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Summary: The Scarlet Letter Review
Review: 200-300 wordd
I really liked this book because of Hester. She was a protagonist who refused to obey by socety's rules. She is a role model for women who wish to be free. Sure, she made a mistake. But, don't we all? Adultery is not right, but we learn from mistakes.
I really liked to read about the time period because it was so different from our own. It is hard to believe that Hawthorne was only a writer for his time period.
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Summary: Sex, Revenge, and Self-abuse. What more could one ask for?
Review: Although Nathaniel Hawthorne's romantic writing style can be distracting at times, the main story behind The Scarlet Letter is very original and unique. The story focused on the Purital pre-occupation with evil, and the transcendental philosophy of believing in one's self over authority. With many different symbols throughout the book, the entire novel is an allegory symbolizing the moral of being true to one's self. An excellent book for the conformist, because it shows the negative effects of conforming with the rest of society.
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Summary: One of my favorite books
Review: I read the Scarlet Letter last year for English and found it to be one of the most increadible stories I have ever read. Symbolism abounds in the forms of Pearl and Chillingsworth; even the scenery comes alive to tell this tale of love, atonement, and revenge.
Don't come into this book looking for action, there isn't any. Instead, there are intense mental conflicts between the characters, making for some exciting and powerful scenes. Hawthorne's uses a great deal of description, mostly to create symbols, but also just to allow you to imagine yourself in the time and place: puritan New England, so that you can empathise more with the brilliantly designed characters.
If you aren't familiar with the story of the Scarlet Letter, it describes the punnishment of Hester Prynne, a woman charged with adultry and punished by having a red letter 'A' sewed onto her main article of clothing. She is a marked woman, and therefore raises the daughter from her affair in a house seperate from the rest of her village. Her husband, who was supposedly following Hester to Massachusets from England, but took a long time getting there, arrives to witness her punishment, and decides that he is going to find the man who did this and make him suffer. From there, Hawthorne brings his characters together through scene after powerful scene, until the amazing ending.
The Scarlet Letter is a classic for a reason, and deals with many issues that we still wrestle with today. If you're a fan of symbolic books, don't mind books which lack action, and want a book which will make you think, I recomend the Scarlet Letter to you. If you want the action and not the symbolism, then you probably shouldn't be looking for classic books, especially not this one.
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Summary: Looooooooooooooooong.
Review: If you can read and readily understand old-english, you *may* be able to enjoy this novel.
I found it painfully long and didn't even care to finish it, which is unheard of for me!
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Summary: Wonderful Story About Early American Puritans.
Review: Nathanial Hawthorne is a wonderful writer, if gloomy. I have read quite a few of his books because of how much I enjoyed this one. This is his masterpiece, although some of his other books are worth a read as well. This book is chilling because of his mastery of language and characterization. He explores sin, alienation and spiritual regeneration as he tells the tale of a Puritan woman (Hester Prynne) who has an adulterous affair with a minister. We see the ripple effect that this illicit affair has on Hester and her lover, as well as Hester's husband, and most disastrously, her daughter Pearl. We see the effect that being ostracized has on Hester herself. This is visibly pictured by the scarlet A that she is forced to wear, but the effect that this has on her psyche and the way that she finds to cope with this estrangement show how strong a human being can be if pushed to it. This is a great book, and I recommend it highly.
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Summary: Scarlet Letter Review
Review: One of the American classics, THE SCARLET LETTER tells of a woman named Hester Prynne in late 17th century who committed the then-unforgivable sin of adultery. She had been living in Boston for two years and had been found guilty of bearing a child (Pearl) by an unknown father. As punishment for her sin, Hester was forced to wear a scarlet A (adultery) on the bodice of her dress and to stand on a public scaffold before Boston's townspeople. The opening chapter "Custom House" seemed irrelevant to the rest of the novel the first time I read the book. It was not until a couple of years later I found it not true when I re-read the novel. I do have to admit that Hawthrone's writing style can drag at times, the once-seemed boring opening chapter significantly set the mood for the rest of the novel. "Custom House" does not seem to be an integral part of the story; yet the passage in which Hawthrone tells of having discovered, in the Salem Custom House, the faded scarlet A and the parchment foolscap sheets containing the facts which he says he used as the basis for this novel. The two landmarks mentioned at the beginning: prison and cemetry, point to the central themes of punishment and death, which will be combined in the climax of the novel. Prison might symbolize how Hester Prynne, who wore that scarlet A on the bodice, was forever locked in by her sin. This entire tale is filled with symbolisms. The prison is described as "the black flower of the civilized society". The tombstone at the end of the book implies that crime and punishment may well bring about the death of such civilized life. The most popular and conspicuous symbol that is well sustained throughtout the book is the scalet A that is worn by Hester Prynne. Initially it is a red cloth letter which is a literal symbol of the sin of adultery. But the author makes the symbol A much more richly symbolic throughout the rest of the tale. The scaffold is not only a symbol of the stern Puritan code, but also a symbol for the open acknowledgment of personal sin. Night and day are symbols for concealment and openness. The sun symbolizes happiness and freedom of guilt. The list goes on and on.... Arthur Dimmensdale, Roger Chillingworth, Hester Prynne, and Pearl themselves, are symbols as well. They reflect certain view of sins and effects on humans and society. The book might take strength and effort to read; but it's not quite a bad read.
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Summary: For everyone
Review: The beauty of this book rests in its simplicity. On the surface, the story might seem dated (even out of date) and a cliche, but it's not. The sheer clarity of the writing, coupled with the wonderful characterizations and unparalled setting, make this a riveting read on many levels. I also enjoyed Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Bark of the Dogwood" by Jackson McCrae, and "The Great Gatsby" by Fitzgerald.
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Summary: Critique of American Culture?
Review: This book is highly informative in helping one understand what makes American culture tick. There is a moral strand in American culture that is traceable to Puritanism. Even today, it's hard to understand American culture apart from Puritanism and Puritan theology. This book encapsulates the American public life and culture on open society levels.
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Summary: Please try again
Review: This is for all the kids out there who have had to read this book for school and then written awful reviews of it here. Take a few years and PLEASE TRY AGAIN! You will not be sorry. Hawthorne is a wonderfully subtle author, and while his writing might seem tedious at first, it will reward you. This is not just a book about adultery punished by a repressive society- it is about guilt and love, secrets and integrity, personal demons and responsibility. The story has true relevance in today's world. And Hawthorne's language is amazing. If anything he writes seems obvious, look again. He may not have said what you first thought. He often shows many sides of a situation and lets the reader draw his own conclusions. I never had to read The Scarlet Letter for school, but I have read it twice and will probably read it again soon. It is one of the few books that have really stuck with me and made me think. Like other great works of art, it will keep coming back to you. What it lacks in swift and exciting action, it more than makes up in the author's great understanding of and compassion for his characters.
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Summary: Oh god kill me now, this book is BAD.
Review: This is my mom's account. I had the pleasure of reading this book in English this year. I can honestly say, it is the single most boring book I've EVER read. You will NEVER find someone my age that enjoys this story. It has no action! No suspense! It isn't deep! Things don't symbolize anything. If they do, then you're thinking too hard. This book is not a classic. It is the worst. I'd recommend copying a dictionary before I'd ask you to read this pile. DO NOT EVEN THINK OF BUYING THIS.
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