Questions on "The Scarlet Letter"

[gam197]

My son is reading this book for a homeschool class.

I read this when I was in school just like I read “Of Mice and Men” and “Brave New World”. Yet these common reading books often pose an issue for readers.

The Scarlet letter almost seems anti-Christian. Now I understand the issue of the harshness of the Puritan society but "did she not commit adultery? Because she married an older man and then commit adultery with a young man, does that justify their actions?

In death both are buried with their names on the same tombstone; it almost makes it seem like a love story that has been thwarted?

Granted it shows the torment of not telling the truth. It doesn’t say Dimmesdale is feeling guilty about the adultery but more about the fact that Dimmesdale isn’t honest. Chillingworth(even his name) is a mean old husband but wasn’t this an honest marriage and would his wife not be held to chastity? Why is this a good book aside from the fact that it is well-written and shows how people deal with guilt?

 

[gam197]

Another issue is that it takes place in New England and mentions the witch trials. Now the witch trials were more or less a protestant thing but I also understand especially today with the Wicca and New Age how this idealogies can influence the culture.

Originally witchcraft from my understanding did alot of potions for birth control and also for abortion so there is no wonder that Christians would not like the witch society.

It almost relates Hester Prynne’s “sin” to the falsehood of the witch trails as if the Puritans were totally luniatical in their pursecution of the Witches.

Also my son had to read Tale of Two Cities in his homeschool class and I worry that this book isn’t told from a catholic point of view. I don’t mind as long as he really understands the “protestant enlightenment”.

**These books are so commonly read. **

Although the public schools are even worse. My other son had to read Johnny Jay(growing up as a lestbian), Angelas Ashes(Irish drunk father and whore-like mother) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? He got an F in the class because we couldn’t get him out.

There are so many other well-written books in literature…

• Lord of the Flies(group oboys revert from a Christian English culture based on laws(Moses and ten commandment) to a tribal society when left on an island.
• Animal Farm- deals with communism or a totailitory state

–Red Badge of Courage -about life in the Civil war and courage

-The Red Fern- sad story about a boy who has to kill his pet deer because the deer eats the family crops and threatens the family with loss of a food supply.

-Scarlet Pimperel-rescues French Aristocrats with death during the French Revolution

Thanks for letting me rant.