1. Introduction to The Scarlet Letter and Mr. Nathaniel Hawthorne

2. Nathaniel Hawthorne Lived 1804-1864 (Salem Witch Trials 1692)
Born in Salem, Massachusetts
Infamous ancestors:
William Hathorne- persecutor of Quakers, public whipping of a woman
John Hathorne- judge during Witch Trials
Nathaniel added a w to his last name-- to distance himself from his ancestors?

3. Worked in politics- article “The Custom House” satirizes the officers and Whig leaders
Friends with Transcendentalists Thoreau and Emerson(spirituality through nature)-- watch for use of nature

4. Our focus for The Scarlet Letter:
EVERYTHING IS AN ARGUMENT.
At some point you will write on the following:
What is Hawthorne’s argument as seen in The Scarlet Letter?
How does he form his characters and why?
What are his messages?
Why did he write the novel?