Let's talk about The Scarlet Letter 

But is the symbolism more obvious today, after 100+ years of other works inspired by Hawthorne? I read this as a teen, but I read most of the classics as a teen. I liked it very much at the time. Perhaps it is more enjoyable for a New Englander, because of Hawthorne's connection to the area. Honestly, I think it is thought provoking with an antique setting but a modern (and timeless) topic, and I'm surprised that current teens don't enjoy it. Perhaps they need better teachers. (Don't' hate on me -- I love teachers!)

I loved reading Scarlet Letter. Actually, listening to the free recording. Hawthorne's poetic language paints a picture of the forest scene. The darkness alighting on Hester and Pearl catching the sunlight. The town is described when the rooftops are lit up by an asteroid. These are literary devices to enable an otherwise boring description. I hope to incorporate these devices in my novel. How nature reflects the temperament of the characters.

So true about forced or bad literature teaching. I've always been a reader but hated (and still dislike) all the books I had to read in Eng Lit. I enjoyed The Scarlet Letter when I first read it but I was in my late twenties and was better able to deal with the themes and issues.

I ordered from North Ave a couple of months ago because of your videos and have been ordering the candle of the month ever since. I love the scents and the charms. This is my favorite candle of the month too. I will note that I read The Scarlet Letter as a teenager and I liked this book, but I had a terrific teacher. To me, this book was the catalyst for my first critical thinking experience regarding feminism and toxicity in relationships. I think that the discussions I had with my classmates and the questions that my teacher posed influenced how much I appreciated this book. I have always been a bookworm, but I tended to dislike "required reading" in school. A good teacher can make all the difference though.

To extend your appreciation of this book I recommend John Updike;s treatment of the main characters in three novels: S, A Month of Sundays, and Roger's Version. As an about to retire high school English teacher who has taught American Literature Honors classes, which included reading The Scarlet Letter, I appreciate your commentary on the book. The question of whether or not to "force" students to read such classics will continue to be asked. After about 25 years of teaching this each fall along with The Crucible and other shorter works by and about the Puritans, I can attest to the book's value. Students have enjoyed discussing its characters, the concept of sin, and how we treat those who do so in small communities. I've always been touched by Chillingworth's recognition of how the desire for vengeance had distorted and twisted his very soul. There are some great conversations within the text. Love the book. Always have, even in high school; each rereading has brought new thoughts.

I haven't read so many books yet, but your reviews help me a lot in having an idea about a new book everytime. Great job!! Keep on doing reviews... You are very humble...

I didn’t read this until college and I enjoyed it. I love your insightful thoughts!

I read this in junior year of high school as assigned reading, so that was....oof, well, it'll be 25 years ago this fall. Yikes. But I remember finding it quite intriguing and powerful, and I'm pretty sure I was the only kid in my English class who liked it and truly appreciated it for what it was conveying. And I think it's a good one for kids to be assigned even now, because honestly.......we're not that much better when it comes to treatment of women who society thinks have behaved inappropriately (whatever "inappropriate" means on a given day, since it seems to change so often). We may not literally slap giant letter As on them, but figuratively, they're still marked out as being somehow bad or wrong or insufficient.

The thing that stands out about that book for me was how many times the word ignominious and ignominy was used!

That color looks great!! Love it.

That candle sounds like every scent that I love. I haven't read The Scarlet Letter yet but am looking forward to get to it! I'm so glad that in my high school we were allowed to pick our novels to study and none were really forced on us.

I read it a few years ago and was initially thought the Puritanical writing would be a turnoff. Instead I had the same thoughts as you. And I’m so glad I never had to read this in school. I meant to read more of this author’s works but alas.

thank you for this video! I'm an English major and I have had a pretty hard time with romantic era classic books because of trhe language but the way you put it and connected the main plot points and symbolism to modern society really gave me some insight.

Great job as usual. I’ve had the version of this with the Reuben Toledo cover collecting dust on my shelves for several years now. I’m glad you reviewed it on different levels. Btw congratulations on scoring the Harvard (Yale?) writing gig! That’s huge! Go ahead and thank the academy for recognizing your work 😄

Beautiful review of this book, I just read it after seeing it referenced in Brenna Aubrey's romance "For the Win". Absolutely LOVED the Scarlet Letter, and I kind of want to write a more modern version of it where Hester actually gets the ending she'd hoped for. I also kind of like to imagine that Pearl ends up as a wild pirate queen or something rather than just married and rich somewhere across the ocean.

You have peaked my interest in now reading the scarlet letter! I cannot remember if I read it in high school or in college! It sounds like a book I would enjoy reading someday in the near future!!! Thank you again for sharing your beautiful thoughts on the 📚

It was required reading for me, but I enjoyed it. I don't recall anyone else enjoying it. Lol. It was very thought provoking for me. Probably, the first time, I realized where books could truly take me.

I loved House of the Seven Gables as well. I read it right before visiting Salem, MA - I’ll have to check out Scarlet Letter!

This was great.I read this awhile ago but you’ve convinced me to read it again.

Great review - and that particular cover is gorgeous! I haven’t read it but your thoughts make me curious to check it out.

I read this book after graduating from college. Primarily because it was referenced in pop culture and in movies and I was tired of not knowing what everyone was talking about. We didn't have to read it in high school. I agree that the prose was difficult at first but I eneded up enjoying the book.

I am so glad you enjoyed it! I love it as well. And I love how you describe the utility of teaching unsubtle symbolism to young readers. I fully agree that it is both an obvious choice for syllabi and a poor choice. Personally, I like to link it with Madame Bovary, Anna Karenina, and Adam Bede. (Very recently in some tag or another, I mentioned that many people my age had been assigned the book in school and hated it-and some of the young people who commented suggested it is not as commonly assigned now. Interesting.)

I read this book before high school, then again in high school, then again as a high school teacher. I loved it every time, but I understand how the language can be a barrier. I’d love to see a video comparing the book and the Demi Moore version of the movie (it’s ... inaccurate). Thanks for sharing!

This is my favourite book. Great review.

I had to read The Scarlet Letter in high school - many years ago. I've been thinking of re-reading it for a few years now. This video may have given me the push I need.

Just finished this for college, and I lowkey loved it. I can’t say if I would or wouldn’t have loved it in high school, because I was a book nerd then but only for contemporary lol

I am in junior honours english this year and this is a book we have to read. Honestly I don't hate it and the concept, I haven't really been into reading before this semester so it is kind of hard for me to read it and fully understand what is being said. But I am very interested in the story itself, so I am glad that I have found this.

I really loved this book when I read it at university, but I had chosen US literature so, even though we read it in school, it was a great experience! I loved my US lit professor, he had such a passion for the subject and we went really deep when analyzing the books, it was fascinating. I can’t imagine it as required reading for high schoolers though 😶 It has been on my re-read list for ages, I hope I’ll be able to love it just as much

I didn't hate this book when we read it in school. But I also believe with school books it's about how your teacher taught it sometimes. That can have a great impact on the liking of a school required book. I think I might try and reread this because of this video, thank you!

Loved this video!

Love the eyeshadow!

Great review. I read this in high school and loved the story. The writing style is what I wasn't a fan of. Now that I have more classics under my belt, I think I wouldn't mind it upon a re-read.

Being an English Lit major, I have read Rappaccini's Daughter by Hawthorne as required read, and it was a good story. That's why I read this book on my own. I enjoyed it as well. It is pretty impressive how you can read so many classics and discuss them deeply without being an English major! Always have enjoyed your videos!

I am about to start reading this book 📖 I will let you know what I think soon as I am finished reading 📖 it please stay safe love from your number one Australia fan John

"give a group of people enough power to render a verdict on someone and their mistakes and that group of people will most likely abuse it" - like twiter and cancellation culture... Anyway.... I've only heard of this book bc of the movie Easy A (which made a much better merchandising of Huck Finn for me, sooo ksksk) bc I'm from Brazil and the foreign required readings were Midsummer's night dream and Pride and Prejudice (both of which we made plays from, I was Lizzie's aunt ksksk) and it definitely helps the reading that the language in the translated text is more modern and acessible, I actually prefer to read all classics first in my native language and, then, maybe, if I love it, I'll risk it ksksk I'm actually just about to start Little women! yeah, we have the required reading discussion here as well but it's added to it the dificulty of acess and price of the books so it's pretty hard to get to a answer/clear solution to it... and oh, I also hate the "appearence equals your inner morals" thing! it made count of mount cristo really ridiculous kskskkksk love your vids! can't wait for the next one!

Well, we usually hate the books when we have to read them during the school years. Is it because we have to pass some tests or exams, so we hate them. We are forced to read them. Later on, when we reread these books we discover the real beauty that hides inside. So we evaluate them in another way, a positive one.

This is a great classic. And I have the manga to

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

I read The Scarlet Letter as assigned reading in high school. I liked it. In fact, I liked all assigned reading, except for Billy Budd, Sailor by Herman Melville. It’s just cruel to make anyone read that.

This was one of my favorite required books in high school and I was def in the minority 😂

I read this in high school and hated it. If memory serves me right, I don't think I even finished it and used Cliffs Notes for the end. I didn't come to appreciate it until I was an adult. Now, however, I'm a total Nathaniel Hawthorne fangirl. I've heard it said that his writing style was old-fashioned even at the time it was written, but for some reason I love his use of language and imagery. Some of his short stories are excellent as well.

I enjoyed the Scarlet Letter. I remember so much but somehow the ending has drifted away. I think this book has influenced a lot of historical fiction since.

Thanks so much for reviewing this book. I have never read it, but your analysis has piqued my interest. From what I do know of the story, I also question its being required reading for teenagers. In addition to a lack of familiarity with the language, how much will they understand and relate to Puritan society's mores? I should think that the reaction of an uninformed reader of today would be a firm rejection of the basic premise of the book, which will probably shut down any likely appreciation of it.

Did you know that Nathaniel Hawthorn was next door neighbor to the Alcott's, as in Louisa May of Little Women!

I started it and read about 1/3 of the book before giving up and watching the movie.

As someone who was 'forced' to read this in high school I really enjoyed it then. Now I'd like to frame that with some backstory. I went to a private christian school and ... Well.. once you've tried to read the KJV bible... Let's just say classic literature isn't that big of a hurdle linguistically. Also..at 12 this might have been the spiciest story I'd come across. But don't worry, we also frequented a public library and that wasn't the case for long.

I believe that the reason pupils are required to study this work in school is because it highlights the morality and hypocrisy of Puritan mentality, which is important from a historical perspective. It represents fundamental ideas behind American thoughts and concepts of success, happiness, and destiny, which are still relevant today.

I wasn't required to, but I just read it at the age of 16 and I loved it so much. I honestly think that if people would get past the fact that it's a "required" book and just give it a chance, they'd see that it's a really good story. I understand the stigma around required reading, I've definitely been forced to read some books that weren't nearly as enjoyable.

The community is a clear depiction of when you let people be the decision makers for your punishment rather than God or some other power like karma.

I read this book for the first time as an adult last October ( it was never required reading for me in school either) and absolutely loved it. I agree pretty much with everything you said in your review. It has a very modern feel and the messages and themes are just as relevant today as they were back when Hawthorne wrote it. I honestly don’t think it is a good choice for high school students because most readers need more life and societal experiences to get the full impact of messages here. And I don’t think the average high schooler has those yet. That, combined with the language (which is absolutely beautiful but also challenging) might be why it tends to get the bad press that it does.

I am reading this right now for a literature course at University. I hate it haha. I just find it so *dull* . And I've studied at a University level for several years, and enjoyed other classics, so I don't hate it because I find it difficult as such. Just. Boring (to me). My eyes literally fall shut as I try to read a page! I have fallen asleep a couple of times even.

i know this is an old video, but how would you suggest going about filling the holes when reading classics and practicing understanding the language ?

My issue with this book is that Pearl is born pre-disposed to go wrong according to Hawthorne. Other than William the Conquerer, I can't accept that bastards are naturally evil.

I unfortunately think I need all of her candles.

Hey

No shipping to the UK 😭

I wish I could get these amazing candles in India!

I love the deep dive on the Scarlett Letter.