A Pure Hand Needs No Glove to Cover It

I first read Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter when I was in sixth grade. At the time, I certainly didn't understand the implications of Hester Prynne's crime and the way her puritan society had shunned her so brutally. Reading it much later with greater knowledge of the world, in my junior year of high school, I was able to fully appreciate the novel. It's one of my favorite works of American literature, and I'm looking forward to reading Hawthorne's other four works that are featured on this list. For some reasons, I seem to love stories that have some sort of a focus on revenge and psychological manipulation. I am completely fascinated by the mental conditions of both Chillingworth and Dimmesdale and enjoyed watching the way their relationship unfolds and becomes more and more destructive. I was disappointed that much was left unsaid about Hester's character, but I admired her strength and independence in the face of adversity. Pearl's innocent but perceptive character is truly a delight to watch. Many of my classmates failed to love this novel, but it remains one of my favorites. An A+.

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"Happiness is a butterfly which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you." (Nathaniel Hawthorne)