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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: Purely a Masterpiece.
Review: By reading the title of my reviw, most would probably not believe that I am an 11th grade student who was initially 'forced' to read "The Scarlet Letter" for an assignment. I knew of the book before I read it, and had been interested in it and its plot for some time before, as, for some reason, I'm utterly infatuated by the American Puritan period. I read "The Scarlet Letter" on the day I recieved it, and found it amazing, one of the best books I've read; very true to its title of "classic". They don't write books like this anymore; pity. The "copious style" of Hawthorne is not for everyone, but it certainly was for me; as, being an 'aspiring writer' myself, who loves to explore language, I found the style inspiring with incredibly beautiful discriptives. Some also find the book to be slowly paced, but, then again, what is the pace your teacher is making the class read it at? If they told you to sit down and read it as a normal book, it would pace itself much quicker. The plot is timeless, and a change for those involved with today's plot-driven and bland tales, the language is masterful, the characters thought-out and filled with emotion. I truly enjoyed this book. And, to whoever said the book wasn't 'romantic in any way', they're gravely mistaken, as "The Scarlet Letter" itself was indeed a book of the 'Romantic' period of American lit...
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Summary: Highly Underated By Ignorant High School Students
Review: Hawthorne was a complex writer that used big words --oh did he use them often-- to get his message across. He uses symbolism a whole lot. He can write 5 pages about one object or thing. If you're looking for something with fancy language this is THE book to read. If you're looking for a good story this is also a good book to read."The Scarlet Letter" is a literary masterpiece that takes place in the Puritan community of 1600's Boston. The title character Hester Prynne commits the ultimate sin of adultery and is punished. Her punishment is fact that she has to wear a big red letter "A" on her chest for the rest of her life. So that when anyone asks her, "Oh... what's that on your chest?" She will have to answer. "It is proof that I am a lower being and don't deserve the respect of God or anyone for that matter. Please, kill me where I stand!" This is a great book that deals with human emotions superbly. The language is beautiful and full of life. The only reason I give this book 4 stars is that some of the modern readers will find the big words a little confusing. This surely is not a high school book even though they read it in high school. You need to be a good reader to appreciate it fully. If you read one page and find it horrid and shrug it off when you have to read it for class, you will never enjoy this great book. Probably because you will never pick it up again and try to read it.
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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: The Scarlet Letter
Review: Said to be one of the first psychological novels ever written, The Scarlet Letter still captivates its readers. Nathaniel Hawthorne knew how to characterize his characters beautifully. Reading his work is like experiencing that character's life.
The story is set in colonial New England. The plot of the story revolves around the lives of three individuals who lived in Puritan Boston. Hester Prynne, a brave, fierce woman bearing her sin in silence, Reverand Arthur Dimmesdale, a very respected member of the community who suffers with his guilt, and Roger Chillingsworth, Hester's husband who wants revenge, are the three characters of Hawthorne's novel. As the story unfolds, so do the intricacies of the characters and in the end the truth is proven to be the best solution.
Reading this classic novel was harder to accomplish than I expected. The story starts off slow and, from my point of view, the wording of the book is hard to follow and understand. What I liked best about the novel was the underlying meanings you can take from reading the book. A person's passion for revenge and the clash between a person's private life and public life are hidden meanings shown throughout this story. The portrayal of human nature was also done wonderfully. Sin, guilt, pentinence, and lust are some of the main feelings in this book. The Scarlet Letter is a classic that continues to be read by all ages of readers and the story can teach people valuable lessons about life if read carefully.
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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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