The Great American Novel
Eight major contenders for the elusive Great American Novel: books that test the country's myths of freedom, race, money, mobility, violence, and memory. 8 books · Intermediate.
American Renaissance · Novel / stories
The Scarlet Letter
by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A major work by Nathaniel Hawthorne exploring sin, guilt, history; included for its sustained literary or intellectual influence.
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- Date
- 1850
- Origin
- United States
- Genre
- Novel / stories
- Canon tier
- Essential core
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Length
- Medium
- Collection
- The Western Canon
Subjects and themes
Why it matters
A major work by Nathaniel Hawthorne exploring sin, guilt, history; included for its sustained literary or intellectual influence.
This work is included on the basis of expanded / modern canon. Its cataloged influence level is 5 out of 5.
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