Author: Jim
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Reflections on The Scarlet Letter
The edition of the Scarlet Letter that I read (Barnes & Noble Classics) included a forward by Nancy Stade that was more of an analysis of the book than a foreword, so I saved it for last. In many ways it solidified the thoughts I already had on the book, and added a few additional… Read more
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The Scarlet Letter: Part 4
XIX The Child at the Brook-Side Fairies: myth or reality? I’m David Attenborough and in today’s chapter I’ll be your guide as we observe the strange greeting ritual of the emotionally stunted Puritans. Our scene opens with a juvenile Puritan playing in the woods. Although she is a member of a species traditionally feared by… Read more
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The Scarlet Letter: Part 3
XIII Another View of Hester Hester muses about how Dimmsdale looks way worse than the last time she saw him. She feels partly to blame and knows that Chillingworth has played a part in making him extra pathetic. Since Dimmsdale has an instinctual fear of him, but is unable to do anything about it, she… Read more
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The Scarlet Letter: Part 2
Welcome to the exciting continuation wherein the story progresses in a mostly linear fashion. It has words! Punctuation! Dialogue! All the things you expect in a book that has characters! VII The Governor’s Hall Then, as now, trivial matters tend to take the forefront of public interest and political debate. Such is the case regarding… Read more
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The Scarlet Letter: Part 1
I The Prison-Door Ah New England. Untouched by white people. Every time a new land is settled, it is seen as a pristine utopia, and as such, needs a prison. One cannot have paradise, of course, unless one regularly culls those who do not conform. Boston was no different, and within twenty years of settlement,… Read more
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The Custom-House: A short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hawthorne always struggled making a living as a writer, and often had to resort to working actual jobs and keep writing as a side gig. One of these jobs was at a Custom-House in Salem, MA. This is the place where taxes and dues are assigned and collected on imported goods. At the start of… Read more
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Introduction to The Scarlet Letter
Unlike the last two books I summarized, this is a book that I have actually read before, though I read it back in high school, which is more than half my lifetime ago at this point. The only thing I really remember about it is the surprise ending, which I will not reveal here, lest… Read more
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A Tale of Two Cities Complete Summary
A Tale of Two Cities Or The Worcesterhires Welcome friends and neighbors and thank you for joining me on my inaugural journey of Charles Dickens’ 1859 classic novel. To start, here is a comprehensive list of all the things I know about A Tale of Two Cities: 1) It starts with the line “It was the… Read more
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A Tale of Two Cities: Part the Last
Chapter 9 The Game Made While Carton and Barsad converse in a side room, Mr. Lorry looks suspiciously at Jerry: Lorry: Jerry, what were you besides a messenger? Jerry: Definitely not a grave robber. L: I am much distrust. If you were, I would denounce you when we got back to England. J: I just… Read more
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Reflections on A Tale of Two Cities
Dickens wrote to the audience of his day, so the settings, events, objects, etc. are all taken for granted without any explanation. It’s basically like if you wrote a novel about a roadtrip today, you wouldn’t bother describing what getting a flat tire is, you would just say they got a flat tire. Now picture… Read more