Scarlet Letter Essay Topics: A List Of Fresh Ideas For Your Paper


The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne guides readers through the historical fiction world of the 17th century. The book is a good example to try your analyzing skills at, that’s why you may get an assignment to write an essay on the story. There are so many things to discuss and compare to our world that the topic choice may become difficult. You can’t describe everything in one tiny academic work, so it’s important to choose only one branch of the plot. You can find the best topic suggestion for you on a useful resource online.

Fresh Topics for Your Scarlet Letter Essay

  1. The connection between Hester’s character and the scarlet letter. Is there a difference between her true identity and the one society attributes her?
  2. Even though it’s a fiction book, can it be considered as the commentary of the era? If yes, why?
  3. As the novel is filled with symbols, discuss the way they are used by the narrator and the way they are perceived by the Puritans.
  4. Do the sets play a big role in the book? If so, how do the events that are described there connected to the places they happen at?
  5. Can The Scarlet Letter be considered as a protofeminist work? What kind of punishment would have Hester got if she had been a man?
  6. Why does Chillingworth implement his “revenge” on Dimmesdale and Hester instead of just revealing the truth?
  7. The author puts the story in a distant past – about two centuries ago from the era of the writer. Why so? Why is it not just a story with no time setting?
  8. The value of children within the novel. Pearl can be considered both like a blessing and a curse, but she also reflects Hester sometimes.
  9. Native Americans appear within the book from time to time. What’s their value for the setting ad how do they contribute to the plot?
  10. Is Hester penitent for what she did? She seems to have forgiven herself for the “crime”, unlike Dimmesdale.

To Sum Up

The Scarlet Letter raises lots of questions, and all of them ca be answered differently by different people. Present your point of view by writing a beautiful work on the book, comparing the time set of the novel and nowadays, the symbols and events of the book, and its characters. Choose the topic that you care and have to say something about, and your paper will become the best in the class.