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Why Was The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne Banned?

2026-04-26 09:34:36

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3 Answers

Carly

This was the book that got banned in our high school’s English program back in the 1990s or so. Part of the reason for the ‘banning’ of this classic novel was because of the main plot which revolves around the theme of adultery in the harsh Puritan society, as well as the way the main character, Hester Prynne, is shamed by the society for her actions. In many school districts across the country this book has been either banned or challenged for reasons stated above.

What is interesting is that Hawthorne uses the ‘scandalous’ elements of adultery in order to expose the hypocrisy in very rigid moral systems and how they shame people for being human. The scarlet ‘A’ becomes a symbol not of sin, but of survival, of defiance, of being able to stand up in the face of extreme cruelty and hypocrisy. People who try to ban the novel are usually missing the point, as The Scarlet Letter is not The Scarlet Letter as an advertisement for adultery, but rather as a way to explore the difficulties in living in a culture that is very rigid and forever judging others.

2026-04-30

Wyatt

There are many books that have been banned but then go on to become bestsellers such as ‘1984’ by George Orwell because it is a strong critique of governments. Another example is ‘The Scarlet Letter’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book was removed from school reading lists because of its ‘questionable morality’. It is discussed in schools today because of its thought-provoking portrayal of the way that an adulterous woman was treated in a puritan community.

An interesting note about this banned book is that it is about the silencing of women and was silenced. The story of Hester and her consequences are very real and relatable. They are messy and human and, in a society afraid of things it does not understand, the novel is even more relevant today in terms of issues of shame, women’s autonomy, and who gets to judge.

2026-04-30

Zion

I read ‘The Scarlet Letter’ over the summer and was amazed by the reaction that this novel received. Many places have banned ‘The Scarlet Letter’ because of its ‘immoral’ content: Hester Prynne has an illegitimate child and there is criticism of the religious community of Boston. Many schools even banned ‘The Scarlet Letter’ in the 20th century because it was ‘corrupting’ the youth and went against ‘traditional values’.

But it’s so good. That’s what Hawthorne did in the book – he exposed how guilt and the concept of purity are used by society to control people. Dimmesdale’s hidden sin slowly kills him, while Hester’s public punishment slowly creates a new identity for herself outside of Puritan society. The book is a scathing expose of a repressive culture, and it’s ironic that it was also repressed by that culture. The censors apparently feared that it would inspire children to rebel against society. But instead The Scarlet Letter inspires us to think about the book and its meanings. Maybe censors actually feared that.

2026-04-30

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