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3.19 AVERAGE
3.19 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
challenging
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:
Complicated
My favorite part of the book is the introduction where he underhanded roasts all his co-workers at the customs house.
Like "if you first met him, you would think he was an idiot, but actually, he is not."
Like "if you first met him, you would think he was an idiot, but actually, he is not."
It wasn't a horrible book. At one point I actually thought I liked it. But now that I think about it, not much really happened. The plot is very basic, and had the potential to be entertaining or boring. The way Hawthorne threw in so much extra "fluff" made it boring. I guess if you're reading this for academic reasons, this book is great, because it's full of symbolism, themes, and all that other stuff that makes for good essays. But if you're looking for an enjoyable read, you might be disappointed.
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
How I got through high school and college without being required to read this book, I'm really not sure, especially as an English major growing up in the Boston area. And in spite of what I feared - because it is usually "Required Reading" - I actually enjoyed it very much!
Hawthorne's juxtaposition of the natural world of the forest and the sea with the town (Boston) and its strict and dour inhabitants gives insight not only into the time of which he writes (late 1600s) but his own time as well (1840s). Not knowing anything about the story beyond "Hester is an adultress who gets to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her chest for punishment" was an advantage, as I really was in suspense about what was going to happen to her daughter Pearl and the relationship between her former husband and her secret lover.
The truths of human nature - love, jealousy, revenge, shame, passion - are revealed as timeless in Hawthorne's story.
Hawthorne's juxtaposition of the natural world of the forest and the sea with the town (Boston) and its strict and dour inhabitants gives insight not only into the time of which he writes (late 1600s) but his own time as well (1840s). Not knowing anything about the story beyond "Hester is an adultress who gets to wear the scarlet letter "A" on her chest for punishment" was an advantage, as I really was in suspense about what was going to happen to her daughter Pearl and the relationship between her former husband and her secret lover.
The truths of human nature - love, jealousy, revenge, shame, passion - are revealed as timeless in Hawthorne's story.
