Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Scarlet Letter
My favorite American book so far is The Scarlet Letter written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The name Hawthorne might sound familiar to those who are engaged in early American history as one of his ancestors - John Hathorne - was a judge involved in Salem witch trials. The writer added a "w" to his name because he wanted to hide any kind of connection with the ancestor. Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts in the beginning of the 19th century and is considered to be one of the greatest figures in American literature, especially in that century. He died in 1864 and was survived by his wife and three children. He had a happy marriage with Sophia Peabody. To show their relationship, here is a quote:
Of his wife, whom he referred to as his "Dove", Hawthorne wrote that she "is, in the strictest sense, my sole companion; and I need no other—there is no vacancy in my mind, any more than in my heart... Thank God that I suffice for her boundless heart!"
In his writings he depicts his and mostly his ancestors' America. Hawthorne gives a true picture of the Puritan's life and how they handled anyone different from them. His most famous novel, The Scarlet Letter is set in the 17th-century Boston. The story is centered about a woman called Hester Prynne who gets pregnant while her husband hasn't arrived to the New World yet. Hawthorne describes wonderfully how the Puritan society treats her and her child called Pearl. They are absolutely excluded form the community. Hester has to wear a big letter "A" on her clothes which stands for adultery. As a result of her not being part of the Puritan settlement anymore, she can observe these narrow-minded people. In spite of being excluded, she still helps the poor and those in need, so people slowly start to realize that - despite her sin giving birth to a child out of wedlock - she is a caring and helpful person. Hester Prynne has to suffer a lot throughout her life, especially when her husband appears. No one knows the identity of Pearls's father but the husband seems to know everything. His evil figure makes the whole novel quite sinister.
Those who haven't read the book might find this description quite dark but it's a very interesting psychological novel demonstrating the human nature both with its wickedness and endurance. The story shows how a woman have to become independent and strong because she insists on keeping her secret - the identity of her child's father. Apart from these, the common spirit of a community is described perfectly as well, the novel shows how easily people can be influenced by one person, either good or wicked.
