The Scarlet Letter

By Nathaniel Hawthorne, Julian Hawthorne, Erika a Garcia, et al.

Book Overview

Introduction by Kathryn Harrison Commentary by Nathaniel Hawthorne, W. D. Howells, and Carl Van Doren A stark tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's exploration of the dichotomy between the public and private self, internal passion and external convention, gives us the unforgettable Hester Prynne, who discovers strength in the face of ostracism and emerges as a heroine ahead of her time. As Kathryn Harrison points out in her Introduction, Hester is "the herald of the modern heroine." Includes a Modern Library Reading Group Guide

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0679783385
• ISBN13: 9780679783381
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Modern Library
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

It's one of my favorite books I read when I in school for a book report and I like it alot

It's a great moving story

Scarlet Letter

This edition of _The Scarlet Letter_ has excellent textual criticism. It is a great edition for teachers and students alike.

A Story I've Never Forgotten!

I read this book in high school - nearly 20 years ago now - and I have yet to forget the storyline. In fact, although written in a language of a different time, we can find some of the same types of actions happening today - albeit in a more subtle manner. Overall, this is the story of a young woman who committed adultery, and is caught because she becomes pregnant at a time when abortion was not an option. Although many other people in her puritan community have committed the same "transgression", they haven't been caught yet (i.e. haven't become pregnant), so they participate in ruining this woman's reputation by forcing her to wear a scarlet "A", to symbolize her adulterous nature. I believe that in our society, people tend to do the same thing - they participate in gossip/making fun of people who have been unlucky enough to be caught doing the same thing many other's are doing day in and day out. For this reason, I feel as though this story is as relevant today as it was when it was written. I do have to agree that the writing is a bit difficult to get through, as the language is quite different than what we are now used to. But, if you have the time and patience to work through it, I think you will find it to be quite an eye-opener.

Nobody's Perfect

I chose to read this book because of its status as a classic in American literature. I chose to continue it because I looked with sympathy, horror, and amazement at the protagonist, the priest, the physician, and the illegitimate child. There were moments when I was downright afraid of the child, Pearl, and convinved she must be demonic. I regarded Roger Chillingworth, the antagonist, as a generally benign, justice-seeking man. The protagonist, in light of her background, appeared to have little to defend herself with.But as the book progressed, it became apparent that Hawthorne had painted the portraits of characters more human than many of the people I know! Did Hestor Prynne utter words of (gasp!) sexual liberation? Or was that just my hindsight vision? Could Mr. Dimmesdale really be such a coward? Or was he truly a benevolent, if imperfect, man?In truth, regardless of what anyone else sees in The Scarlet Letter, I found a compelling story that encoruaged me to reëvaluate certain beliefs, and to enshrine others. No wonder it's a classic!I highly recommend this book.

The Scarlet Letter

This was an interesting book. I liked the plot, but the author really needed to wrap up those words that I didn't understand. I mean, I can define any one of the words in the book, save few, but using about 5 of them in one sentence just makes me too confused to try to get into the story like I normally do.