Review: The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter
by Hawthorne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Scarlet Letter / 1-59027-004-5

The classics aren't usually considered light reading, and Scarlet Letter is no exception, but if you haven't been exposed to the story before, you might consider picking up a copy.

This classic story of love, adultery, sin, and redemption is artfully written, as Hawthorne scathingly mocks the morals of his time. What good is it to deny a woman love when her husband is lost at sea? What good is it to deny a child a father because of the "sin" of her parents?

Hawthorne skillfully explores the psyche of people living under the burden of an oppressive system: a lady burdened with the guilt of being a single mother, a minister burdened with the guilt of his secret love, and a child burdened with a wild temperament untamed by a father's love or a mother's discipline.

~ Ana Mardoll

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