There was a time when I would eagerly pick up Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and devour its pages every single year. Even now, I firmly believe that it stands among the pantheon of great American novels.

The appeal of this work, for me, lies in several aspects. Firstly, there is Hester Prynne, the strong and resilient female protagonist. She defies the norms of society by having sex outside of marriage and giving birth to a child. For this, she is forced to wear the letter A, symbolizing adultery. However, Hester chooses to embroider this A boldly and beautifully, transforming it into a symbol of her own strength and defiance.

Secondly, the writer Hawthorne's stance is equally fascinating. He is reluctant to fully embrace a Romantic view of the world. Instead, he presents a world that is both stark and unfair, filled with judgmental and hypocritical people. Yet, at the same time, there is a glimmer of hope and beauty that we, as human beings, can discover within this harsh reality.

Hester's journey is one of transformation and growth. Despite the harsh sentence she has received, she uses her skills and practical wisdom to turn outward and become more selfless. She becomes a kind of savior in the eyes of some, and the meaning of the A she wears evolves over time.

Books like The Scarlet Letter and The Great Gatsby are truly remarkable. They are not only wonderfully inspiring but also offer profound insights into America and the human condition. They remind us of the complexity and beauty of life, and the power of literature to touch our hearts and minds.

Um.....well, "The Scarlet Letter" was required reading for my sophomore year in high school. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. I was aware that it had religious undertones, but I didn't expect it to be so deep. However, at times, it was rather annoying. This was mainly because my views differed from those of the author or the characters. I must admit that I didn't bother reading the damn essays in the back. I only purchased this copy because it was used and had a lot of annotations.

I didn't have a favorable opinion of Hester. In fact, I still think she's a whore. I believe what happened to her served her right. Or perhaps, she should have been stoned to death. On the other hand, I liked Pearl, but I think she should have been disciplined more often.

I really took a liking to Roger. I mean, he was practically a psychopath, but I think he's underestimated. As for Reverend Dimmesdale, I didn't particularly care for him. He seemed like a pussy. Overall, the story was kind of strange, but Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote it really well. He just needs to tone down his excessive use of words like "ignominy", "elf-child", and some other "i" word.

I heard horror stories of this book growing up.

In high school, a great number of kids had to read it, yet I never did.

Now that I've finally read it - for my thesis in my senior year - I can state with great certainty that I adored this book.

Hawthorne is a genius in the art of story-telling.

Yes, perhaps he can be rather formulaic at times, but beneath what seems to be a very simple and straightforward story about concealment and revelation lies a world of nuances and complexity that gradually reveals itself.

Hester, despite having numerous faults, with adultery being the chief one according to her fellow Puritans, is such a remarkable and fantastic heroine.

And her journey reveals much more than just the mere resolution and progression of sin.

Yeah, I definitely loved this book. Guh. I'm a bit incoherent in my praise.

It's truly a masterpiece that delves deep into the human psyche and the moral dilemmas of a bygone era.

The characters are vividly drawn, and the setting adds to the overall atmosphere of mystery and tension.

I'm so glad I finally had the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

I read it ONCE A YEAR!!!!!

Reading is an essential activity that enriches our minds and broadens our perspectives. However, for some reason, I only manage to read this particular thing once a year.

It could be due to a busy schedule, lack of motivation, or simply other priorities taking over. But whenever I do get around to reading it, it always has a profound impact on me.

The words seem to come alive on the page, transporting me to another world and making me think about things in a different way.

I wonder if I could find a way to make reading this more of a regular habit. Maybe I could set aside a specific time each month or week to sit down and immerse myself in it.

I believe that by doing so, I would not only gain more knowledge and understanding but also enhance my overall quality of life.

So, this year, I am determined to make a change and read it more often.

Most of the reviews for this book commence with a statement along the lines of, "I know everyone detests 'The Scarlet Letter,' but...".

However, that is utter nonsense. "The Scarlet Letter" is a magnificently crafted and profoundly moving Gothic romance. It is replete with guilt, obsession, longing, and passion.

This literary work presents a world where the characters' emotions and struggles are laid bare. Hester and Dimmesdale are two protagonists who stand out in pre-20th century literature. Their complexity, fully-developed personalities, and the pain they endure are truly remarkable.

It is a challenge to find other characters in that era who can rival them in terms of depth and authenticity. The story of "The Scarlet Letter" continues to captivate readers with its powerful themes and unforgettable characters.

Cheating on someone is a serious act that can have far-reaching consequences. Back then, when I made the wrong choice and cheated, it felt like a "sin" weighing heavily on my conscience. I thought I could get away with it, but little did I know the impact it would have on my friendship and trust.

My friend, who had always been there for me, eventually found out about my deception. The look of disappointment and hurt in their eyes was something I will never forget. Our friendship, which was once so strong, began to crumble. I realized too late that trust is not something that can be easily rebuilt.

From that experience, I learned a valuable lesson. I understood the importance of honesty and integrity in relationships. I vowed never to make the same mistake again and to always be true to myself and those around me. It was a painful journey, but it made me a better person in the end.

Paul Auster references Hawthorne's short story "The Birthmark" in The Book of Illusions.

So, of course, I felt compelled to read the short story before I could proceed. Right?

Yes, my friends, that is the distinct difference between true reading and just "reading" in a cursory way.

Here I am, going the extra mile to understand the references and context.

What a pretentious snob I might seem to be, huh? But in reality, it's about delving deeper into the literary world, exploring the connections and influences that authors draw upon.

By reading "The Birthmark" first, I hope to gain a better understanding of the themes and ideas that Auster is likely playing with in his own work.

It's all part of the journey of discovery and appreciation of literature.

Sure, it might make me seem a bit overly particular, but isn't that what true literary enthusiasts do?

We strive to uncover the hidden layers and meanings that lie within the written word.

So, there you have it, my reason for pausing my reading of The Book of Illusions to first consume Hawthorne's "The Birthmark".

Call me a snob if you will, but I'm okay with that.

Because in the end, it's all about the love of literature and the desire to fully engage with the works we read.

Once I passed through the Custom-House, I discovered The Scarlet Letter to be an exciting Gothic novel that kept me turning the pages. Strangely, I have no memory of reading it before. (Also, I must have missed the Demi Moore movie adaptation along the way; perhaps it's just as well.) [Update: A review of Young Goodman Brown follows.]

Our narrator is the Surveyor of the Customs in the sleepy port town of Salem, Massachusetts, where Hawthorne and his ancestors hailed from, in the mid-1800s. After描绘 the rather ordinary personalities of the civil servants in such a place, he stumbles upon a dusty corner. There, inside a package, he finds "a certain affair of fine red cloth," along with a "dingy paper containing many details about the life of one Hester Prynne." Her story took place between 1640 and 1690 and was written about 100 years later by a former Surveyor. Finally, we are transported back to Salem during the time of the witch trials.

As soon as the narrator begins to contemplate the story, he is plunged into a world of constantly warring spiritual forces. Hawthorne vividly represents these with imagery of light and dark - the "cold spirituality of the moonbeams" versus the warmer glow of the coal fire, which communicates "a heart and sensibilities of human tenderness." It's a contrast between Puritanism and its cold, dark judgment and the passionate, red, somewhat devilish nature of humanity.

When we first meet Hester Prynne, she is emerging from jail with a child, the result of an adulterous affair. Over the course of the story, we learn that she keeps the secret of the child's paternity, and her lover, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, suffers greatly because he also keeps the secret. Another secret is introduced when Hester is on the pillory for adultery: her former husband from the Old World, Roger Chillingworth, whom she thought was lost at sea, arrives in Salem. They agree to keep their marriage a secret, but Chillingworth, of course, wants to know her secret. These two secrets interact to form the triangle of love, hate, and shame at the heart of the story.

The scarlet letter that Hester wears is endowed with supernatural powers. Although it is a "red-hot brand" with satanic implications, it gives Hester a "sympathetic understanding of the hidden sin in others' hearts." Puritans believed in Calvinism and the doctrine of Predestination - that some were chosen by God to go to Heaven while others were doomed to Hell. The only way people could determine if they were part of the Elect was through constant self-reflection on their sinful behaviors and a search for evidence of salvation in their lives. Hawthorne portrays Hester as someone who is publicly condemned for her sinful act but privately lives a life of piety and penitence through good works, thus embodying one of the fundamental religious debates between Protestantism and Catholicism. Hester seems almost too good to be true, insisting on bearing the shame of having a child out of wedlock alone: "And would that I might endure his agony, as well as mine!" In contrast, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale is weak and miserable because all he does is introspect. The more his congregation reveres him for his faith and his appearance as a member of the Elect, the more tortured he becomes. Dimmesdale claims that confession would be the easy way out, and he would rather die and face his judgment, which he believes is the ultimate punishment and the one he deserves. Hawthorne recreates the social atmosphere during the witch trials by depicting this unrelenting internal shaming and the inability to absolve oneself, the fear of which damnation was acted out on others through suspicion, accusations, and capital punishment.

The woods outside the town offer a haven from spiritual self-examination and torment (and the constant prying of neighbors). Here, townspeople can relax and展现 their "animal natures," ride around on their broomsticks (which everyone knows about), talk openly, and偶尔 encounter The Black Man, returning "wiser, with a knowledge of hidden mysteries." Once again, Hawthorne uses the quality of light and the time of day to create mood and揭示 the layers of human nature and society at play: "They stood in the noon of that strange and solemn splendor, as if it were the light that is to reveal all secrets, and the daybreak that shall unite all who belong to one another." In contrast, the town, with its human marketplace, "its general color was the sad gray, brown, or black of the English emigrants," is cold, dark, and gloomy.

Over the course of the story, outward appearances disclose inner character. Due to Hester's good deeds and inner strength, the scarlet letter transforms from a brand to more of a talisman, "a passport where other women dared not step," with the "effect of the cross on a nun's bosom," and the A standing more for Able than for Adulterer. Arthur, on the other hand, becomes prematurely old, sick, and too feeble to start a new life, despite his public hypocrisy as a clergyman. Hester, who has fought for her own survival and Pearl's, is astonished that he would rather die for his sin than go and live elsewhere with them.

I wasn't overly interested in Chillingworth (insert the viper in the Garden metaphor), so I'm going to skip over him. However, the one character whose perspective I couldn't quite understand in Hawthorne's portrayal was Pearl, Hester's daughter. She is a truth-teller, constantly bringing up her mother's scarlet letter and Dimmesdale's habit of clutching his chest in the same spot. She is also described as witch-like and elven. Other children avoid her because she has grown up so isolated that she doesn't know how to interact, although her instinct is to shun those who have shunned her rather than try to fit in. Is Pearl's wild-child character another punishment for Hester? Is she the truth-telling jester? She is always dressed in rich, colorful, non-Puritan clothing. Is she the anti-Puritan? I'll wait for book club to find out!

UPDATE: At the request of the book club, I also read Young Goodman Brown and found it to be one of the creepier stories I've ever read (horror is not my usual genre). Young Goodman tells his lovely young wife of three months (aptly named Faith) that he has to go into the woods that night, for no given reason, despite her pleas to stay home. His "evil purpose" is not named, but he ventures off into the darkness and meets a familiar-looking traveler who claims to know Brown's Puritan ancestors well (wink, wink). YGB thinks he stands his ground and merely dreams about attending a Satanic/witch conversion ceremony (along with everyone else from town), but either way, his trust in mankind (and his wife) is shattered, and he becomes "a stern, a sad, a darkly meditative, a distrustful, if not a desperate man did he become from the night of that fearful dream." His loss of Faith is the loss of his goodwill.

I hadn't read The Scarlet Letter since I was in high school. It was truly quite amazing to revisit this classic piece of literature.

As I delved back into its pages, I was once again captivated by the rich characters, the complex themes, and the beautiful prose.

The story of Hester Prynne and her struggle with sin, shame, and redemption is as relevant today as it was when it was first published.

I am now looking forward to teaching this remarkable novel in American Lit this fall.

I can't wait to share my insights and interpretations with my students and watch as they discover the power and beauty of The Scarlet Letter for themselves.

It will be an exciting journey of exploration and learning, and I am confident that it will be a memorable experience for both me and my students.

I never get tired of this story.

The writing may be a little dry at times, and the symbolism can seem a bit heavy-handed.

However, Hester Prynne is truly the original bad girl of American literature.

She defies the norms and expectations of her Puritan society, bravely facing the consequences of her actions.

Hester's strength and independence are what make her so captivating.

Despite the scorn and judgment she endures, she refuses to be broken.

Her ability to rise above the circumstances and find meaning in her life is truly inspiring.

I love her for her courage, her determination, and her unwavering spirit.

She is a reminder that even in the face of great adversity, we can still find our own path and make a difference.

Hester Prynne will always hold a special place in my heart as one of the most iconic and unforgettable characters in American literature.

This book was truly amazing.

It was written in a sweet yet complicated manner that effortlessly pulled me into the tragic story. The emotions it evoked were so intense that they left my heart hurting.

The atmosphere of the book was somber, sad, and almost unbearable at times.

Even though the style and rules of writing have evolved to a different level since the time this book was written, its writing remains no less glorious.

The use of big words and a fancy style in some ways enhanced the reading experience. It made the story more enjoyable, especially because it was so detailed and the narrative flowed so smoothly.

Overall, this is definitely a book worth reading. It has the power to touch your heart and leave a lasting impression.

It is a masterpiece that showcases the beauty and complexity of the written word.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story and appreciates fine writing.

Well, call me Ishmael.

I absolutely adored this book! It provided me with a profound understanding of the religious essence of our New England forefathers.

I had the student edition, which was truly a delight. I spent countless hours pondering over all the thought-provoking discussion questions and engaging writing prompts.

These elements not only enhanced my comprehension of the text but also encouraged me to think critically and explore different perspectives.

The book's vivid descriptions and engaging narrative made it a captivating read from start to finish.

I found myself completely immersed in the world of the New England settlers and their religious beliefs.

It was a truly enriching experience that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in history, religion, or literature.

Overall, this book has left a lasting impression on me and has become one of my all-time favorites.