I just finished reading the Scarlet Letter for my American Literature class and I really enjoyed it. The story is about a woman named Hester Prynn who is being punished for getting pregnant out of wedlock in a Puritan New England community. She is branded by being forced to wear a piece of fabric on her dress with the letter “A” for adultery, which is her crime. The book goes through the beginning of her life with her daughter Pearl and how they are viewed by their rigidly religious community. For the first half of the book the story hinges a lot on who the father is (which isn’t overly difficult to guess after the first 20 pages or so). It is also a social commentary on the backwards morals of the 17th century. There is even a villain in the story, although I consider the entire community to be blood thirsty and villainous from the very beginning. The role of nature and the part it plays in the story is also fascinating; is nature good or evil?
I felt like I was reading a fairytale set during the first years of what is now the United States. When I say fairytale I mean Brothers Grimm and not Disney. It doesn’t end with happily ever after. If you are like me and are fond of the old fairytales where the stories aren’t watered down like their contemporary counterparts, then you will enjoy this book. It’s scandalous and magical!
Book Information
Title: The Scarlet Letter
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Year of publication: 1850
Purchased at: The Tank @ McMaster University
Rating: 4/5
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