Hester Prynne

The Letter 'A'

A is not always for apples. Just ask Hester Prynne. The protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter — a book about adultery, shame, guilt, labeling and loyalty — chose to turn her symbol of shame into a mark of beauty and individuality. The novel, published on this date in 1850, is considered one of America's greatest literary works. Hawthorne set The Scarlet Letter, like most of his novels, in 17th-century Puritan America, painting a picture of the society as intolerant, repressive and authoritarian.

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From our Archives: Today's Highlights, March 16, 2009