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[kelsey]

i agree...notice even when the minister admitted to be aldultrous also, the people still held him in a high regard. But it also does show Hester as a stong woman...

[ryan]

I had to read this book in high school, and I nor the class had the same impression of Hawthrone as you did. The book was written as an atonement, just something to get off his shoulders for his family's participation in the salem trials. If you think about the characters again, he blatantly makes the only strong characters in the novel women, Hester and Pearl. They lived productive lives, helping the poor and being so charitable that the scarlet "A" later stood for "Able", because she was so strong amidst ridicule and adversity. Dimmesdale was a coward and Chillingsworth was consumed by revenge. If you read the epilogue, Hawthrone pleads everyone to proclaim their worst sins so it may be inferred instead of following Dimmesdale or Chillingsworth cowardly rout. Hester, a woman ascended from sin unlike the others who took a long time to finally have the courage to face the consequences. Hawthrone repeatedly referenced symbolism of strength and capability when describing Hester; he even called her will and bravery "preternatural". She was the unspoken yet resilient hero that the village eventually came to adore and aspire to.<br>But that's my two cents. I just friggin' love this book, if you couldn't tell.<br><br>bye now!

[Andrew]

Nathaniel Hawthorne(known as a mysoginist) held women in low regard, and daily lived with the pain and guilt of his great-great grandfather's involvement in the Salem witch trials. He no doubt used Hester as on of the main characters because she was a woman, a sinner, and an adultrous. Well what about the reverend who couldn't keep it in his pants? Hawthorneloved to bash women. Have you ever read "The Minister's Black Veil?" It tells just how imperfect Alymer's wife was, and the whole story revolves around trying to "make" her perfect, in which this eventually kills her. Well, the damn book was boring(Scarlet Letter) anyway. Back in those days, pepole had no T.V., shopping malls, radio, etc. and they were stuck reading boring stuff like this.....I for one am not. Give me Stephen King any old day!