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3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
Hawthorne is still an author I think of as full of great ideas without necessarily putting the words together.
I just finished The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. The Scarlet Letter is set in mid 17th century Puritan Massachusetts. It tells the story of Hester Prynne who was temporarily jailed for committing adultery and then sentenced to a life of shame and social isolation by having to wear a Scarlet Letter "A" on her outfit which outwardly displays her crime to everyone. Hawthorne did a good job of showing how strict his Puritan ancestors were, and how hypocritical they truly were. (For example, they shunned Hester, but yet the high ups in her town used her for her skills as a seamstress). While I read the novel I could see how the emotions of shame and guilt were manifested in both the characters of Hester Prynne and Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, (her co-adulterer). I can recommend this novel simply for how well Hawthorne brought tangibility to the guilt of committing a sin against God and how it rests on one's soul. I have to say that Roger Chillingworth was a strange character to me. I suppose the meaning behind his character is that the devil works so clandestinely, that you have to keep a wary eye out. I enjoyed Hester's daughter, Pearl, (who resulted from the adulterous affair), as a character the most. She was very observant for someone so young, and I appreciated Hawthorne's efforts on creating and developing her as a character. The Scarlet Letter is a social comment against dogmatic Puritanism, but it is also moralistic in showing the reader that a truthful life is the best way everyone should lead their lives. The Scarlet Letter was beautifully written, and I recommend this classic.
dark
sad
slow-paced
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a book. I will admit it's quite dense, considering the long-winded phrases to really set the context in stone, but that's alright. I view it as a complex take on the nature of womanhood, particularly complex considering it was written by a man. Anyway. I know it's the point, but I did find it so frustrating when everyone was head over heels with Reverend Dimmersdale even after he confessed but yeah I get that that's the point he's trying to make. Hope Pearl's okay, what a diva.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
this was excruciatingly slow
slow-paced
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
ok, this book would be so much better without all the descriptions and sarcasm about puritan society.
dark
slow-paced