Rating: 
Summary: Perhaps overrated
Review: True, this novel is original. The plot could have been enthralling, but the book was fairly directionless. Hawthorne seemed to use this simply as a subtle commentary ... less attention was paid to the story.
True, Hester is probably the first well developed character in American literature. Hester was a new type of character ... but developed female characters existed in European literature long before this.
True, the content is risky. Yet his writing was not exceptional. He blatantly and awkwardly avoided mentioning Hester's and Dimmesdale's sin.
This book may just be overrated.I liked Pearl, and found he character to be truly unique. The role she played in the book was strange yet essential. However, Hester was not quite the brave heroine critics make her out to be. She endures her pain, (but not without a good deal of griping), but she is hardly new. Hawthorne's Puritan commentary was mildly interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazingly Good
Review: I came up to this book (a reading assignment for school) with a bit of dread, having heard that Hawthorne's writing could be hard to read. Actually, it was a delightful suprise to find it was a captivating plot, very well written, and very easy to read. I enjoyed it thoroughly. This book is about a woman who has an affair, choosing to bear the scarlet letter than reveal her lover's identity. Along side her is her ilegitamate daughter, a delightfully and hillariously strange character in the book. The scarlet letter is a good book having a melancholy but redeeming ending. A definate classic. Check it out... it'll be better than you expected.
Rating:
Summary: Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter
Review: This book was very boring. Only at the end was I somewhat interested in who the father was and what Roger Chillingworth would do. The language was a tad difficult to understand, but after watching the movie (not the one with Demi Moore), it helped a lot. It is full of metaphors.
Rating:
Summary: "A Review of The Scarlet Letter"
Review: "The Scarlet Letter" is about a young woman named Hester Prynne who has a child out of wedlock. Set in Puritan, Boston, the people shun Hester, especially when she refuses to divulge the name of the baby's father. Her punishment is to wear a scarlet A on her dresses, which is where the title comes from. This book is one of the first true romances written. The main character, Hester, is a very strong, very independent woman character. I think the book is an excellent romance and social defiance.
The first appearance of romance shows up in chapter 3, when the stranger shows up in the market, asking why Hester was standing on the platform. A townsperson then spins Hester's tale: Of how her English husband had sent her to Boston before he himself moved, of how no word had been heard of the husband in the two years that she had been there, and how she had had a child. The man then asks who the baby's father is, and the good townsperson answers by saying that Hester refuses to give the name, but that the man is undoubtedly in the crowd. In the end, we discover that the father is really Arthur Dimmesdale, her preacher and the stranger is really her long-lost husband. All throughout the book, this romantic triangle comes to play, giving this book depth and character as one of the first true romances.
It is also a story of social defiance. The first instance of this is in chapter 2, when she walks out of the prison. Instead of being humble and meek, as the townspeople had expected, she holds her head up high and refuses to avert her eyes. All during the book, she wears her mark of shame with pride. In the end, the A no longer stands for adultress, but angel. She refuses to be beaten down, and this is such a strong statement. In those days, women were expected to be meek and subservient. It is a great example of social defiance.
I think that Nathaniel Hawthorne should be given a medal of honor. During his time, women were not entitled to be strong. Basically they were there to cook and have children. If they didn't have a husband, they were basically expected not to be able to do anything. But the character of Hester Prynne proves them all wrong. She manages to defy the townspeople, raise a child, and become a heroine to other women. She managed to accomplish all of this all on her own. It is a wonderful portrayal of a woman's spirit.
For a book written in the 1800's, it is actually quite easy for a teenager in the twenty-first century to read and relate to, especially for a girl. Most girls like romances, and a strong female character. It is an outstanding piece of work that is sure to be around for years to come.
Rating:
Summary: A Strong Symbol
Review: After reading "The Scarlet Letter," I really wondered how such a strong woman was able to go through this kind of hardship and still be strong in her heart. Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the best authors in all of literature, but he can really be one of the hardest authors to read. Once you pick up "Scarlet Letter," do not turn away from his ample vocabulary. He is a really good writer and he knows what the reader wants to read about. Especially when he takes a woman and makes her the strongest of all the characters. I love his use of symbols throughout the novel, especially Pearl. She is one of the most captivating characters to read about. It is thought-provoking to sit and read about Puritan times and how things took place. I recommend this to anyone who not only has the time to read it, but also to those who enjoy a good story of what true love is all about.
Rating:
Summary: Best book to read while cooking
Review: Although "The South Beach Diet" has many more cooking suggestions, this fine novel happens to perfectly complement the process of salad-making.
Rating: 
Summary: I Am a Teenager, and I Loved This Book
Review: I've heard so many teenagers who have this as required reading complain about how its "written in an annoying style" or has a "boring plotline". Is it just me, or are they not looking into the writing??? Its long and drawn out to weave the sense of surreal horror worming its way into the characters' lives, the plotline is simple but the implied plotline is far more tawdry than is blatantly presented. I don't know, maybe I'm just being whiney and pretentious, but I found it a very disturbing tale, especially for its setting in a Puritan era... I guess you have to have an appreciation for the writing style to enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Nothing special
Review: This book is not on my list of books i like, actually its on the list of books i would like...to destroy. This book is great and origional, NOT. Wow weve seen this load of crap over and over before. BLAH BLAH, this book is extremely boring, even though it has a message, it is not worth it. I enjoy books like The odyessy, and I am currently reading hitchikers guide to the galaxy, i even dont mind shakespeare (sometimes they can be dry), so dont judge me as a ignorant highschooler, Even though it is what I am. Seriously, STOP PRETENDING THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING BOOK. It is not, period. Hawthorne has a peculiar cliche way of writing and im sick of it. If you ever are forced to read this book...dont. How does Hawthorne write of puritan society when he didn't live through it. The reason so much of this junk is overlooked is because this is a "Classic". I dont see why its so classic, we have seen many other writers do this, and much better. This bok is a false antiquity, I mean Rappucinis daughter was not bad, but this is junk. This book is not nessisary to read. This same message is given in other, better books. This book is boring. And if you disagree with me then you are wrong.
Rating:
Summary: a must read
Review: Everyone needs to read this classic. An amazing look into the piousness of the early settlers. I really appreciated it a lot.
Rating:
Summary: Not interesting at all
Review: I was supposed to read this for English class,and had some interest because I`ve heard people and my teacher say that this was an American classic and was very good.But once I heard some of my friends who started to read it and say it was difficult and boring,I got the book on audio to assist me.I only got to chapter 3 and I was trying to guess how many pages were left to the end.Its uniteresting and difficult because the story wanders with absolutly no direction.I highly recomend getting Cliff Notes(which I got and are very easy to understand compared to the book) and possibly the movie(It might not be the same to the book, but having the visual aid of Demi Moore certainly helps the mind focus better).
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