PaulPallazola
My junior year at Bishop Fenwick High School I attended an American Literature class taught by Father Graham. I had a difficult time staying awake in class because most of the 19th century writers bored me to tears, but there was one notable exception. Father Graham introduced me to Nathaniel Hawthorne, an American novelist from nearby Salem, Massachusetts. The Scarlett Letter was a masterpiece…no wonder Demi Moore got to star in the film version! The book attacked the hypocrisy that was hidden in Puritanical towns. Hester Pryne, a “fallen woman” is forced to wear a scarlett “A” for “adulteress” after she gives birth to a child long after her husband’s disappearance. She refuses to name the man she slept with, who turns out is the local minister and spiritual leader of the community. It’s a great read that has been under attack since it’s publication in 1850. One of the best novels I’ve ever read, and the movie’s not bad either.
Hawthorne targeted the hypocrisy of the early New England Theocracy…no wonder the book got in so much trouble back in the day.
In my opinion, this book goes inline quite a bit with the Salem Witch Trials… They always blame the lower class innocents for the horrendous acts of the upper class…
Never heard of Open Book Club, l may check it out. Thanks 🙂
What a wonderful synopsis – you should write book reviews for online sites (at the very least) – have you tried the OpenBookClub?
Let’s go to America to flee religious persecution; and then practice an oppressive religion because we don’t know what hypocrisy means
Check it out Ellie, then if you can see the film. It is a remarkable story!
I highly recommend this book. I had a hard time at first because 19th English is somewhat different than how we talk and write today but it is significant in several ways. First of all Hawthorne confronts the hypocrisy of the times. Hester didn’t have a casual affair- her husband had been gone for a very long time and she thought he was dead. The Minister who she would seek out for comfort and spiritual guidance became her lover, and she refused to reveal his identity, suffering the scorn and humiliation from her community while he lacked the moral courage to admit that he was the father of her child. For a 19th century writer confronting the prevalent misogyny of his times Nathaniel Hawthorne was very gutsy. Ultimately Hester outlives the men who accused and humiliated her and becomes a valued member of her community when a newer generation unaware of her past sees her as a kindly woman who helps others and no one living besides her remembers what the “A” stands for.
I have this book in my library but have never read it because my mother read it while she was pregnant with me and somehow blames me/says I was a terrible child because of it… But she also resented me because I look like my father who fled back to PA… My youngest daughter started to read this for a report, but put it down and changed her choice. I’m not sure why.
Now I’m really curious about this book!