Rating: 
Summary: Not the best but still a good read...
Review: I also had to read this book for my literature class. I normally detest reading books for deadlines, and I loathe most early American literature. Yet I found this book actually quite good. Hawthorne does a great job in showing the sinful nature of all mankind and how even the most "pious" people we know also live fall into the trap of sin. And he does this in quite a short and somewhat easy-to-read manner also. Anyone who enjoys reading about man's inherent evil should pick up this book.
Rating:
Summary: Not Perfect, but...
Review: I liked the book. It incorporated many different angles into a fairly short novel (its about 250 pages.) Despite what you might expect, and what some might tell you, it is not at all difficult to understand the book. Its language isn't so different from today's as to be unreadable, or need footnotes, such as Dickens and Shakespeare.As far as plot goes, it was very good; straightforward, yet not overly simple. Hawthorne also managed to sneak commentary about the Puritan lifestyle, especially regarding the view of "sin." One of the book's flaws however, was its characters. The villain was relativly passive, yet he was portrayed as this horrible, detestable person. His victim, who was probably worse than his "tormentor" was portrayed as sympathetic. The "bad guy" was fairly unrealistic in his passiveness, as the victim was highly exaggerated in his suffering. The two come off as rather contrived. But, some more real characters, such as the daughter, serve to make up for this. Overall, this is a very good book. I'd recommend it for anyone interested in reading the classics, or who enjoys 19th century literature.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good.
Review: The whole time reading The Scarlet Letter I thought that it was just extremely interesting. The characters were well-developed and at times, endearing. The way that Hawthorne is able to describe the torture that Reverend Dimmesdale undergoes is very believable. Although I am only thirteen years old and have never committed adultery, I find it easy to relate to Hester Prynne. And Pearl, my most favorite of all the characters, just adds a very interesting touch to the story. Despite the good characters, I did not like the fact that during most of the book, parts of the main plot are dismissed for chapters at a time to describe something not always commpletely relevent to the story. But, overall, I thought this book was very interesting, and would definately take the time to read it.
Rating: 
Summary: The Scarlet Letter
Review: In answer to your first question, yes I was forced to read this book by my Literature teacher. The Scarlet Letter, in its whole, is a metaphor for the urges we experience everyday, and the consequences for indulging ourselves. While this book may be listed as Historical Fiction, I believe it is a Romance. It has elements of both, but its just interesting enough not to be Historical Fiction (Boring being the the most important criterian.) The Scarlet Letter is a Romance because of, simply, urge. Adultery is the word (contrary to popular belief, it is not Grease.) Personally, I thought the Scarlet Letter was mediocre. A book written 150 years ago isn't fared to do well in a modern-day English class (most of my class didn't like it). I think, that when it was written, it was a good book. If my mindset were set some odd century and a half ago, I probably would have appreciated it more.
Rating:
Summary: Very well written novel.
Review: I enjoyed reading this novel, and learned a lot about the
Puritan way of life in the colonies from it. It was very
sad, but a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Teachers: This is not his best novel
Review: Any Hawthorne work, including this one, shows why the author remains one of the most celebrated in American literature. As to subject matter, kids are more receptive to the likes of "The House of the Seven Gables." Perhaps adults would be too if they hadn't been forcefed "The Scarlet Letter," complete with the Customs House filler, in high school. Lest the reader find this teacher cynical, note the five stars. (I also have a dog named Hawthorne and had another named Prynne.)
Rating:
Summary: By Sarah
Review: The author added so much feeling and description in this novel which was very appealing. The way that symbolism, description, suspense, revenge, and romance were all rolled into one wonderful literary piece was excellent. Many books have a lot of description but do not have such an effect on some people's emotions as this story did.
Some say that this book is hard to understand. The thing with this novel is that you either have to really get into the book or be used to reading old English. They only thing that was slightly confusing is when the author would add his point of view and the reader would not know who was talking. The language was perfect for the times.
This novel is worth reading. The novel is never boring. The author always finds a way to catch attention. The story kept getting more and more complicated. When one of Hester Prynne's problems would seem not as significant, something else would arise. This book has a sad truth for many humans. When we have a problem and suddenly they go away, there is always some other thing that accompanies its end.
This book is just right for the high school reading level. The reading can be challenging for some students while others will like the pace. High school students should be presented some challenges with such readings. Education and literacy are the backbone to this country. To get a good job when you are older, we should be challenged.
Rating:
Summary: The Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter
Review: Emily Queen
p.5 One may scorn another's action, and participate in the punishment while he is guilty of the same wrong doing, resulting in mental anguish until one confesses, this is the case in "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester Prynne is a young woman who has a baby, Pearl, while her husband is away. She is brought before the town for all to see, and Reverend Master Dimmesdale, a clergyman of the town, with disturbing passion, reveals the wrongdoing of Hester. As a punishment for this act, instead of death, Hester has to wear the scarlet letter A on her bosom. She beautifully embroiders it. Even though she feels shame, she appears to wear it with pride. On the way to the scaffold, Hester makes eye contact with her husband, who has recently returned from England. Later he comes to her jail cell and speaks to her. To keep him safe from humiliation, she swears to not reveal his true identity, but to refer to him as Roger Chillingworth, a man of medicine. Hester passes the next seven years with little exposure to the world. She lives off her embroidery to meet the demands of the wealthy, yet she finds time to lend a helping hand to the poor. As she becomes a young girl, Pearl develops somewhat of a devilish disposition. Pearl taunts her mother about the scarlet letter thinking that her mother is a witch. She asks her mother to admit to signing the Black Man's book and that the scarlet letter being his mark. Hester doesn't want her daughter, her only companion, to despise her like the rest of the town so she never tells Pearl why she wears the scarlet letter. One day delivering a pair of gloves to Reverend Master Dimmesdale, she learns of his infirmities, and that Roger Chillingworth is his physician, who seems to be cruel to the minister. Reverend Master Dimmesdale is not only dying from a physical impairment, but also from that of the soul. He has done wrong, but refuses to tell anyone for the shame of the people. He who had so cruelly spoke of Hester's wrong doing in front of the town was guilty of the same. In order to free his troubled mind, he comes before the town and reveals the truth of his relationship with Hester Prynne. This brings a tie between the Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale that leads to a great event.
Throughout "The Scarlet Letter", Nathaniel Hawthorne uses symbolism to hint a connection between the characters without revealing answers to the questions that build suspense. The scarlet letter "On the breast of her gown, in fine red cloth, surrounded with an elaborate embroidery and fantastic flourishes of gold thread" symbolizes much more than just Hester's adultery. Pearl has always been attracted to the scarlet letter, and the way Reverned Master Dimmesdale always has his hand upon his heart. The reader knows Hester's crime, but wonders how the minister has sinned. Then Reverend Master Dimmesdale's guilty conscience leads him to the scaffold where he consequently runs into Hester and Pearl, he asks them to join him; "And there stood the minister with his hand over his heart; Hester Prynne, with the embroidered letter glimmering on her bosom; and little Pearl, herself a symbol, and the connecting link between these two." At this point there is no doubt that they are all connected by the sense that they are the product of sin, yet there seems to be a greater tie. Then while looking up to the zenith, the minister sees " the letter A-- in out in lines of dull red light" The reader may now be wondering if the minister is suffering from guilt of being Pearl's father, and not confessing when he had helped with the punishment of Hester. It has not yet been directly revealed to the reader or any other characters, so the reader is still in suspense, and will be until nearly the end. "The Scarlet Letter" is an intriguing book because of its symbolism.
Rating:
Summary: chillingworth is the anti-christ
Review: The scarlet letter was one of the best books i've ever read, and the only reason i'm putting in my 2 cents is because i've noticed the negative reaviews and i just want to clarify something - this is NOT a boring book at all - if you are in any way intellegent. This isn't dick and jane people. don't expect it to be a walk in the park. yes, the language does talk a little while to get used to, but once you do it draws you into the story. this book is anything but boring, but if you did find yourself falling asleep it probably wasn't the book that was bad, just your reading level. I highly highly highly reccomend this book. the characters are fully and beautifully developed and the symbolism, foreshadow, and imagery are all delicous.
Rating:
Summary: The Scarlet Review
Review: It is no secret that Nathaniel Hawthorne is a household name of our time, mentioned in almost every book group, every school, and has touched every American's bookshelf at least briefly. When writing a review on such a classic masterpiece, it is hard to evaluate the faults in The Scarlet Letter. I started thinking about what in the novel I could detract points for, I thought of nothing. Ornate detail, reflective thoughts, chapters that literally push Mach 6 and an example of irony that defeats all other novel's attempt to insert the literary tool into their work(s). Some complain about the Shakespereon language used, but one must consider that this was the toungue in the time the novel was set. To base critisism soley on that would be similar to rejecting The Beatles for not sounding like Eminem. Hawthorne did not write this novel overnight, many revisions were made and the work itself reflects that. Many subtle details are hidden between the lines of almost every sentence, and the reader never knows first hand which sentence can possibly foretell another event in a later chapter. One is constantly guessing at outcomes of the novel until the bittersweet end and it is this, above all else, that gives The Scarlet Letter it's place on the throne. Definatly pick up the novel, but buy it, there are so many notes one must make in various chapters in order to fully comprehend the magnitude of the piece. It is, without a doubt, five star reading and will continue to carry that rank in my mind and in the mind of many other reviewers as well. ENJOY!
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