American Lit Podcast #4 Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter (2 of 4)

This is the section of the book where the relationships between the characters start to take solid shape, and Hawthorne makes these points numerous times.

When we aim to interpret a literary work, our task has to go beyond listing our emotional reactions, our gut reactions, to the events of the plot or the setting.

• "The authorities should not have been so harsh with Hester."
• "The townspeople are slow to appreciate Hester's charity; they should have recognized and appreciated her charity."
  

Well, of course. But Hawthorne created this whole scenario - the strict society - in order to test the character of his sympathetic heroine.