Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography · Born on July 4, 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts · His dad died when he was four years old so Hawthorne moved in with his mom, aunt, and uncle · Went to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine for four years and then graduated in 1825 · Moved back to Salem after college to work on his writing · Hawthorne was soon established as a distinguished writer when he completed Fanshawe and stories for Twice Told Tales. · Writing wasn’t paying …showed first 75 words of 728 total…

…showed last 75 words of 728 total…page of the book · Slowly and painfully we see the purification of Hester through repentance · Dimmesdale relieves himself by confessing his sins but isn’t able to reconcile the situation · Sin and sorrow are the most powerful emotions and forms throughout the book · The Scarlet Letter does provide severity, purity, and sympathy though · The thrill that the reader feels, is deep because the action doesn’t end it is always there understated, vague, and distant.