settlers' overall view is of their own civilization being superior.

Answer:

They see themselves as more civilized.