Red characters (Second level) (Book + 1 tape)

Author: [US] Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features:
- Broad Selection: Includes a variety of themes such as celebrities, classic literature, movies, and plays, categorized into three major types: modern pop, classic literature, and outstanding original works, with rich content.
- Clear Grading: Word count increases from less to more, and content deepens from simple to complex, gradually upgrading according to the interests of readers of different ages.
- Practice Exercises: Each book includes targeted exercises at the end, helping readers understand the content and progressively improve their English reading skills.
- Accompanied by Audio Tapes: Enhances students' understanding of the language and improves their listening skills.
The novel is set against the harsh theocratic rule during the North American colonial period, depicting a tragic love story that unfolds in New England. The female protagonist, Hester Prynne, marries a hypocritical scholar much older than herself and spends her youth in an unreasonable marriage. Later, she falls in love with a young minister, Arthur Dimmesdale, and becomes pregnant in her lonely life. This act is viewed by Calvinism as committing adultery, a sin against the "Seventh Commandment." Hester is punished and publicly humiliated, wearing a scarlet letter "A" on her chest, symbolizing "Adultery."
Hester remains steadfast and refuses to reveal her accomplice. After her punishment, she lives in isolation, enduring humiliation and toil, raising her daughter. Eventually, she earns the people's understanding and forgiveness, transforming the scarlet letter into a symbol of virtue. Meanwhile, the minister Arthur Dimmesdale initially conceals his guilt and lives in impunity. However, he is tormented by his hidden sin and ultimately confesses publicly, dying shortly after, achieving moral redemption.
Hester's maid, Chillingworth, was originally a victim but becomes consumed by the desire for revenge, turning into a demon-like figure and becoming a true sinner. The moral and ethical themes explored in the novel reflect Hawthorne's abstract understanding of sharp social contradictions. The story begins with a prison and a rosebush and ends with a graveyard, filled with rich symbolism.