Wednesday, May 9, 2018

BACK TO THE CLASSICS CHALLENGE 2018: THE SCARLET LETTER

For the Back to the Classics 2018 Challenge hosted by Karen at the blog Books and Chocolate I opted to read that old chestnut, The Scarlet Letter for the category “Classic with a color in the title”. 

I think I may have read an excerpt from this book in high school although I am fairly sure it we did not have to read the whole book.  In any case, the “plot twist” as it were was known to me before I started the book but I had never read the story in full of Hester Prynne, a woman living in a 17th century Puritan community who is forced to wear a red letter “A” on her clothing as punishment for having an adulterous affair.  The liaison resulted in a child, Hester’s husband is AWOL and Hester refuses to reveal the name of the man with whom she had the affair. 

I certainly can see why this title is often selected for American High Schoolers to read and write essays on.  It is relatively short, deals with America colonial history and it is chock full of potential themes for essays. But, on the other hand, it is extremely verbose and melodramatic.  It took me a comparatively long time to read 250 pages. And the prologue, which had scant little to do with the actual book, was a dull distraction for me personally. Although it was interesting to note that what Hawthorne was satirizing  about American politics hasn't changed much in the past 160+ years. 

Despite my occasional struggles with the windy prose, I did like it. It was really forward thinking for its time. In fact, I would argue for many it would STILL be considered forward thinking. Hester is a very interesting female character to have been written in the mid 19th century, strong and principled in her way.  And it was wonderfully Gothic with lots of supernatural elements that I did not expect that at all, such as scarlet letters burning in the sky.

My favorite character in the book was the love-child Pearl.  She is and isn’t a “normal” child as portrayed in the book, but she was a breath of fresh air amid the dourness of the adult charachters.  I like how she represents all that the adults in the novel could not outwardly express; she is  living embodiment of Hester's shame but also her refutation of that shame.

20 comments:

  1. Hi Ruthiella,

    Thanks for another very insightful review and you make me think I should give the Scarlett Letter another try. Truth is when I read it years ago I could never make it through the Custom House prologue. What was Hawthorne thonking with that prologue? But this time I will make it through the custom house so I can get to the novel which does sound interesting.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Kathy! Maybe just skip the prologue. It has almost nothing to do with the story. There is a paragraph where Hawthorn purports to have "found" the scrap of cloth with the letter on it and some documentation thereby making the story seem legitimate. But that is one page from about 40!

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  2. I did read this in full in high school and I remember really enjoying it, but I don't remember much else about it. I wonder if I would find it more melodramatic as an adult :) Sadly, I have to agree with you that people in our time still have something to learn from it.

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    1. Thanks for the comment DoingDewey! So many read this in high school. I am glad you have fond memories of it. I am sure other students did not! The language was pretty dense at times. :)

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  3. I, too, read this in high school and liked it, but when I read it again after having my first child, the book had even more meaning for me. Hester's situation had much more impact after having my own daughter. Ha, I skipped the prologue both times.

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    1. Thanks for the comment jenclair! Good on you for skipping the prologue! :) I find it interesting that you have read it twice and had different views as your life has changed. This is in part what makes a classic "classic" to me...the way the reader's perspective can change when the book is read from a different angle.

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  4. I had to read this one in high school and I remember being impressed by how strong Hester is. She's been one of my favorite characters ever since. :)

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    1. Thanks for the comment Lark! Another blogger who both read this title in high school and who liked it. I think there is probably a co-relation here in loving books so much that you blog about them and having enjoyed the books assigned in high school!

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  5. I'd never even heard of it when I was in highschool but I've had a copy for some time now & haven't felt drawn to read it yet. One day...

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    1. Thanks for the comment Carol! I suspect this title is probably only really taught in the U.S. If you do ever get around to picking it up, I hope you enjoy it!

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  6. This wasn't on our high school reading list, for some reason, and much as I love the classics, I've never put it on my own list. Perhaps because I know the arc of the story and the dourness does not appeal, but your excellent review has me thinking that I should read it. I would like to meet Hester, and especially Pearl. I had no idea about the Gothic elements--interesting!

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    1. Thanks for the comment Jane! I was in the same place you are before I read it; I thought I "knew" the story. But it did hold some interesting surprises after all!

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  7. This is one of the books I recently donated, although that was partly due to not liking the edition I had, and maybe partly due to hearing warning of that prologue. I may have to give the audio a try.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Rob! Yes, I bet this book would work well in audio. There are a lot of thees and thous used which make it harder for the modern reader to follow.

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  8. I know that I had to read this in high school, but I have no memory of what happens in the book (other than the parts I already knew about before reading it.) I've forgotten everything I read in high school.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Angela! I am surprised I did not have to read this in high school. It is such a popular choice.

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  9. This baffled me in high school but I loved it when I read it some 10 to 15 years later. Need to reread again now -- will I still feel the same way? I have a love-hate relationship with Hawthorne's verbose style. And definitely, skip the Custom House if it gets in the way.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Lory! I have a copy of The House of the Seven Gables to read as well and wonder if Hawthorne will be as wordy in that book too?

      If you do re-read this book I hope you blog about it. I would be interested to know how you interpret the book now!

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  10. I only remember that this book made me very mad about what poor Hester had to deal with.

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    1. Thanks for the comment Care! I can understand that. Ultimately I think that Hester actually comes out of this OK. She has a real strength about her that is admirable.

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