Consider the novel you read for the theme SELF-DISCOVERY.

What exactly was it that the novel's main character discovered about himself/herself? Explain how this discovery was an integral part of the novel's substance or core.

How was this discovery applicable to you as the reader? In what sense could it be applicable to ALL readers? What did you learn about YOURSELF as you watched the character change within the novel?

Hester seemed to discover that ones individuality and strength come from a quiet "self-assertion"and restructuring, not by a rejection their assigned identity (which in her case was theLetter). It was interwoven within the story, but as much as one would think (i could be wrong). Chillingsworth was never one to discover this really, nor was Dimmesedale. It was through her actions that you could find the bit of "self-discovery". She was never really imprisoned by actual prison bars, she could have left and taken of the letter. She was actually dismayed when Chillingsworth told her the elders were thinking about letting her remove the letter. She used this solitude of sorts, to help herself come to grips with who she really was. It has been said that we find out who people really are, through some of the toughest situations. All readers will find that through whatever problems you go through, we will find out a bit about of ourselves and who we truely are. I personally did not find anything about myself as i read the novel.

++ oh my... I am sad to hear that... there is a good deal going on besides just learning how strong we are through our trials... but even so, I would hope that the way Hester rises above what the masses "decide" about her at the start is an important lesson. You can't seriously tell me that you've never been "categorized" by some group or person at some point! We've all had a "label" hung on us in life... even if it's a good one. For example, some people view "Christians" only through a stereotype and then we have to deal with their attitudes toward us because we claim the name. Think about it!

You read 3 (or more) books this past summer. Which book from the summer reading list did you find to be the most "interesting"? In a paragraph or two, tell me what it takes to make a book interesting (in your opinion) and how the summer book you chose met the standard of "most" interesting. If NONE of the books qualified for that title (again, in your opinion) tell me where and why they fell short of your standard.

Finally, tell me what things you read OTHER than assigned books? Did you read magazines, other novels, travel guides for a vacation, instructions for how to work something, whatever? Think it over, this could be a longer list than you first imagine! Which of these other things was the most interesting.... did you use the same standard as you did for paragraph one? If not, why not?

Wiki 1 (Aug 13) -> Summer reading for me has always been a bit of a drag really, yet i found myself enjoying it a bit more than usual. Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein was interesting but i didn't find it nearly as interesting as the The Scarlet Letter and Jane Eyre. It struck me as very "difficult" romance novel. I thought it flowed fairly easily, though it was definitely differnet from my usual magic filled favorites. I liked the struggle of the main character, only because of the somewhat happy ending. I almost threw the book down when i thought she may never find "true love", but it rolled out that "happily ever after" for me so i was happy.

     It seems for me a happy ending is normally what makes it a good book, or at least one with that makes you think. I seem to choose books that smack you in the face right off the bat, or shows some promise within the first couple of chapters. I didn't expect that with any of the summer readings, only because it's school related and everyone knows school is not where u find the next Harry Potter or Twilight series. I want the book to catch my interest with a few twist and turns something to grab me and make me think. Puzzle are always fun, unless they become overly tangled within it's many plots it ceases to become a novel and more of a spider web. I like a novel to include some sort of dramatic overtone, either a Edgar Alan Poe type of darkness or a subtle romance and uplifting feel. Bland stories make me want to become a "firemen" (symposium, you wouldn't understand).

     I personally hadn't thought about reading much more than i had to this summer. Sure i had the articles and books i had to read for AP Gov, well and the novels that we were told were "briefing papers", but i had work, camps, and mission trips. You know the important things. Yet i came into work early one morning and July and every where i looked, on the shelves, in counters, chairs, etc. were these books, every last one of them by P.C. Cast. Turns out my sister had infiltrated my place of work and talked to all the teachers and staff. She had them all reading this new "neo" vampire series. I thought it was another Twilight, which i hate, but it turned out to be fairly interesting. It was a tad bit more feminine than i would have liked but the first book was great. I'm starting the next book this weekend, if i can pry it out of the hands of my neat freak sister.  I am also about a quarter of the way into the book The Time Traveler's Wife. It's not horrible, but a tad bit tough to follow at times, which is not terribly surprising.

** I have read Niffenegger's Time Traveler's Wife... a good read... This weekend I read Sebold's The Almost Moon which would fit your standard of surprising since the protagonist strangles her mother in the very first chapter! (just a tad shocking that one!) Glad to hear you found some redeeming qualities in the books you "had to" read! :-)