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A review by kvroegop
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Can you believe I graduated from both high school AND college without ever reading this? Honestly, me neither.
My favorite thing about reading this was watching my high school students unpack this with me. They didn't expect 19th-century prose to be so funny and poignant, and yet they were laughing along with me at the underhanded digs at Puritan culture, particularly in Pearl's character.
I honestly think there's something to be gleaned by anyone reading this because its themes feel universal: What happens when culture becomes more focused on performative actions of morality than on the feelings and reasons behind those actions? Why is a community necessary for individual flourishing?
As annoying as it sounds coming from an English teacher, I think this is a must-read as an American, particularly in an increasingly performative-morality-based culture.
My favorite thing about reading this was watching my high school students unpack this with me. They didn't expect 19th-century prose to be so funny and poignant, and yet they were laughing along with me at the underhanded digs at Puritan culture, particularly in Pearl's character.
I honestly think there's something to be gleaned by anyone reading this because its themes feel universal: What happens when culture becomes more focused on performative actions of morality than on the feelings and reasons behind those actions? Why is a community necessary for individual flourishing?
As annoying as it sounds coming from an English teacher, I think this is a must-read as an American, particularly in an increasingly performative-morality-based culture.