Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, The Scarlet Letter is based on the puritanical custom of affixing a giant red, letter "A" to anybody that committed adultery. The novel centers on the adulterous Puritan Hester Prynne. Throughout the novel, she loyally refuses to reveal the name of her partner. The novel is generally regarded as Hawthorne's masterpiece and as one of the classics of American literature. However, it also reflects the typical, partriarchical attitude ... a romantic interpretation. According to Carpenter, "Hester did not sin at all: or that, if she did, she transformed her sin into a ...

• Word Count: 1505
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate