Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter isn’t just about Puritan New England. It’s about how societies weaponize shame, especially against women. Middle-aged readers might see the parallels instantly: the culture wars, the policing of women’s choices, the double standards that never seem to fade. Hester Prynne’s scarlet “A” is just an early version of the labels still thrown around today. Maybe that’s why the novel still stings—it’s not history. It’s prophecy. #Entertainment #Books #AmericanLiterature