Nathaniel Hawthorne, as an author, was at the peak of his success during his life. Even after his death, his transcendentalist writings gained great recognition and love. Although The Scarlet Letter explores the strictness of Puritan society, it still remains one of his best-selling and most well-known novel of all time. Hawthorne may be bias and show hatred towards the Puritans, but he manages to maintain that anger as he writes a symbolic novel, that some say, is a feminist piece of writing. On the other hand, Hawthorne goes as far as changing his last name to separate himself from Puritan origin which reveals his true hatred for this pious group.

The Scarlet Letter has an interesting twist on the concepts of sin and repentance. Hawthorne expresses the idea that revealed sin gains greater repentance than hidden sin. While Hester, an “able” woman, explores land never before explored by women, Dimmesdale suffers physical pain as he hides his sin. Dimmesdale betrays Hester, but love ultimately triumphs over this betrayal. Hester continues to love Dimmesdale as the “devil” tortures him physically and mentally. Chillingworth-an ironic name- is the “devil” behind the torture, and as Dimmesdale gets weaker, Chillingworth gains strength. Dimmesdale is ultimately “leeched” down to the point where he literally has no life left in him. A love story, a heart-breaking ending, and Puritan customs are all intermingled to create an emotional-filled novel.

To be honest, The Scarlet Letter was a tough read due to the fact that there were several symbols that needed to be understood in order to truly grasp the meaning of the novel. The intentions of the author are hidden behind the meaning of these symbols which in turn makes reading the novel difficult. Personally, reading through the novel once was enjoyable, but The Scarlet Letter is not one of those novels that you read over and over again. On the other hand, The Scarlet Letter is a favorite among English teachers.