Single Parenthood Redefined

Contributed by Allen Mooney

I love the "Scarlett Letter" because it demonstrates the hardships of colonial life, the beliefs held by the people of the era, and the stigmatism of being a single parent in that time period. The main character, Hester Prynne has a child through an adulterous affair. This child, named Pearl, grows to be willful and stubborn. Nathaniel Hawthorne did a miraculous job at bringing history to life while still writing what is one of the best romantic fictions ever. The twists and turns in this book are as captivating as the soap operas one can catch on satellite tv from http://www.expertsatellite.com when not engulfed in the book. Hester refuses to release the name of the father. Her husband is believed lost at sea, but has really arrived in the town and is using an alias while working as the town physician. Her lover, that no one knows the name of, is ailing and comes to live with her gusband. The main catch is that her lover is the town priest. The doctor soon comes to the realization of who his patient really is when he finds a large red A burned unto his chest. Hester is shunned from the community, and even called a witch. What I love the most is that through all of this, Hester and Pearl remain close and loving without community support.