The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Set in 17th-century Puritan Boston, this novel tells the story of a woman who conceives a daughter through an affair and struggles to create a new life of repentance and dignity. She is forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her dress as a sign of her adultery while her lover, a revered local minister, remains unnamed and unpunished. Throughout the book, themes of sin, legalism, and guilt are explored.

The 74th greatest book of all time

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Why This Matters

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Total Points: 2808

This book was first published in 1850

56 Lists