BKMT READING GUIDES

The Scarlet Letter (Signet Classics)
by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Published: 1981-03-01
Mass Market Paperback : 256 pages
3 members reading this now
21 clubs reading this now
0 members have read this book
Hailed by Henry James as "the finest piece��of imaginative writing yet put forth in the��country," Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet��Letter reaches to our nation's��historical and moral roots for the material of great��tragedy. Set in an early New England colony, the novel��shows the ...
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Introduction

(Hailed by Henry James as "the finest piece��of imaginative writing yet put forth in the��country," Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet��Letter reaches to our nation's��historical and moral roots for the material of great��tragedy. Set in an early New England colony, the novel��shows the terrible impact a single, passionate act��has on the lives of three members of the��community: the defiant Hester Prynne; the fiery, tortured��Reverend Dimmesdale; and the obsessed, vengeful��Chillingworth.

With The Scarlet��Letter, Hawthorne became the first American��novelist to forge from our Puritan heritage a��universal classic, a masterful exploration of��humanity's unending struggle with sin, guilt and pride.

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

The Prison-Door

A throng of bearded men, in sad-colored garments, and gray, steeple-crowned hats, intermixed with women, some wearing hoods and others bareheaded, was assembled in front of a wooden edifice, the door of which was heavily timbered with oak, and studded with iron spikes. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

What would have happened if Dimmesdale would have owned up to the adultry from the start?
by [email protected] (see profile) 06/04/16

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

No notes at this time.

Book Club Recommendations

Don\\\'t Select The Scarlet Letter
by sparklenana (see profile) 04/25/15

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
by Mary H. (see profile) 06/24/22

 
by Laureen S. (see profile) 04/09/22

 
by Karen C. (see profile) 05/18/19

 
by Susan B. (see profile) 03/05/19

 
by javier f. (see profile) 06/04/16

"ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES." Sin can be not only all consuming, but eternal! WOW!!! A psychological masterpiece.

 
  "The Scarlet Letter Is and Oldly Moldy"by Tamara W. (see profile) 04/25/15

I found this story slow reading and in the old english text it was booooring!

 
  "The Scarlet Letter"by Felicia (. (see profile) 06/24/13

 
  "A classic I've never read before"by Sheri B. (see profile) 10/07/12

I never read this book in high school or college, if you can believe that, so I was looking forward to sinking my teeth into something classic. Once I got used to the language, I found it to be a very... (read more)

 
  "the scarlet letter"by hillary k. (see profile) 05/03/12

Realize this book was written a long time ago, out club wanted to read a classic. Unfortunatly this was such a hard read that most of the members weren't even able to finish the novel.

 
  "Scarlet Letter"by Donna C. (see profile) 05/03/12

Most of the gals in our book club didn't even finish this book as its so hard to read. So wordy!

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