A high school favorite

A good friend of mine recently recommended I try a few of the classics and among her suggestions was one that had been a favorite from my high school reading list. That suggestion led me to pick up, for the second time, Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. So here is what I thought the second time around.

(P.S. when I post on the classics, I will not be putting publisher info, etc, there are dozens of copies out there, just search for one.)
Title: The Scarlet Letter
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
My start date: 7/22/10
My finish date: 7/26/10
Book count: 35/100

I can no longer remember which year in my high school curriculum this work was required, but I do actually remember reading it. I read it all in one sitting one night while my parents had guests. At the time, although I loved English and adored reading, I remember loving the plot but feeling that the writing was a little slow. I knew nothing yet about style and periods within literature. Well, this time I do. This enables me to appreciate things in a different light. And I was pleased to find that, although there are definitely still sections that drag on, I was able to polish off some great new aspects of this work that I had previously been unable to appreciate.

I love Hawthorne's characters. So intense! This time around I was able to find a deeper richness in these characters than I had previously grasped. As mentioned, Hawthorne's style, particularly here, is not exactly action driven. In fact, there is very little real action in this story. Entire chapters are devouted to single moments in detail in which the author makes the reader stand very still and examine something. What I get now more than I did as a high schooler is the way in which this inaction drives a deeper understanding of the characters. I don't think I understood then that a book could be more about understanding a character than about any sort of plot or action! I get it now. :-)

That being said, don't let those slow chapters fool you into thinking there isn't a stellar plot. I love the build up as Hawthorne slowly lets you into the secret which Hester is keeping to herself and I really love the mounting tension as the main characters come to a head and must face the ties that bind them. Brilliant.

So, while nothing about Hawthorne's great classic has gotten any more action packed in the last ten years, I loved going back and re-experiencing the chill. You just feel so deliciously cold when you read this book! And I especially appreciated how much my growth in experience has allowed me an even deeper love of a previously enjoyed classic. Many thanks to to Uzma for the recommendation to return once again to Hawthorne's chilly pages!

Until next time!
Sarah

PS, the link I provide below on the classics is not necessarily the same copy I personally read. It is the first link that Amazon shows. As indicated above, though, they are essentially the same. If I recommend a particular copy, say, for especially helpful added notes, or something, I will let you know.